Some things are better left out on the counter. Cold temperatures prevent certain fruits from ripening and can affect their flavor.
We’ve all brought home bulging bags of produce with the best of intentions, only to watch as nature’s bounty rapidly decays before our very eyes. This could be because we waited too long to eat the produce, but it could also come down to mistakes we made when storing it. Just like people, fruits and veggies will only thrive under certain conditions.
Some produce will last longer if it can chill out in the fridge. Certain fruits, such as grapes, berries and apricots, should always be stored in the refrigerator, according to Christi Evans, Oklahoma State University Extension food safety specialist and registered dietitian. In addition, “any fruit or vegetable that has been peeled or cut needs to be refrigerated,” Evans said.
MORE:Does butter need to be refrigerated?
But many other fruits and veggies need to spend some time on the counter before they’re ready to eat. Apples, avocados, peaches and pears are examples of produce that should be left out of the fridge until they’ve ripened.
“Once ripe, they can be stored in the refrigerator to prolong their life,” Evans says.
Still others should never see the inside of a refrigerator (unless they’ve been cut up), as the cold temperatures can affect their flavor, and the proximity to ethylene gas emitted by other fruits in the fridge could speed up the deterioration process.
To make sure your fresh fruits ripen well and last as long as possible, you should avoid refrigerating these fruits.
1. Melons
Cantaloupe is on Evans’ list of fruits to definitely keep out of the refrigerator. Watermelon will deteriorate faster in the fridge and will lose its vibrant flavor and texture. Again, though, any fruit that has already been sliced up should be stored in the fridge. This is why you see those containers of cut watermelon chilling in the refrigerated cases at the grocery store, and why you’ve likely seen aesthetic fruit storage containers going viral on TikTok.
2. Bananas, Mangos and Papayas
As with many types of produce that originally come from tropical and subtropical areas of the world, these fruits are sensitive to the cold and should be left to ripen at room temperature, which allows them to develop their flavor and texture. Bananas, for example, can develop black skin when stored in the refrigerator and they won’t reach their full sweetness. When storing them on the counter, keep that sensitive skin from bruising with a banana hanger.
MORE: How to keep bananas fresh so they don’t turn brown
3. Tomatoes
Have you ever noticed that tomatoes are never refrigerated in the produce section of the grocery store? That’s because tomatoes should not be refrigerated! Storing tomatoes in the fridge can alter their taste, diminish their color, and make them dry and mealy. Keeping your tomatoes in a cool, dry place will allow them to ripen and preserve their vibrance.
MORE: How to freeze tomatoes so they last for months
4. Citrus Fruits
Fruits such as lemons, oranges, grapefruits and limes don’t have to be stored in the fridge, so you’re safe to leave them out if you plan to eat them within a reasonable amount of time.
Fun fact: “Unlike many fruits including apples, peaches, pears and tropical fruits, most citrus fruits do not continue to ripen after they’re picked,” Evans explains.
If you’ve ever wondered why people decorate kitchen islands with fruit bowls full of lemons, the fact that they’re long-lasting and don’t keep ripening might be why!
5. Pineapples
Pineapples should enjoy a life of freedom on the kitchen counter rather than living in the refrigerator. Again due to their tropical origins, pineapples do not thrive in the cold. At room temperature, they will ripen and give off that sweet pineapple aroma when they’re ready to be devoured.
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Fruits that should not be refrigerated include bananas, apples, melons, and berries. Keep in mind that many fruits will ripen more quickly when left at room temperature but will stay fresh longer if refrigerated once ripe.
Storing: Oranges and other citrus fruits such as lemons, limes, and grapefruits can be stored short-term (up to one week) at room temperature. To prolong the shelf life (up to 3-4 weeks) of citrus fruits, keep them in a bag in the refrigerator.
It is ok to leave it on the counter. Bananas, mangoes, avocados, pineapples, pears, peaches, nectarines, persimmons, apricots, melons, kiwis, apples and more all continue to ripen at room temperature. However, keep them away from each other, as some of them produce a lot of ethylene and will make other fruit rot fast.
That's right. Apples do best in an environment with 90% humidity. Did you know that your refrigerator is a natural dehydrator? It's easy to see this if you have ever left apples (or other produce for that matter) in the crisper for a while only to slide open that drawer and find a very shriveled up piece of fruit.
A bowl of countertop grapes may look pretty and inviting, but, in fact, leaving grapes out on the counter is not a good way to keep the fruit fresh. For crisp and tasty grapes (read: not mushy), you'll want to store them in a container in your fridge's crisper drawer.
You can leave blueberries at room temperature if you plan to eat them in the next day or so, but after that you should transfer them to the fridge—they can stay there for five to 10 days. Of course, you can freeze them if you want to keep them longer than that. Frozen blueberries will last about six months.
Where is the best place to store strawberries? Unless you plan to use the strawberries right away, it's best to store them in your refrigerator to preserve freshness. Unrefrigerated, berries will last only a few days; stored in the fridge, they could last up to a week.
The best way to keep bell peppers fresh is to store them whole, in a plastic bag inside the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. This will help your bell peppers retain their moisture and preserve their flavor and texture.
The ideal place to store bananas is on a countertop, away from direct sunlight. They do well in cool, dry places and will continue to ripen when left at room temperature. What is the best way to keep bananas fresh longer? Once bananas are at their peak ripeness, you can store them in the fridge or freezer for later.
Temperature fluctuation is critical to safety. With the concern about Salmonella, eggs gathered from laying hens should be refrigerated as soon as possible. After eggs are refrigerated, they need to stay that way. A cold egg left out at room temperature can sweat, facilitating the growth of bacteria.
Even though cucumbers are prone to chilling injury, the fridge is still the best place to store them. At room temperature, cucumbers will only last for about two days. So, what's the solution? Store cucumbers in the warmest part of the fridge — towards the front, furthest from the cooling elements.
Ideally, you should eat ripe peaches as early as possible so you can enjoy their full mouth-watering sweetness. However, if you'd rather wait and enjoy your ripe peach at a later date, you do need to refrigerate your peaches to slow down the ripening process.
Yes, but only as a last resort. The reason why refrigeration should only be used for tomatoes reaching their shelf life is because it change the flavor and texture. A chilled tomato should always be given the chance to come back to room temperature, which is where its natural flavor and texture shines.
The good thing about a new jar of applesauce is that it has a long shelf life when stored in a pantry or other dark, dry place at room temperature. North Coast Organic's applesauce in jars has a shelf life of up to two years. However, once you break the seal, you must refrigerate your applesauce immediately.
Wash the potatoes well when you're ready to cook them. Don't store potatoes in the fridge. Raw potatoes have lots of starches, and the cold temperatures can turn the starches into sugars. This can make your potatoes turn sweeter and darker during cooking.
Many fruits and vegetables should only be stored at room temperatures. Refrigeration can cause cold damage or prevent them from ripening to good flavor and texture. For example, pink tomatoes ripen to a better taste and red color if they are left at room temperature.
Ripen fruit at room temperature. Once they are ripe, refrigerate. Apples, cherries, grapefruit, grapes, oranges, pineapples, strawberries, tangerines and watermelon are received ripe and should be refrigerated.
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