11 Foods You Should Never Store In The Fridge

The cold of the fridge makes us think that our foods stored in there are kept fresher, but some foods are better off without the refrigerator. Here are 11 foods that you should never store in the fridge. Be sure to spread the word to inform your loved ones!

1. Bread

Bread dries out and goes stale much more quickly in the fridge, which isn’t what you want when you bite into your lunchtime sandwich. Try storing it in a cool, dry place. A bread bin or bread bags would be a good start.

2. Melons

There’s nothing like biting into cold melon to cool you down on a hot summer’s day, but Good Housekeeping recommends you store yours elsewhere – but only before you cut it. Once you’ve cut into the melon, wrap it in cling film and put it in the fridge.

3. Bananas

Wait a few days before you add your bananas to the fridge.
If they’re green and you refrigerate them straight away, they won’t ripen at all. Instead, they’ll turn mushy and black as their enzymes break down nutrients. If and once they are already ripe, it’s safe to pop them in the fridge.

4. Tomatoes

Refrigerating tomatoes actually damages the membrane inside the fruit, altering the taste and texture. The tomato will lose flavor and will taste a bit watery and unripe. Leave it on the counter and it will develop more flavour over the next few days.

5. Potatoes

According to the Foods Standards Agency, potatoes are the one food you should never, ever store in the fridge because it could be harmful.
“When these are stored in the fridge, the starch in the potato is converted to sugar. When baked or fried, these sugars combine with the amino acid asparagine and produce the chemical acrylamide, which is thought to be harmful.”

6. Cake
Cake is good to keep in an airtight container for a few days, though if it’s got fresh cream in it, you need to put it in a fridge. Otherwise, pop it in a cake tin. It will taste better if it’s not cold.

7. Coffee
Do not throw your coffee jar in the fridge! Coffee beans and grounds take in the smells from their surroundings.
Keep it in an airtight container outside of the fridge.
8. Honey
At low temperatures, honey begins to crystallise, meaning instead of lovely, runny honey you’ll have a grainy lump of sugary goop. Be sure to leave this out of your fridge.
9. Onions
Onions do best in dry, well-ventilated areas. Furthermore, if they’re in the fridge they could taint the taste of your other groceries.

Be mindful to keep these in a dark place or they will start sprouting.
10. Garlic
Garlic is the same as onion. It’s fine to keep it in a dry, ventilated area if you’re pushed for space in the fridge.
11. Avocado
The cool temperature hinders the ripening process of avocados, which does not help.

It is recommended to keep these in open brown bags to ripen. Put them next to bananas (also out of the fridge, remember!) if you want them to ripen and be ready to eat faster.