So you’re wondering if you’re storing your food correctly? I used to believe that I had it sorted, the dry goods went in the cupboard, fresh produce in the fridge.
With a little study (and a few wasted groceries) later, I discovered that some foods stored in the fridge could keep freshness, taste and texture for much longer. Here are 7 foods that you might not know do best when kept cold.
Featured Image Credit: Kevin Malik /Pexels.com.
Nuts and Seeds
Nuts and seeds — I kept them in the pantry thinking they were OK on the shelf. But then I started to eat sour walnuts, and I discovered that nuts’ oils go rancid pretty quickly in hot weather. And now when I buy almonds or walnuts or chia seeds, I keep them in the refrigerator. Not only do they keep fresh, but I’m free of the horror pantry bugs that occasionally sneak into open bags.
Gluten Free Flours
Gluten free flour was another pantry staple I had to reconsider. I once bought a bag of whole wheat flour for baking, which, after a month in the pantry, went dark, almost vinegary. But then I searched and saw that whole grain flours also have natural oils, which turn rancid if left out. I now store my whole grain and other flours in the fridge or even the freezer to keep them longer.
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Tomatoes
Tomatoes were one of those things I never liked to leave off the counter. And while refrigeration will mess with their texture, cooling or freezing tomatoes when you cannot immediately use them, prolongs their shelf life. What I have found is that if you let the tomatoes sit at room temperature before eating or cooking with them right after taking them out of the fridge, most of the flavor will come back.
Nut Butters
Nut butter, especially natural, no-preservative types, would separate in my pantry, oil bubbling up to the top and spreading as I attempted to stir it back in. When I started refrigerating them, that issue melted away. In the fridge, the oils stay chilled, and the butter remains creamy longer. And the oils taste a bit better because they don’t get rancid as quickly. So now if it’s almond, peanut, or cashew butter — I have enough room in the fridge.
Onions
I’ve never liked onions very much. I used to put them in a bowl on the counter, but as soon as I started slicing one, I never knew where to put the rest. You could put a half-cut onion in the pantry and it would turn out to be wet and rotten. Since then, I keep any chopped onions stored in a closed container in the fridge. It not only makes them last for days but also keeps the unpleasant smell in check. (I keep whole onions out of the fridge but as soon as I chop them they go inside the fridge).
Honey
I never even imagined I would need to keep honey refrigerated because it has such a long shelf life. But once my honey began splintering into a block that wouldn’t come off the spoon, I realized the fridge might have something to offer. In particular, in warmer regions, refrigeration makes honey dispense smoothly and helps it crystallize less quickly. Honey that is refrigerated will work better for you if you don’t use it very often, or if you purchase it in large containers.
Garlic
Like onions, garlic looked fine on my counter until I began to cook a lot and discovered that pre-chopped garlic would turn white if left out. Raw garlic bulbs work fine in the pantry, but once I cut it or peel it, it’s immediately destined for the fridge. This keeps it fresher longer, and I love having ready-made garlic to use without the fear of spoiling. Secondly, I’ve found that refrigerated garlic tastes much more intense and spicy, which I love.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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