Foods That You Should Never Put In The Refrigerator

mjd

mjd

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I was surprised by some of the items on this list (for example cucumber and jam). What do you think?



Foods That You Should Never Put In The Refrigerator

Aged Cheese
Alternative milks
Apples
Avocados
Bananas
Basil
Berries
Bread
Butter
Carrots
Cereal
Chocolate
Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread
Citrus fruits
Coffee
Cookies and other baked goods
Corn
Cucumber
Donuts
Dried beans
Eggplant
Eggs
Figs
Fresh Herbs
Garlic
Honey
Hot Sauce
Jam
Jerky/Biltong
Ketchup
Kiwis
Melon
Mint
Molasses
Mustard
Nuts & Dried Fruits
Olive Oil
Onions
Opened cans
Papaya
Papaya
Peanut Butter
Pears
Peppers
Pickles
Potatoes
Pumpkins
Rice
Salad dressing
Sealed Tuna
Soy sauce
Spices
Stone Fruit
Sweet Potato
Tomatoes
Tropical fruits
Velveeta (or Cheese Whiz)
Vinegar
Winter squashes (butternut, winter, etc.)

35 Foods That You Should Never Put In The Refrigerator | Icepop
 
Tomatoes and cukes have been debunked before, but the old ways persist. :)
 
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There's nothing wrong with putting avocados in refrigerator either. You let it get close to being ripe, then refrigerate so the ripening process is slowed and you'll get a few more days. You can also freeze them.

Same with the cheeses, they just need to come to room temp, which is true of any good cheese, even the very softest ones, i.e. triple cremes.

There are quite a few other suspect things in that list.
 
TastyReuben said:
It's perfectly ok to put them in the fridge, just make sure they come up to room temp before eating, for the flavor to be there.
How to Store Tomatoes (and Whether to Refrigerate Them)
Click to expand...

medtran49 said:
There's nothing wrong with putting avocados in refrigerator either. You let it get close to being ripe, then refrigerate so the ripening process is slowed and you'll get a few more days. You can also freeze them.

Same with the cheeses, they just need to come to room temp, which is true of any good cheese, even the very softest ones, i.e. triple cremes.

There are quite a few other suspect things in that list.
Click to expand...
You all are the reason I love this group! I just knew you would know what is what! ;-)
 
Many things can be left out of the refrigerator at any kitchen temperatures. Unpeeled garlic, unpeeled onions and potatoes are good examples, as are bananas and most many citrus fruits.

I disagree with the word 'never' for certain foods, under certain conditions ...

- the kitchen is very warm or hot due to cooking
--- Then certain items should be moved to a cool pantry spot - or refrigerated.
- Certain items are cut, sliced or otherwise opened from their original purchase state.
- Certain items have been shelved for a long time and are susceptible to spoilage.

More often than not, your purchase point will indicate what need not be refrigerated. If you buy it from an open air bin, you can store in open air. If you buy it from a cooled or refrigerated area, keep it refrigerated.

Also, if the container has a label indicating that something should be refrigerated after opening, refrigerate it.
 
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I'll add that I generally don't like "cold" foods. Most things that are refrigerated, I'll let those warm up closer to room temp before eating. I hate cold fruit straight from the fridge, for example.

On the other end of the spectrum, things that are meant to be hot...I want them served as hot as can be, usually.
 
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Aged Cheese - Fridge, certainly.
Alternative milks - Fridge if I bought it from a refrigerated section of the store. So, oat milk yes, coconut, no (and I don't consume the others).
Apples - not usually.
Avocados - never unless it is a partial leftover avocado.
Bananas -no
Basil - with the living root, on my counter. Without, fridge.
Berries - fridge
Bread - in the room temperature breadbox (aka the microwave when not in use, otherwise the freezer for long term storage).
Butter - fridge.
Carrots - fridge
Cereal - dry, I assume? In the pantry.
Chocolate - hidden in a cabinet so I don't see it.
Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread - in the trash can. Bleah.
Citrus fruits - depends. If things are crowded, they can stay on the counter for a few days.
Coffee - pantry.
Cookies and other baked goods - cookies in a cabinet or cabinet. Baked goods depends on what they are.
Corn - - depends. But I try to eat within 24 hours when corn on the cob tastes the freshest. I don't buy it off the cob.
Cucumber - fridge, definitely.
Donuts - If they enter my house, any leftovers go home with the person who brought them. Don't care where they are stored.
Dried beans - pantry.
Eggplant - fridge
Eggs - home-laid are out on the counter. Eggseptions: heat of summer (temps above about 74 F), salvageable cracked egg, eggs laid at near freezing temperatures. .
Figs - depends on how long before I use them.
Fresh Herbs - if I am drying them, they stay at room temp. Otherwise, refrigerate.
Garlic- room temperature.
Honey - pantry
Hot Sauce - pantry
Jam - pantry
Jerky/Biltong - Not sure what a biltong is, but commercial jerky, room temp; stuff I make, I freeze until use.
Ketchup - refrigerate, or at least i did so nearly 20 years ago when I last bought it.
Kiwis - Hmm. I've only eaten them out.
Melon - refrigerate if they have to hang around a few days.
Mint - as with the other herbs.
Molasses - pantry.
Mustard - fridge, but it tolerages being left out awhile.
Nuts & Dried Fruits - pantry.
Olive Oil - pantry.
Onions - pantry unless cut.
Opened cans - fridge
Papaya -fridge
Peanut Butter - pantry
Pears - counter
Peppers - fridge
Pickles - pantry, but depends on what type. My pickled quail eggs take refuge in the fridge...
Potatoes - pantry
Pumpkins - pantry
Rice - pantry. Although I like to freeze if for a few days to kill off any insects (I usually do this in winter and stick rice and other grains outside when the weather will be below freezing 24/7 for a few days.)
Salad dressing - unopened, in the pantry. Opened, in the fridge, but it tolerates being left out for awhile (especially the vinegary ones I prefer)
Sealed Tuna - pantry.
Soy sauce - pantry - enough salt to kill a number of things!
Spices - spice racks at room temp.
Stone Fruit - pantry
Sweet Potato - pantry
Tomatoes - large ones, countertop. Grape and cherry ones go in the fridge.
Tropical fruits - last longer in the fridge.
Velveeta (or Cheese Whiz) - I used to keep Velveeta in the fridge when I bought it.
Vinegar - pantry
Winter squashes (butternut, winter, etc.) - pantry.
 
flyinglentris said:
Many things can be left out of the refrigerator at any kitchen temperatures. Unpeeled garlic, unpeeled onions and potatoes are good examples, as are bananas and most many citrus fruits.

I disagree with the word 'never' for certain foods, under certain conditions ...

- the kitchen is very warm or hot due to cooking
--- Then certain items should be moved to a cool pantry spot - or refrigerated.
- Certain items are cut, sliced or otherwise opened from their original purchase state.
- Certain items have been shelved for a long time and are susceptible to spoilage.

More often than not, your purchase point will indicate what need not be refrigerated. If you buy it from an open air bin, you can store in open air. If you buy it from a cooled or refrigerated area, keep it refrigerated.

Also, if the container has a label indicating that something should be refrigerated after opening, refrigerate it.
Click to expand...
Good points!

Early on in my relationship with my caregiver I had a very bad moment. I fell apart missing my children so much. I cried for hours and it made me sick. She got down on the bathroom floor and just held me. I told her that can't breathe without my babies, every single day was painful and I couldn't handle much more. I point that out because I want to make it clear that I NEVER said I was suicidal.

Fast forward about two months. We were in the kitchen and I opened a chicken package to cut it up. She asked me how long it had been in the sink. I told her that I took it out that morning about 5A. I was curious so I asked her why she asked me that and said "You said you don't want to be without your children and I wanted to make sure it didn't go bad." I paused for a second trying to make that make sense in my head and finally said "One, I'm not suicidal. Two, if I was suicidal, I wouldn't make it a slow death with bad chicken." She never questioned me like that again. I love her to death but she is a COMPLETE whackadoodle about stuff NOT being in the fridge.

My ex was a nutso about freezer stuff. He said that I was going to kill our children by cooking food from the freezer. Um, dude, I managed to keep you and myself alive for the thirteen years BEFORE we had kids and, guess what, they were still alive! Every now and again, he would flip out and come to the house and throw away everything in my freezer "to protect the kids". ROTF.

My apartment is small but it's perfect for me and I get to keep whatever I want in my fridge, freezer and on the counters!

VICTORY IS MINE!!!!!! :woot: :woot: :woot:
 
TastyReuben said:
I'll add that I generally don't like "cold" foods. Most things that are refrigerated, I'll let those warm up closer to room temp before eating. I hate cold fruit straight from the fridge, for example.

On the other end of the spectrum, things that are meant to be hot...I want them served as hot as can be, usually.
Click to expand...
I'm the opposite. I don't care for room temp fruit except bananas.

I try not to be judgmental of other people and I taught my kids the same. I made a point to remind them that we all come from different places and some people do things differently so my kids knew not to tease their classmates of different races and ethnicities about what they brought for lunch.

I broke my own rule about two years ago. A guy in my building did a favor for me so I offered him a meal. I made the plate for him and put it in the microwave. I intended to stir and put it back in for a few minutes. However, he grabbed the plate from me and started eating it. I was SO grossed out. I'm ashamed to tell you guys that I honestly thought less of him because of that. Turned out that I was right about his lack of self-esteem and impulse control so my spidey-senses were working correctly. ;-)
 
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Mountain Cat said:
Aged Cheese - Fridge, certainly.
Alternative milks - Fridge if I bought it from a refrigerated section of the store. So, oat milk yes, coconut, no (and I don't consume the others).
Apples - not usually.
Avocados - never unless it is a partial leftover avocado.
Bananas -no
Basil - with the living root, on my counter. Without, fridge.
Berries - fridge
Bread - in the room temperature breadbox (aka the microwave when not in use, otherwise the freezer for long term storage).
Butter - fridge.
Carrots - fridge
Cereal - dry, I assume? In the pantry.
Chocolate - hidden in a cabinet so I don't see it.
Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread - in the trash can. Bleah.
Citrus fruits - depends. If things are crowded, they can stay on the counter for a few days.
Coffee - pantry.
Cookies and other baked goods - cookies in a cabinet or cabinet. Baked goods depends on what they are.
Corn - - depends. But I try to eat within 24 hours when corn on the cob tastes the freshest. I don't buy it off the cob.
Cucumber - fridge, definitely.
Donuts - If they enter my house, any leftovers go home with the person who brought them. Don't care where they are stored.
Dried beans - pantry.
Eggplant - fridge
Eggs - home-laid are out on the counter. Eggseptions: heat of summer (temps above about 74 F), salvageable cracked egg, eggs laid at near freezing temperatures. .
Figs - depends on how long before I use them.
Fresh Herbs - if I am drying them, they stay at room temp. Otherwise, refrigerate.
Garlic- room temperature.
Honey - pantry
Hot Sauce - pantry
Jam - pantry
Jerky/Biltong - Not sure what a biltong is, but commercial jerky, room temp; stuff I make, I freeze until use.
Ketchup - refrigerate, or at least i did so nearly 20 years ago when I last bought it.
Kiwis - Hmm. I've only eaten them out.
Melon - refrigerate if they have to hang around a few days.
Mint - as with the other herbs.
Molasses - pantry.
Mustard - fridge, but it tolerages being left out awhile.
Nuts & Dried Fruits - pantry.
Olive Oil - pantry.
Onions - pantry unless cut.
Opened cans - fridge
Papaya -fridge
Peanut Butter - pantry
Pears - counter
Peppers - fridge
Pickles - pantry, but depends on what type. My pickled quail eggs take refuge in the fridge...
Potatoes - pantry
Pumpkins - pantry
Rice - pantry. Although I like to freeze if for a few days to kill off any insects (I usually do this in winter and stick rice and other grains outside when the weather will be below freezing 24/7 for a few days.)
Salad dressing - unopened, in the pantry. Opened, in the fridge, but it tolerates being left out for awhile (especially the vinegary ones I prefer)
Sealed Tuna - pantry.
Soy sauce - pantry - enough salt to kill a number of things!
Spices - spice racks at room temp.
Stone Fruit - pantry
Sweet Potato - pantry
Tomatoes - large ones, countertop. Grape and cherry ones go in the fridge.
Tropical fruits - last longer in the fridge.
Velveeta (or Cheese Whiz) - I used to keep Velveeta in the fridge when I bought it.
Vinegar - pantry
Winter squashes (butternut, winter, etc.) - pantry.
Click to expand...
My life would spontaneously end if I didn't have ketchup.

I have always wondered why we put eggs in the fridge. I do it but I don't have a reason for it other than my mother and grandmothers did it.
 
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