35 Fruits and Vegetables That Should Not Be Refrigerated
Reader, I’m sure when you buy fruits and vegetables, you want them to stay the way they are for as long as possible without becoming mushy, beginning to smell like the others around them, or ripening too quickly and eventually spoiling before you realize it.
Here’s what you need to know first:
Ethylene
Ethylene is just a gas that fruits and vegetables produce as they ripen.
Some release high amounts, and others release low amounts (the ones with low amounts can become sensitive to the others).
The key for you is to know which ones produce it more and which ones are sensitive to it so you can avoid putting them together because otherwise, the following could happen to the fruits/vegetables that are sensitive to ethylene:
if they’re already ripe, they will spoil quickly and
the smell can change and start to smell like the ethylene-producing fruit/vegetables next to them
We’ll give you a chart with a list of which fruits and vegetables produce high ethylene and which are sensitive.
Knowing this will help you know which fruits and vegetables to put together when you store them in or out of the fridge and which ones to keep apart.
But first, let’s talk about which fruits and vegetables go in the fridge and which don’t.
NOT Refrigerated
Fruits
If any of these are already ripe, peeled, or cut, wrap the peeled/cut ones and put them and the ripe ones in the fridge away from high-ethylene-producing fruits and vegetables.
If they themselves produce high ethylene, keep them apart from the others.
Citrus Fruits (oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruits, )
Melons (watermelons, cantaloupe, honeydew)
Apples
Pears
Plums
Pawpaws
Persimmons
Quince
Kiwis
Apricots
Peaches
Nectarines
Avocadoes
Papayas
Bananas
Guava
Mangoes
Passion fruits
Pineapples
Plantains
Starfruits
Soursop
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Vegetables
Garlic
Onions
Potatoes
Taro
Pumpkin
Sweet potatoes
Cassava (aka yuca)
Peppers
Tomatoes
Butternut
Kabocha
Delicata
Do not store these fruits or vegetables in plastic bags outside the fridge. They will spoil quickly.
Herbs
All the following herbs should be stored in water at room temperature to keep them fresh.
Basil
Cilantro
Dill
Parsley
Mint
To refrigerate them, a video of professional chef Jean Pierre is linked below showing you the how-to.
SHOULD Refrigerate
Fruits
Remember to keep these away from high ethylene-producing fruits and vegetables; if any produce high ethylene, keep them away from the others.
Berries (strawberries, blueberries, cranberries, raspberries, blackberries)
Grapes
Currants
Cherries
Figs
Longans
Lychees
Mangosteens
Pomegranates
Vegetables
Besides the ones you shouldn’t refrigerate, most vegetables you can think of should be refrigerated.
Most vegetables
Poll
Ethylene Chart
Here is the link to the chart we mentioned above.
You can check which fruits/vegetables produce high ethylene so you don’t store them, whether in or out of the fridge, with other fruits/vegetables that don’t produce high ethylene.
Tips
If it’s high-ethylene-producing, keep it away from other ethylene-sensitive fruits and vegetables.
Refer to the chart above to check which group your fruits are in. **If you decide to Google it, some websites might tell you certain fruits produce high ethylene. Then you see those same fruits listed as non-producing/sensitive to ethylene.
The fact is that they all produce ethylene, just to different degrees.
If you put any produce in the fridge, put them in plastic bags or containers so they don’t become dehydrated, and you could also protect them from the high ethylene-producing produce.
**But if the produce you have is high ethylene-producing, do not put it in a plastic bag because it can make itself ripen very fast
Try not to wash any produce until you’re ready to use it. This helps it stay fresh for longer because the water droplets left on it can make an excellent environment for bacteria to grow.
However, if it’s not used immediately, it will spoil quickly.
Take off rubber bands from leafy greens and store them in a plastic bag with a dry paper towel loosely wrapped around them to absorb any moisture that would make them spoil quickly.
When storing vegetables with leaves, like radishes and carrots, cut off most of the leaves so they stay fresher longer.
This is important because when you’re making food, your skills don’t just affect how your food tastes; whatever you’re making will be as good as your ingredients.
FAQ
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One or more of the following can happen:
The produce could become bland because the cold affects the flavor (e.g., tomatoes with no flavor).
The texture can change and not be like the fruit should be (e.g., potatoes can become gritty, or peaches and plums can become mushy).
The shelf life goes down (e.g., uncut and unpeeled onions sprout and become moldy because of the humid environment in the fridge).
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Many methods include adding lemon juice, ascorbic acid, and blanching. We discuss these in our post "A Complete Guide To the Fruits and Vegetables You Can Freeze."
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No, but ensure you don't keep that particular fruit or vegetable next to high-ethylene-producing ones to prevent it from ripening faster.
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To prevent this, you should ensure you correctly package the produce when storing it (this way, the smell doesn’t have a way of attaching itself to the fruit) and try to have a separate section for it in the fridge.
You also want to keep your fridge clean and not too crowded so there is proper air circulation. Products like charcoal filters help absorb and neutralize odors in your fridge. (CLICK HERE TO BUY)
Lastly, properly package any strong-smelling food to prevent its smell from entering the fridge.
Infographic
Conclusion
Knowing the why behind food is as important as knowing the what and how. This is why we don't just tell you which produce not to refrigerate but also about ethylene. This way, you understand which fruits and vegetables are not to be put next to each other so one doesn't cause the other to ripen quickly and spoil. You also know how to make unripe produce ripen faster by placing them next to the correct fruit or vegetable to help them. These tips can help you save $ 100 a year.
Take the Next Step: Take a look at which fruits and vegetables can be frozen to help you extend the shelf-life of your produce even longer. Check out Fruits and Vegetables You Can Freeze | A Complete Guide next.
Tell Us: Have you tried ripening your avocadoes faster by storing them in a bag with an apple?
Stay Connected: To know more about how changing your food can change your life, sign up for the M2oo Newsletter, which delivers Real Food and Real Health information straight to your inbox.
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Want to choose fresh ingredients, store them correctly, and use top cooking tips as a beginner but like a pro? The Food Book is perfect for anyone looking to simplify their home cooking.
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