Where do you store your fruits n veggies?

I was reading an article in my local newspaper that said fruit n veg should not be stored in a fridge. Neither should eggs.

I tend to put these type of foods in the fridge. In fact I tend to put most things in the fridge (except unopened tins)

I store bottles of sauce in there also.

I always think it will keep foods fresher and safer if they are chilled.

Where do you store your similar type foods? Is it just me that crams the fridge full with all these types of food
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Replies

  • morticia16
    morticia16 Posts: 230 Member
    In my fridge.

    What did this article say? Why a bad thing to put in a fridge?
  • twinketta
    twinketta Posts: 2,130 Member
    CHILL OUT: WHAT SHOULDN'T WE BE KEEPING IN THE FRIDGE?
    Not to be chilled: Lemons are better off kept out of the fridge

    Top chefs have said that we risk damaging the shelf life and quality of some of our foods by keeping them in the fridge. So what is more at home in the cupboard than the chiller?
    Tomatoes: According to Raymond Blanc, the fruit's membrane is damaged if chilled impairing the taste and giving them a mealy texture
    Citrus fruits: If lemons and limes are kept cool their skin hardens out and shrivels
    Potatoes: Rather than keeping them fresh, the starch turns to sugar if kept cool and the flavour is ruined
    Bananas: The fruit turns black in the fridge and can actually spoil the flavour of surrounding dairy products
    Mushrooms: Chilling them causes them to go soggy - less than appetising
    Bread/cakes: Rather than keeping your loaf fresh, putting it in the fridge is actually more likely to make it go stale quicker
    Onions and garlic: These go mushy
    Jams, ketchups, chutneys: Most of these should be kept in the cupboard - they have enough sugar or vinegar to act as natural preservatives
    Eggs: Keep until their use-by date at room temperature
    Nutella/peanut butter: Chilling these only make them impossible to spread on your toast
  • Jewlz280
    Jewlz280 Posts: 547 Member
    CHILL OUT: WHAT SHOULDN'T WE BE KEEPING IN THE FRIDGE?
    Not to be chilled: Lemons are better off kept out of the fridge

    Top chefs have said that we risk damaging the shelf life and quality of some of our foods by keeping them in the fridge. So what is more at home in the cupboard than the chiller?
    Tomatoes: According to Raymond Blanc, the fruit's membrane is damaged if chilled impairing the taste and giving them a mealy texture
    Citrus fruits: If lemons and limes are kept cool their skin hardens out and shrivels
    Potatoes: Rather than keeping them fresh, the starch turns to sugar if kept cool and the flavour is ruined
    Bananas: The fruit turns black in the fridge and can actually spoil the flavour of surrounding dairy products
    Mushrooms: Chilling them causes them to go soggy - less than appetising
    Bread/cakes: Rather than keeping your loaf fresh, putting it in the fridge is actually more likely to make it go stale quicker
    Onions and garlic: These go mushy
    Jams, ketchups, chutneys: Most of these should be kept in the cupboard - they have enough sugar or vinegar to act as natural preservatives
    Eggs: Keep until their use-by date at room temperature
    Nutella/peanut butter: Chilling these only make them impossible to spread on your toast

    I do all of this but eggs and jams/sauces. Most of the jams/sauces I use say to refrigerate, so I do. I'm assuming it's because most of the ones I get are the preservative free ones. LOL And eggs... well... I'll continue to refrigerate. But the rest of these I follow. I also leave out apples, avocados and other stuff. But most of my veg goes in the fridge like salad stuff. I'm wondering if carrots would do better out since I usually get a big thing of those and they take up so much space!
  • Debbie_Ferr
    Debbie_Ferr Posts: 582 Member
    I agree with all, but the last 3.

    Jams, ketchups, chutneys. How do I know how much sugar & vinegar is enough to preserve the food ? I don't!! so into the frig it goes.

    Peanut butter. same thing. btw- peanut oil goes rancid if left at room temperature too long.

    Eggs. If you live in the US, refrigerate them.
  • twinketta
    twinketta Posts: 2,130 Member
    I do all of this but eggs and jams/sauces. Most of the jams/sauces I use say to refrigerate, so I do. I'm assuming it's because most of the ones I get are the preservative free ones. LOL And eggs... well... I'll continue to refrigerate. But the rest of these I follow. I also leave out apples, avocados and other stuff. But most of my veg goes in the fridge like salad stuff. I'm wondering if carrots would do better out since I usually get a big thing of those and they take up so much space!

    It does make you wonder why fridges tend to have a little plastic egg rack in them.

    I know supermarkets don`t keep them in a refrigerated area.

    Where do you keep your fruit that you don`t store in the fridge? Does it just go in a fruit bowl or do you put it in a cupboard?
  • Debbie_Ferr
    Debbie_Ferr Posts: 582 Member
    Please refrigerate eggs.Bacteria on the outside of an egg can actually penetrate the shell, and then multiple insde the egg.
    Who wants a bad egg ?? not me.

    yes, yes, we all remember years ago our parents/grandparent/grocery stores kept eggs at RT(room temperature).
    But things have changed: Living conditions of commercial hens is appalling. Fillthy, cramped cages stacked ontop of each other. If one egg is contaminated, it exposes many others to unhealthy conditions. Bacteria & salmonella & compromised health issues etc.

    Why take a chance and keep eggs at room temp ?


    http://www.eggsafety.org/consumers/consumer-faqs

    http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/health/foodsafety/az1077.html

    "Eggs are required by FDA to be refrigerated as soon as possible. After eggs are refrigerated, it is important to keep them that way. A cold egg left out at room temperature can sweat, facilitating the growth of bacteria that could contaminate the egg.
  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,025 Member
    I do not store ANY fruit in the fridge, it ruins the texture. Bananas release a gas that hastens the ripening process. This can be combated by wrapping the stem tightly with plastic wrap (protip!) Tomatoes have their texture damaged when chilled. Same for avocado and apples.

    Eggs can be stored at room temperature, but not for too many days. They can be stored at room temperature for months if rubbed with mineral oil to prevent oxygen from penetrating the shells.
  • twinketta
    twinketta Posts: 2,130 Member
    Debbie, no matter what the article said, I think I will always store my eggs in the fridge.

    I agree about the commercial hens, so sad, I always by eggs from uncaged hens. Plus we have to remember that they come out of a little hens `thingy` and are not washed so, like you say, will be crawling with bacteria on the shell.

    Am interested to know where people store their fruits n veggies though to keep them fresh?
  • twinketta
    twinketta Posts: 2,130 Member
    I do not store ANY fruit in the fridge, it ruins the texture. Bananas release a gas that hastens the ripening process. This can be combated by wrapping the stem tightly with plastic wrap (protip!) Tomatoes have their texture damaged when chilled. Same for avocado and apples.

    Eggs can be stored at room temperature, but not for too many days. They can be stored at room temperature for months if rubbed with mineral oil to prevent oxygen from penetrating the shells.

    The one thing I would never store in the fridge is a banana, they do tend to blacken very quickly. I try to only buy a couple of bananas when I go shopping.

    I love strawberries and put them in the fridge also, but they only last a day or two sadly.
  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,025 Member
    I do not store ANY fruit in the fridge, it ruins the texture. Bananas release a gas that hastens the ripening process. This can be combated by wrapping the stem tightly with plastic wrap (protip!) Tomatoes have their texture damaged when chilled. Same for avocado and apples.

    Eggs can be stored at room temperature, but not for too many days. They can be stored at room temperature for months if rubbed with mineral oil to prevent oxygen from penetrating the shells.

    The one thing I would never store in the fridge is a banana, they do tend to blacken very quickly. I try to only buy a couple of bananas when I go shopping.

    I love strawberries and put them in the fridge also, but they only last a day or two sadly.

    When you get them home, rinse them off very well in cold water and then put them in a bowl of water with a bit of vinegar in it. It kills the surface molds that cause them to go bad so quickly. You can repeat it every few days to make them last a lot longer.
  • twinketta
    twinketta Posts: 2,130 Member
    I do not store ANY fruit in the fridge, it ruins the texture. Bananas release a gas that hastens the ripening process. This can be combated by wrapping the stem tightly with plastic wrap (protip!) Tomatoes have their texture damaged when chilled. Same for avocado and apples.

    Eggs can be stored at room temperature, but not for too many days. They can be stored at room temperature for months if rubbed with mineral oil to prevent oxygen from penetrating the shells.

    The one thing I would never store in the fridge is a banana, they do tend to blacken very quickly. I try to only buy a couple of bananas when I go shopping.

    I love strawberries and put them in the fridge also, but they only last a day or two sadly.

    When you get them home, rinse them off very well in cold water and then put them in a bowl of water with a bit of vinegar in it. It kills the surface molds that cause them to go bad so quickly. You can repeat it every few days to make them last a lot longer.

    Thanks for the tip, will give it a try :smile:

    ETA do I then drain the solution and put them in the fridge or just leave them in the bowl?
  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,025 Member
    I do not store ANY fruit in the fridge, it ruins the texture. Bananas release a gas that hastens the ripening process. This can be combated by wrapping the stem tightly with plastic wrap (protip!) Tomatoes have their texture damaged when chilled. Same for avocado and apples.

    Eggs can be stored at room temperature, but not for too many days. They can be stored at room temperature for months if rubbed with mineral oil to prevent oxygen from penetrating the shells.

    The one thing I would never store in the fridge is a banana, they do tend to blacken very quickly. I try to only buy a couple of bananas when I go shopping.

    I love strawberries and put them in the fridge also, but they only last a day or two sadly.

    When you get them home, rinse them off very well in cold water and then put them in a bowl of water with a bit of vinegar in it. It kills the surface molds that cause them to go bad so quickly. You can repeat it every few days to make them last a lot longer.

    Thanks for the tip, will give it a try :smile:

    You can follow the same procedure for pretty much all fruits and veggies to help extend their longevity too.
  • annemama
    annemama Posts: 245 Member
    Eggs can be stored at room temp only if they have never been refrigerated. So if I buy them from the cooler, they go in the fridge... from the stacks, goes on the counter. I normally have a fruit bowl with bananas, apples, nectarines, oranges, lemons, pomegranate. I normally put berries in the fridge... seem to stay firm a bit longer. I have a tray of veggies on the counter: tomatoes, cucumbers, avocado, onions, garlic, zucchini and any squash. I keep any greens in the fridge, along with carrots, which seem to stay crisp in there. Broccoli and cauliflower also go in. I live in a very hot climate, and we don't use air-con so if these things can survive on a counter here, they should survive anywhere!
  • Debbie_Ferr
    Debbie_Ferr Posts: 582 Member
    I'm a fruitaholic.

    Grapes, strawberries, other berries ~ refrigerator

    Other fruits ~ on counter ~ cool spot, on a clean paper towel, no direct sun, good air circulation, ie single layer with space between the fruit.
    Stone fruit (peaches, nectarines, plums, etc) stored stemmed side "face down".
    Bananas - stored away from other fruit, since it emits a gas that sometime ripens nearby fruit too fast.

    Sometimes I store 2 or 3 choice fruits in the center of the kitchen table, to enjoy & consume asap.
  • Debbie_Ferr
    Debbie_Ferr Posts: 582 Member
    I love strawberries and put them in the fridge also, but they only last a day or two sadly.

    Strawberries can last almost a week, with no mold/spoilage in the refrigerator !! try this....

    Place double layer of paper towels on bottom of tupperware container with TIGHT air tight lid.
    Add strawberries ~ single layer & don't let strawberries touch one another.
    Place a layer of paper towel on top of the fruit.
    Close the tight sealing lid.
    Place in refrigerator.

    voila !
    btw~ change out the paper towels when they soak up condensation / moisture.
  • MuseofSong
    MuseofSong Posts: 322 Member
    Well most of that makes sense and is pretty well known. I was like whoa whoa whoa no fruit or veggies in the fridge?! Some stuff has to be left out of the fridge, bananas, potatos, onions, lemons, that's fine.

    But, I think it really depends on where you live a lot of times, too. If you live in a mild climate, eggs might be okay out on the counter. In the summer time in So.Cal, no freaking way. The kitchen gets way too hot. They're going in the fridge. And so are my fruit preserves. I want preserves not melted sugar water around fruit glops.

    I even keep my wine in the fridge, including reds, during the summer because it gets so hot here. I'll set out a red wine for 45 minutes before it's poured for drinking. But a lot of these 'food rules' are from cooler old world European climates and they do not apply in hot climates.
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
    I do not store ANY fruit in the fridge, it ruins the texture. Bananas release a gas that hastens the ripening process. This can be combated by wrapping the stem tightly with plastic wrap (protip!) Tomatoes have their texture damaged when chilled. Same for avocado and apples.

    Eggs can be stored at room temperature, but not for too many days. They can be stored at room temperature for months if rubbed with mineral oil to prevent oxygen from penetrating the shells.

    Avocadoes are fine refigerated if you buy them ripe and ready to eat. Eggs in Australia are refigerated normally in the supermarkets and you should refigerate if you want them to last longer otherwise yes leave them out if you are using them sooner.
  • twinketta
    twinketta Posts: 2,130 Member
    Thanks for all the great tips, especially with the strawberries. Most times in the last couple of months the supermarket has offers, buy one tray for x amount buy 2 save money...but I always end up losing as they go mouldy so fast.

    I have never put bananas in the fridge but it is interesting to learn about the gas they emit
  • musycnlyrics
    musycnlyrics Posts: 323 Member
    bump to keep the great tips!
  • spookiefox
    spookiefox Posts: 215 Member
    I do not store ANY fruit in the fridge, it ruins the texture. Bananas release a gas that hastens the ripening process. This can be combated by wrapping the stem tightly with plastic wrap (protip!) Tomatoes have their texture damaged when chilled. Same for avocado and apples.

    Eggs can be stored at room temperature, but not for too many days. They can be stored at room temperature for months if rubbed with mineral oil to prevent oxygen from penetrating the shells.

    I don't store fruits and veggies in the fridge either. It ruins the taste and texture. Eggs I do simply because if I didn't I don't know where I'd put them where I wouldn't end up breaking them. LOL
  • iechick
    iechick Posts: 352 Member
    Freezer-
    blueberries and strawberries (flash froze), also corn that I get in the summer and flash freeze (cut from cob). Also pear sauce and strawberry jam that I made earlier this summer (I take it out and defrost it in fridge as we need it).

    Fridge-in my crisper right now is lettuce, mushrooms, bell peppers, cauliflower, carrots and onions. On one of the shelfs is apples, apples and more apples :)

    Counter-banans and apples

    Cupboard-potatoes

    Window ledge-tomatoes

    Eggs and sauces always go in the fridge, butter stays on the counter.
  • piratesaregrand
    piratesaregrand Posts: 356 Member
    Fridge, I can't stand eating fruit if it's not cold
  • laele75
    laele75 Posts: 283 Member
    Bananas: The fruit turns black in the fridge and can actually spoil the flavour of surrounding dairy products
    Mushrooms: Chilling them causes them to go soggy - less than appetising
    Bread/cakes: Rather than keeping your loaf fresh, putting it in the fridge is actually more likely to make it go stale quicker
    Onions and garlic: These go mushy
    Jams, ketchups, chutneys: Most of these should be kept in the cupboard - they have enough sugar or vinegar to act as natural preservatives
    Eggs: Keep until their use-by date at room temperature

    I call BS on these. Bananas skins go black faster, but the bananas themselves will stay fresh for a week after purchase. And as for that, WHO KEEPS DAIRY IN THEIR CRISPER DRAWER? Mushrooms and onions I freeze. Bread I refrigerate or freeze. Ketchup, Jams, etc says to refrigerate after opening. So I do. Eggs... At room temperature... For a month...

    JUST NO.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,994 Member
    Things I don't put in the firdge: onions, garlic, bananas, tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, lemons, mandarins, apples, pears, peaches, grapes, kiwis, eggs.
    I put other fresh fruit and veg in the fridge: currently strawberries, melons, salad, beans, bean sprouts.
  • JazmineYoli
    JazmineYoli Posts: 547 Member
    I put EVERYTHING in the fridge. I cook all the time. I have never had an issue, and my foods still taste great.
    The only thing I don't put in the fridge are bananas because they do brown quickly. However if I need to ripen my banana quickly, I stick it in the fridge overnight.
  • Mutant13
    Mutant13 Posts: 2,485 Member
    Fridge- strawberries, grapes, cucumber, all greens, squash

    Cupboard- whole pumpkin, potatoes, tomatoes, apples, bananas, oranges, lemons etc
  • Mutant13
    Mutant13 Posts: 2,485 Member
    My partner and I are at odds about eggs. I say on the counter- he says the fridge.

    That said he also refrigerates tomato sauce which is just f*ckin weird
  • KentWhiteRabbit
    KentWhiteRabbit Posts: 92 Member
    Eggs are never in a chiller in the UK (not that I've seen anyway), and I keep them out of the fridge and sometimes eat them past their sell by date. To check if an egg is good put it in a bowl of water if it sinks it's ok, if it floats it's bad.

    Bananas should be kept cool (not refridgerated) and away from other fruits as the gas they give off will ripen any fruit nearby much quicker. If you have a pear/plum/peach etc that is too hard put it with a banana overnight and it will soften nicely :-)

    Tomato ketchup, pickles and jams used to be fine out of the fridge as they were packed with vinegar or sugar as well as artificial preservatives. Now they've cut back on preservatives it's still safe to keep them out of the fridge but they don't last as long. I keep jam in the fridge as we don't use it much so it will last longer, but ketchup is a different matter since my son eats it on everything!

    Potatoes, squash, onions and garlic live in a linen bag in the cupboard as they last better kept dry and in the dark. When i was a kid we had a big apple tree and kept the apples all winter by keeping them in a dry shed and layering them with newspaper. So long as you check regularly for the odd bad one and remove it, they can last months like that. I've seen similar done with onions and carrots too.
  • Amitysk
    Amitysk Posts: 705 Member
    The rule of thumb I use is if I got it from the chilled produce section ie: lettuce, I refrigerate it. If it was in open air like tomatoes, then it goes on the counter. I keep onions and potatoes in cabinets. Not the same one though since they have some sort of reaction that spoils them.
  • Confuzzled4ever
    Confuzzled4ever Posts: 2,860 Member
    CHILL OUT: WHAT SHOULDN'T WE BE KEEPING IN THE FRIDGE?
    Not to be chilled: Lemons are better off kept out of the fridge

    Top chefs have said that we risk damaging the shelf life and quality of some of our foods by keeping them in the fridge. So what is more at home in the cupboard than the chiller?
    Tomatoes: According to Raymond Blanc, the fruit's membrane is damaged if chilled impairing the taste and giving them a mealy texture
    Citrus fruits: If lemons and limes are kept cool their skin hardens out and shrivels
    Potatoes: Rather than keeping them fresh, the starch turns to sugar if kept cool and the flavour is ruined
    Bananas: The fruit turns black in the fridge and can actually spoil the flavour of surrounding dairy products
    Mushrooms: Chilling them causes them to go soggy - less than appetising
    Bread/cakes: Rather than keeping your loaf fresh, putting it in the fridge is actually more likely to make it go stale quicker
    Onions and garlic: These go mushy
    Jams, ketchups, chutneys: Most of these should be kept in the cupboard - they have enough sugar or vinegar to act as natural preservatives
    Eggs: Keep until their use-by date at room temperature
    Nutella/peanut butter: Chilling these only make them impossible to spread on your toast

    I keep garlic, onion and potatoes on a platter on my counter. I keep PB and other nut butter in my cabinet and bananas, lemons, limes and other fruits in my fruit bowl. I keep berries and grapes in the fridge. I also keep jams and ketchup in the fridge, but mine are natural sugar-free and half the time I made them myself. Eggs I will always keep in the fridge. Mushroom are in the fridge.. mine dont' last long enough to get soggy.

    Really I buy a ton of veggies every 3 to 4 days.. so storing them never really happens anyway. LOL