Do you refrigerate everything? 7 foods you should stop putting in your fridge

Our first instinct is to put leftover food in the refrigerator to keep it fresh longer and allow us to enjoy it later if we don’t want to throw it away. That should not be the case with every food item you have left. For some items, like butter, bread, vegetables, or fruits, cold storage is essential, but at freezing temperatures, several foods can lose their taste, flavour, colour, and texture. So, let’s find out which foods you should stop storing in the fridge.

Healthshots spoke to nutritionist and wellness coach Avni Kaul, who has shared the list of foods that you should not keep in the fridge.

Kaul says, “Refrigerators are used because they keep the food fresh for a longer time as compared to when one keeps them in the open on a dining table or kitchen countertop. However, not every food is supposed to be kept inside refrigerators, and there are several reasons for that.”

Foods you should never refrigerate

Here are 7 foods that you should avoid keeping in the refrigerator, according to Kaul:

1. Bananas

Since bananas are native to the tropics, it wouldn’t make sense to put a tropical fruit in a cold environment. Bananas require room temperature for two reasons: the warm temperature helps the fruit to ripen and the light and air slow down the process of decay.

2. Fresh herbs

Fresh herbs are difficult to keep fresh, and this is because they are stored improperly. Basil, thyme, rosemary, and other herbs lose flavour and become dried out in a refrigerator. Instead, place them on the countertop, out of direct sunshine, in a tiny glass with the stems submerged in room-temperature water.

3. Oil

Any oil, whether it be vegetable, coconut, olive, or another type of edible oil, will quickly harden in the fridge. It will be better to keep them in your kitchen on a dark, cool shelf. Nut-based oil is the only type of oil that can be refrigerated.

4. Cooked chicken

Refrigerating cooked chicken for more than 2 to 3 days spoils it. Not only does its taste change, but storing it at a cold temperature spoils the texture and the flavour. Eating refrigerated cooked chicken could result in food poisoning and multiple other digestive issues.

Also read: If you’re using honey for your skin and hair, here’s what it can do for you

5. Honey

Much like oil, honey has a long shelf life and it does not get spoilt at room temperature. Storing honey in the refrigerator crystalizes it and makes it hard to scoop it out of the jar. Keep them on a cool-dark shelf.

6. Unripe mangoes

Raw mangoes must not be refrigerated as cooling slows down their ripening. It also makes the mangoes hard in texture. It is advisable to store only ripened mangoes in a refrigerator for that keeps them firm, sweet and fresh.

7. Coffee

Humidity in the refrigerator can cause a formation of watery condensation, which is not good for the flavour of ground or whole-bean coffee. Instead, store coffee in an airtight container so that it stays fresh until the time comes to brew it.

Now you know about these foods so, don’t make the mistake of refrigerating them.