20+ Food Items That Can Be Safely Stored Outside The Fridge

According to Feeding America, the US wastes about $450 billion worth of food every year.

Chelsi

• Published in Interesting
• October 7, 2024

Refrigerators for home use were not invented until 1913. Vermont Public, a public broadcaster in the state, before fridges, people had creative ways to safely store their food.

Pickling, smoking, drying, and fermenting were some of the ways they made sure food wouldn't go to waste. Wealthy people in colder climates had ice houses built to store their food during warmer times.

Then Frederic Tudor saw an opportunity to supply ice all over the world. Eventually, people stopped "harvesting" ice when enough demand made it available to be sold commercially.

Refrigerators replaced ice boxes and were soon seen in most homes by the 1940s. These days, living without a refrigerator is out of the norm.

But our ever-reliable kitchen staple is not always the best place to store all food items. Products like canned goods or dried fruits aren't the only ones that can be stored on regular shelves.

Some fruits and vegetables stay fresh longer outside of fridges. Some helpful people all over the internet have exchanged knowledge about this to avoid food waste.

Hilary, a blogger who has lived a nomadic lifestyle, shared some of the wisdom she learned while on the road. You don't have to survive on canned goods while on the road because there are a lot of pantry staples, including fruits and vegetables, that can be kept outside of a fridge!

1. Potato - the starch in potatoes will turn into sugar when stored in cold temperatures.

2. Tomato - an enzyme in tomatoes will turn it into mush if stored inside the refrigerator.

3. Onion - with proper ventilation, whole raw onions can stay fresh for up to 4 weeks out of the refrigerator.

4. Pickles - pickling brine is a preservative. However, one must follow storage instructions for store-bought pickles.

5. Cucumber - the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences says that cucumbers can get a "cold injury" if stored in a fridge with temps lower than 50°F.

6. Bell Pepper - whole bell peppers maintain their crispness better outside a fridge than in.

7. Avocado - refrigerating an avocado will slow its ripening.

8. Winter Squash - a whole fresh squash stays fresh in a cool, dry place away from sunlight.

9. Apples - to keep them fresh longer, apples must be stored in a fridge. They can be safely placed on a countertop for two weeks without affecting their quality.

10. Bananas - they will turn brown a lot quicker inside a refrigerator.

11. Berries - if they will be consumed on the same day of purchase, it's best to keep berries unrefrigerated because moisture inside the fridge can damage them.

12. Melon - whole melons when not ripe can be kept unrefrigerated for up to two days.

13. Bread - goes stale a lot quicker if stored inside the fridge. Throwing it in the freezer if it won't be consumed anytime soon is a better plan.

14. Coffee - grounds or beans if stored inside the fridge can absorb the aroma inside because it is a natural deodorizer.

15. Chocolate - its smooth texture can be disrupted if kept inside the refrigerator as sugar crystals can "bloom" due to the humidity.

16. Honey - has a unique composition that prevents it from spoiling. Keep the lids on to prevent foreign material from entering the container.

17. Garlic - whole garlic bulbs can be safely stored in a cool, dark place away from sunlight for up to six months.

18. Nuts - they are safe to store outside the fridge but remain fresh a lot longer inside.

19. Hot Sauce - the salt and vinegar content in most hot sauces helps it maintain shelf stability.

20. Olive oil - as long as it is kept in a cool, dark place away from a heat source, olive oil can last outside the fridge. Extra virgin olive oil lasts even longer.

21. Peanut Butter - conventional peanut butter contains oil that helps extend its shelf life.

22. Vinegar - its high acid content makes vinegar safe to store even at room temperature.

23. Soy Sauce - store-bought soy sauce can be kept for a year outside of the fridge. It's still better to check your product label.

Knowing proper food storage techniques saves money in the long run. It could also prevent you from contributing to the country's annual 92 million tons of food waste.

Remember that when in doubt, always check your product's label for proper storage. Which food item were you most surprised by in this list?

Chelsi