Do Not Store These 13 Foods In The Fridge: The Refrigerator Will Ruin Them

You might think the fridge is the best place to keep all your food fresh, but that’s not always the case.

Some foods actually lose flavor, change texture, or even spoil faster when stored in the cold.

The wrong storage can make your bread go stale, your tomatoes turn mealy, and your potatoes taste weirdly sweet.

To keep your food at its best, it’s important to know what belongs on the counter, in the pantry, or somewhere else entirely.

Here are some common foods you should keep out of the fridge—and where to store them instead.

Refrigerating tomatoes messes with their flavor and makes them mealy and mushy. They do best at room temperature, where they can continue ripening naturally. Keep them on the counter, away from direct sunlight, and enjoy their full, juicy taste.

Cold temperatures turn potato starch into sugar, which makes them oddly sweet and gives them a weird, gritty texture. Instead of the fridge, store them in a cool, dark place like a pantry or a paper bag. Avoid plastic bags, as they trap moisture and cause sprouting.

Onions absorb moisture in the fridge, which makes them soft, moldy, and sometimes even slimy. They need dry, well-ventilated storage, like a mesh bag in the pantry. Just don’t store them next to potatoes—they’ll make each other spoil faster.

Garlic stored in the fridge tends to sprout faster, and the cold can change its taste. It does best in a dry, dark spot with plenty of airflow, like a basket or paper bag. Once you break a bulb, use up the cloves within a week or two for the best flavor.

The fridge makes bread go stale faster by pulling out moisture, leaving you with dry, tough slices. It’s best stored at room temperature in a breadbox or a sealed bag. If you won’t eat it quickly, freeze it instead—just toast slices straight from the freezer when needed.

Honey is basically immortal, but putting it in the fridge speeds up crystallization, making it thick and grainy. If that happens, you can warm the jar in hot water to liquefy it again. For perfect texture, keep honey sealed at room temperature in a cupboard.

Coffee is like a sponge—it soaks up odors and moisture from the fridge, which ruins its rich flavor. Instead, keep it in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. Whole beans stay fresh longer than ground coffee, so grind only what you need.

The fridge makes olive oil turn cloudy and thick, sometimes even solidifying into a weird butter-like consistency. It’s best stored in a dark, cool cupboard, away from heat and light. If your kitchen is too warm, a wine fridge (not a regular fridge) is a good alternative.

If you refrigerate avocados before they’re ripe, they won’t soften properly and can end up rubbery. Leave them on the counter until they’re perfectly soft, then move them to the fridge if you need to slow down ripening. To keep a cut avocado fresh, store it with the pit or brush the flesh with lemon juice.

Bananas don’t like the cold—the fridge slows ripening and can make their peels turn black. They do best at room temperature and away from other fruits, which can speed up ripening. If they get too ripe, peel and freeze them for smoothies or banana bread.

Whole melons lose their sweet, juicy flavor faster when refrigerated. Keep them on the counter until you’re ready to cut them, then store slices in the fridge. Chilled melon is great for hot days, but refrigerating the whole fruit dulls its natural sweetness.

Basil wilts super fast in the fridge and also soaks up surrounding food odors. It stays freshest when stored like a bouquet—stems in a glass of water, left on the counter. If you have extra, blend it with olive oil and freeze it for later use.

In some countries, eggs don’t need refrigeration because they aren’t washed, so their natural protective coating stays intact. In the U.S. and other places where eggs are washed, they need to stay in the fridge to stay safe. If you’re unsure, check how they were stored at the store—if they were in the fridge, keep them cold at home too.