Your fridge keeps your food nice and cool, your drinks fresh and icy cold. Maintaining your fridge will keep it lasting and will keep all your lovely food clean and free from bacteria. If you have issues with your fridge or notice it’s not working as well as it should, be sure to call a good company to conduct some inspections and possible fridge repairs.
But what about your food and other items? Here is a list of things that shouldn’t go in your refrigerator.
- Honey
Putting your honey in the fridge will only make it go hard, lumpy and pretty much unusable. Keep it in the pantry and make sure to keep the nozzle and container free from sticky residue to discourage ants invading the savoury nectar.
- Potatoes
Placing potatoes in the fridge will only affect its starchy components, which is vital for their use and taste. It can also vastly affect their level of sugar. Potatoes also have a chemical by the name of acrylamide in them. When placed in the fridge, this can increase the levels of this chemical which is not healthy for you at all.
Keep them in a cool dark place such as your pantry, where they’ll be quite happy.
- Tomatoes.
The texture of tomatoes changes when in the fridge. They tend to get quite mushy and can taste rather vexatious. If you put them in your fridge, it can slow down the ripening process, but be sure to eat them quick!
- Onions, garlic and other shallots.
The only onion that should go in the fridge are spring onions. That’s because onions, simular to potatoes prefer cool and dark areas. Keep them in your pantry so they can breathe.
- Coffee Beans.
The temperature in the fridge may cause growth of watery condensation, which will take away the beautiful flavour of your bean related beverage. Keep them in an air tight container, neatly stashed away in your pantry.
- Spicy and Hot sauce.
The vinegar components in these flavourings assist in keeping bacteria in bay. Besides that, the peppers are stronger at room temperature.
- Nuts.
The natural oils in nuts are protected from rancidity by colder temperatures, but the cool environment might suppress the nutty flavour. Shelled nuts can also absorb other scents from the refrigerator. Nuts should be kept in the pantry in an airtight container. If you do have a sizable supply in the refrigerator, roast the nuts on a dry skillet before using them.
- Oils such as coconut, olive and peanut oil.
Oils tend to become solid in the fridge, making them unusable. Store them in a nice dark and cool place instead.
- Bananas.
Basically, the fridge is never a good place for your elongated fruit. They become discoloured and the temperature takes away the vital nutrients that make bananas so good for you. It can also make your bananas taste unsavoury.
- Stone Fruit.
Your tasty and juicy plums, apricots, peaches, nectarines etc ripen better at room temperature. If you’re not going to eat them immediately, put them in the fruit drawer of your fridge. But, be sure to still eat them relatively quickly as to long in the refrigerator can make them go all mushy.
- Opened tinned food.
Avoid placing your opened tinned foods in the fridge, even with covers. The food may not absorb some of the metals in the tin, resulting in a horrible tinny taste to your goods.
But what about articles that are best kept in the fridge?
- Dairy Products.
This might seem obvious to most people, but surprisingly, there are those who feel that cheese and milk should be left at room temperature. This is a bad idea as these items have a limited shelf life if not stored in a cool environment and are more likely to grow bacteria that will make you very sick indeed.
- Perfume and Cologne.
Changes in temperature, sunlight can erode the lovely aroma of your perfumes and colognes. Keeping them in the fridge can assist in keeping them vibrant for many years.
- Film
If you have an older style camera that uses film, then keep your films in the fridge. The cool conditions in your refrigerator slows down the degrading and eroding process for films.
- Elastic Bands
This one isn’t as well known as some of the other items on this list. The elasticity in your rubber bands breaks down over time. But keeping them in the fridge can slow this process down, making them last long and keep their spring and strength.
- Tomato Sauce.
This has been a bone of contention in homes for many years. Fridge or pantry for the tomato sauce/ketchup?
According to Heinz this product is best in the fridge due to its acidity, and keeping it in the fridge ensures the quality remains of the highest standard.
- Mustard and mayonnaise.
Mayonnaise tends to go of (simular to dairy) if not kept cool and mustard loses its flavour. To keep them safe and tasty, keep them in your fridge.
- Soy sauce.
Although you won’t get sick if you keep soy sauce in the pantry, it can lose its lovely and unique flavour if not kept cool. Once you open it, wack it in the fridge.
- Aloe Vera Gel.
Once again, its not completely necessary, but cool aloe vera gel feels great and so refreshing if you’ve got sunburn!
- Some medications.
Be sure to check the label of your medications first. Some state they need to be refrigerated. In particular, as it loses efficiency when exposed to high temperatures, insulin should be stored in the refrigerator. Penicillin, aspirin, and amoxicillin are further drugs that are frequently chilled.
- Beer, Wine and pre mixed alcoholic drinks.
Some countries may celebrate a warm beer, but here in our climate, beer and other alcoholic beverages are best kept cold. There’s nothing like a refreshing quiet drink after a hard week’s work.
