The refrigerator is the main household appliance of a modern kitchen, without which it is impossible to even imagine storing food. However, cooling is not a universal method of preserving freshness.
Some foods don't need to be cold at all, and in fact, refrigeration is especially bad for them. Some lose their consistency, others lose their flavor and aroma. So it makes sense to use the refrigerator consciously.
Food not for the refrigerator
As a quick guide, here are eight of the most common food categories that are not recommended for refrigeration.
1. Nuts and hazelnuts
They are a healthy and tasty snack, but they lose their flavor when cold and can also absorb the odor of other foods stored nearby on the shelf.
2. Baking
Room temperature is ideal for various baked goods. When baked goods are placed in the refrigerator, they become dense and moist, and their aroma is destroyed by the smell of the refrigerator.
3. Citrus fruits
Neither oranges, nor grapefruits, nor lemons, nor limes require refrigeration. If they stand in the cold, they will become soft and lose their flavor.
4. Cucumbers
This vegetable becomes excessively watery and unpleasant to the taste when cooled. If cucumbers are stored on shelves where the temperature is lower, they can freeze completely.
5. Peanut butter
Cold temperatures will cause the hazelnut cream to harden and make it difficult to spread on bread. Not to mention that it will lose much of its appeal: the paste will taste more like chocolate than cream.
6. Onion family and garlic
Garlic, red onions, and purple onions also soften in the refrigerator, and their predominantly pungent flavor dissipates over time.
7. Honey
Honey crystallizes when it is placed in the refrigerator. Fortunately, this does not spoil the product itself, it is enough to simply put the container with honey in boiled water for some time, and it will return to its state.
8. Basil
Basil leaves turn black in the refrigerator, and their delicate aroma fades. Instead, they absorb the bouquet of odors from the food in the refrigerator.
