Top 12+ Foods You Should Never Keep in the Refrigerator (And Where They Actually Belong)

Bananas: The Tropical Fruit That Hates the Cold

You've probably done it before – tossed a bunch of bananas into the fridge thinking you're keeping them fresh. But here's the shocking truth: bananas should not be refrigerated and need room temperature for two reasons: the warm temperatures help the fruit finish ripening and the light and air slow down decay.

When you refrigerate bananas, the chilly temperatures will slow down the natural ripening process and will also turn the peel dark brown or black. The science behind this is fascinating.

Store unripe bananas at room temperature until they reach your level of desired ripeness, and once ripe, the bananas can be kept in the fridge for a few days to extend their life. Think of it like this: bananas are like people from warm climates – they simply don't do well in cold environments.

Keep them on your counter, preferably on an open countertop, in a pantry or on a dedicated banana hook.

Tomatoes: The Flavor Destroyers in Your Fridge

This one might surprise you, but tomatoes are probably the most misunderstood produce in terms of storage. Tomatoes should be stored at room temperature rather than in the fridge to keep them juicy, tasty and ready for use and to help protect their flavor and juiciness.

The juiciness and best texture of tomatoes are obtained by storing them outside the refrigerator at room temperature, as a cool space impacts their natural flavor, making them untasty. The cold temperature literally changes the cellular structure of tomatoes, making them mealy and flavorless.

The countertop, not the fridge, is the best spot for this summertime bit of goodness. Remember, tomatoes are fruits that originated in warm climates – they're essentially sunshine in food form, so treat them accordingly.

Potatoes: The Starchy Mistake Most People Make

If you've been storing potatoes in the fridge, you've been unknowingly ruining their taste and texture. It's best to store potatoes in a paper bag at room temperature to preserve their texture and flavor, as refrigeration can make them gritty and overly sweet due to the moisture.

To prevent sprouting, potatoes should be stored in a ventilated container and out of direct sunlight, as storing potatoes in the refrigerator can lead to significant changes in their flavor and texture, making them gritty and sweet. The cold temperature converts the starch in potatoes to sugar, which isn't just a taste problem – it's also a cooking problem.

Store potatoes in a paper bag at room temperature to help maintain their texture and flavor, as refrigeration can cause grittiness and excessive sweetness due to moisture. Keep them in a cool, dry place away from onions, as these two don't play well together.

Onions: The Tear-Inducing Storage Secret

Onions are one of those foods that people automatically assume need refrigeration, but this couldn't be further from the truth. If stored in an area of your home that is cool, with good ventilation, and dry, whole onions can have a shelf life of three months or even up to six months, provided they are dry, firm, with skins intact, and not sprouting.

Compare this to refrigerator storage, where they will generally last there for two months. The key to onion storage is understanding what they need: onions like air, dry climates, and cool temperatures.

Onions like a cold, dark, and dry place for the best results. To help prevent onions from becoming soft and developing mold, store them in a cool, dry place away from potatoes.

Think of your pantry or a cool basement as the perfect onion sanctuary.

Bread: The Moisture-Stealing Fridge Trap

Here's a fact that might blow your mind: bread does not belong in the fridge. The slices will get dried, and your favorite sandwich will not taste the same if you store your bread in the refrigerator, as it is preferable to store bread at room temperature, in a special bread box or a paper bag.

The cold temperature actually accelerates the staling process through something called starch retrogradation. For optimal storage, to keep your bread fresh, avoid refrigeration and instead leave it out at room temperature if you anticipate finishing it in a day, otherwise store it in a bread box or paper sack.

For bread that will be eaten quickly, skip the refrigerator as the cold temperatures will cause the beloved baked good to lose moisture and dry out, but if you plan to keep your bread for a while or if it's homemade, storing it in the refrigerator can help prevent the growth of mold.

Garlic: The Aromatic Bulb That Needs Air

Garlic is another kitchen staple that suffers in the refrigerator. Think about how you buy garlic: on a shelf in the grocery store—and remember that when you store it.

Garlic needs to breathe, and the humid environment of your fridge can cause it to sprout or become moldy. Onions like a cold, dark, and dry place for the best results – and this applies to garlic as well.

The ideal storage for garlic is similar to onions: a cool, dry place with good ventilation. Try to keep the storage temperature even, as fluctuating temperatures will encourage rotting and/or sprouting.

A mesh bag or basket in your pantry works perfectly, allowing air circulation while keeping the bulbs organized.

Avocados: The Ripening Dilemma

Avocados are tricky because their storage depends on their ripeness, but here's the key: avocados are prone to ripening faster when stored at room temperature than in the fridge and will achieve peak ripeness faster when stored at room temperature for several days. Avocados will achieve peak ripeness quicker when stored at room temperature for several days.

If you want to slow down the ripening process once they're perfect, then you can refrigerate them. Keep your avocados on the counter and at the ready for making things like delicious Avocado Grilled Cheese.

The refrigerator is only useful for avocados that are already ripe and you want to maintain for a few extra days.

Honey: The Eternal Sweet Survivor

Honey is one of nature's most perfect foods, and it has an incredible superpower: it doesn't spoil. Honey that's stored in an airtight container won't turn on you, no matter where you keep it—though it tastes best when consumed within two years of opening.

Store honey at room temperature to maintain its smooth and gooey consistency, as refrigeration can cause it to become hard and lumpy. The cold temperature of your refrigerator will crystallize honey, making it thick and difficult to pour.

Room temperature keeps honey in its perfect, liquid state. Molasses can be stored, unopened, at room temperature for up to a year, and once it has been opened, you can continue storing it at room temperature for another six months – honey is even more stable.

Coffee: The Flavor-Absorbing Nightmare

Coffee lovers, listen up: your precious beans don't belong in the fridge. Stored in the fridge, your coffee is more likely to pick up other flavors around it, so instead keep it in a sealed container, in the pantry away from sunlight.

Store coffee grounds and beans in a sealed container in the pantry, rather than in the fridge, to preserve their flavor. Coffee is like a flavor sponge – it absorbs everything around it.

Your fridge is full of strong odors from various foods, and your coffee will pick up all those unwanted flavors. The pantry provides the perfect environment: cool, dry, and dark, without the humidity and odor contamination of the refrigerator.

Bell Peppers: The Crunch Factor

Bell peppers are vegetables that actually lose their appeal when refrigerated. For optimal crispness, bell peppers should be stored at room temperature, as keeping them in the fridge can make their exterior less crunchy.

Bell peppers aren't tasty at all if kept in a cold place for a long time, as storing them in a refrigerator will make their exterior less crunchy. The cold temperature breaks down the cell walls that give peppers their satisfying crunch.

If you store your bell peppers in the refrigerator, they might lose their crunch. The ideal storage time is a maximum of 3 days at room temperature before they start to lose quality.

Winter Squash: The Long-Term Storage Champions

Winter squash are absolute storage superstars, but only if you keep them out of the fridge. Store your winter squashes, such as butternut and acorn, in a cool, dry place and out of the refrigerator.

The ideal temperature for butternut squash (and any winter squash) is between 50℉ and 60℉, so a cool pantry or cellar would work best, as cold temperatures don't increase the shelf life and could affect the texture. The storage potential of winter squash is impressive when done correctly.

Squash store best at an even 50°F in a dark place, which could be a cool and dark shelf, cabinet, or drawer in the kitchen, pantry, or closet. When stored correctly, whole butternut squash can last for up to 2 months.

Butternut squash, with its thick skin, is the storage champion, surviving a full half a year in optimal conditions.

Chocolate: The Sweet Temperature Surprise

Chocolate storage is more complex than most people realize. The chocolate's taste is strongly impacted by the cold temperature of the refrigerator, making it taste really bad, as it tends to have the most delicious flavor at room temperature.

Storing chocolate in the refrigerator exposes it to moisture, causing sugar to move to the surface in a process known as "blooming" which creates a white coating on the chocolate. The white coating you sometimes see on chocolate isn't mold – it's sugar bloom caused by temperature fluctuations.

Bloomed chocolate is safe to eat, though the texture and appearance will be compromised, with the exception being if you live in a warm environment where the chocolate might melt. The ideal place to store chocolate is a cool and dry place, away from heat and light.