Time to give you a little bit more room in your refrigerator by checking out Products You Can Stop Keeping In Your Fridge. You will have more space and some foods will even taste better!
There are probably some things in your refrigerator that don’t need to be there. While a refrigerator is made to keep food like milk, proteins, fruits, and vegetables fresh, there are still plenty of items that are taking up too much space and don’t have to be kept inside your fridge. Removing these items will not only free up some very needed space and it can also improve the quality and the taste of the items. Here is a list of products that you should stop keeping in your fridge.
Bread
Bread dries out when it’s in a cold temperature. In fact, it goes stale more quickly when kept in the fridge. A loaf of bread should be stored in a dry place in a sealed plastic bag.
Tomato
Storing tomatoes in the refrigerator can alter their flavor. It can also make them rot faster than they should. Instead of placing them in your fridge, keep the tomatoes on the counter in a fruit bowl (after all they are actually a fruit).
Bananas
Unless you are storing the bananas in your freezer for smoothies, you should stop keeping them in your refrigerator. Bananas can easily rot when placed in the refrigerator. Instead, hang them on a banana hook on your counter or in a bowl.
Coffee
If you want to enjoy a cup of aromatic coffee every time, keep it out of your fridge. When subject to condensation due to the fridge’s cold temperature, coffee beans and grounds lose their flavor. Contrary to the myth that it keeps coffee from going stale.
Coffee should never be stored in your refrigerator as it also can absorb odors. Since it absorbs the odors of other food, the coffee can taste a bit off too.
Whether it’s in ground or bean form, keep your coffee in an airtight container and place it in a dark place like a cabinet.
Ketchup
We buy ketchup off the shelf at the store, so we know we can keep it in the pantry before it’s opened. But, after it’s opened you can keep it at room temperature for about a month. This was totally life changing for my fridge door… it opened up some major fridge real estate : )
Mustard
Mustard is another condiment you can leave out of the fridge. Its shelf life, in the pantry, once opened is about 1- 2 months.
Hot Sauce
Keeping your hot sauce in the fridge can actually defeats the purpose. Hot sauce can lose its heat when kept in the fridge. It has many preservatives (as do all our store bought foods) and vinegar which keeps it from going bad after its been opened.
Pickles
Another item that takes up unnecessary space in the fridge are pickles. They have plenty of preservatives to keep them from going bad at room temperature. No need to waste space in the refrigerator for them.
Soy Sauce
You can leave this one at room temp for up to a year. It’s been fermented which means there’s no cause to refrigerate it. Your refrigerator can keep many foods fresher and prolong their shelf lives, but there are some items you can take out of your fridge and keep in your pantry.
Spices
Cold temperatures will kill your spices flavors. It’s always a good idea to have a spice rack and they come in many different varieties. I love the little containers that have the heavy duty magnets that attach to the side of the fridge. Another one that is so popular is the silver tins with windows and a magnet that you can pop up on a magnetic board or the fridge. How about the awesome test tube racks. There are so many different varieties out there and they all work great. Another spice tip is to check your spices when they reach a year old… many loose their potency at that time.
Rice
The only kind of Rice that needs to be in the fridge is cooked rice. Don’t wasted space in the fridge for dry rice… as long as it is sealed properly it can have a life span of over 4 years.
Berries
I know your extinct is to put your beautiful fresh berries in the refrigerator but that’s not the best place for them. By putting them in the fridge they will actually spoil quicker and probably get some mold. The best thing is to leave them on the counter and eat them in a few days. They do not have a long shelf life.
Nuts
As long as nuts are stored in a cool dark place like the pantry they will do just fine. They are not meant to be in the fridge!
Hazelnut Spread
Hazelnut Spread does not have to be refrigerated… in fact if you do it will harden and no longer be creamy and spreadable. It’s delicious chocolate flavor will also diminish. Just keep it in the pantry!
Dried Fruit
There is no reason to put dried fruit in the fridge… it will only make it hard and more difficult to eat. Just store it properly and it will last a very long time.
Onions
This is a NO NO… your onions will loose all of their flavor when kept in the fridge and you don’t want that. That goes for shallots and garlic too. Put them in a bowl and leave them on the counter or on a shelf in the Pantry.
Sweet Potatoes
The best possible way to store sweet potatoes is to put them in a brown paper bag and store them in the pantry. This way they keep all of their flavor.
Chocolate
If you have been keeping your chocolate in the fridge you are not doing it any favors at all. The moisture that forms on the chocolate will mess with the flavors and texture. Chocolate loves to be stored in a cool and dry place such as a sealed tin in the pantry!
Potatoes
Did you know that Potatoes hate the cold? Well they do! So please never refrigerate them… the cold will turn all their starches into sugar and the taste will be destroyed. It’s all about storing them in a cool (not cold) dry space.
Sure hope that this handy little list frees some space up in your fridge!!! If you are anything like me… every square inch is a major commodity!
Here is an interesting note… Natural Maple Syrup (no preservatives) should actually be put in the freezer… it won’t freeze and if it is in there it can literally last a life time.
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