Does it need to go in the fridge? Are you taking up precious fridge space with foods that would actually last longer and taste better outside of the fridge or maybe you are leading your foods to an early demise by leaving them on the counter?
The following foods might surprise when you find out how they are best stored.
Fridge:
Seeds and Nuts – to protect their delicate heart healthy fats and oils
Apples and Bananas – these fruits can definitely be stored on the counter, but you will almost double their shelf life by putting them in the fridge. Word of warning however your banana skins will instantly turn brown when kept in the fridge, but just because the skin has turned brown doesn’t mean the inside has gone bad.
This recipe here uses Avocados which have a longer life once soft and stored in the fridge and Bananas! Not to mention it’s super tasty!
Avocado Chocolate Pudding
Ingredients
-1 1/2 ripe avocados
-1 large ripe banana
-1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa or cacao powder
-1/2 cup salted creamy or crunchy peanut butter + more for topping
-1/2 cup sweetener of choice i.e. maple syrup, agave, date paste or honey if not vegan (amount will vary with preferred sweetness) or 1/4 Xylitol
-1/4 cup almond milk or other non-dairy milk (slightly more if using dates)
Directions:
Add all ingredients into a food processor and blend until creamy and smooth. Add more dairy-free milk to thin/help blend. Add more cocoa powder for a richer more dense chocolate flavor. Add more of the sweetener of choice to enhance sweetness if desired.Place into a large container and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes for the best cool creamy taste! Keep all leftovers refrigerated!
Eggs – Like some of the other foods on this list this is a contested item. In many countries eggs are stored at room temperature but in Canada and the USA we are much less likely to do so. Most of this has to do with marketing regulations and the risk of salmonella contamination. So it is best to keep these guys in the fridge for your health and safety.
Jam, Condiments and Salad Dressing – this category is anything that says refrigerate after opening, all of these products will store well at room temperature until you open them its best to place them in the fridge for a longer shelf life. That being said most of these products will do just fine for a few hours if you are ever the victim of a broken fridge.
Room Temp:
Oils – yes oils are full of delicate heart healthy fats but they don’t need to be stored in the fridge. However they should be stored away from the light and heat.
Butter – This is a tough one and is once again more of a grey area. Most health guidelines suggest freezing your butter if you aren’t planning on using it in a few days. However many people still store their butter at room temperature, as most butter is made from pasteurized dairy it is much less likely to breed bad bacteria. All of this to say this one is up to you and where you feel safe.
Bread– again this isn’t black and white, you can for sure keep your baked goods in the fridge as they will last longer but just because that bread isn’t growing mold doesn’t mean it will still taste good. Storing baked goods in the fridge is likely to cause them to go stale and dry out much quicker, so for optimal freshness store your baked goods on the counter.
Potatoes and Tomatoes – these root vegetables are high in starch which really means higher in sugar and because of this they are best stored at room temperature. Not only will your potatoes last longer, but storing these guys in the fridge turns those starches to sugar almost instantly which will make them have a strange sweet taste once you are ready to eat them.
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