5 foods you should actually keep in the cupboard rather than the fridge (2024)

FAQs

What foods do not need to be refrigerated? ›

Apricots, Asian pears, avocado, bananas, guava, kiwis, mangoes, melons, nectarines, papayas, passion fruit, pawpaw, peaches, pears, persimmons, pineapples, plantain, plums, starfruit, soursop, and quince will continue to ripen if left out on the counter.

Apples, avocados, citrus fruit, carrots, celery, cucumbers, grapes, green beans, peppers, snap peas, and tomatoes are fresh foods that can be eaten raw and will be good for days unrefrigerated, so consider picking up some of these ahead of a storm.

Many fruits and vegetables should only be stored at room temperatures. Refrigeration can cause cold damage or prevent them from ripening to good flavor and texture. For example, pink tomatoes ripen to a better taste and red color if they are left at room temperature.

Because of its natural acidity, Heinz® Ketchup is shelf-stable. However, its stability after opening can be affected by storage conditions. We recommend that this product, like any processed food, be refrigerated after opening. Refrigeration will maintain the best product quality after opening.

How do Amish store food? ›

Some people might be surprised to learn that canning is not an Amish woman's only means of preserving food. Some Amish communities allow their members to use freezers, whether that is by placing a freezer in a willing English neighbor's house, or by using a gas-powered freezer in their own home.

You may buy mayonnaise off a non-refrigerated shelf, but the second you pop the top, you must put it in the refrigerator. In fact, the USDA recommends opened mayo be tossed in the trash if its temperature reaches 50 degrees or higher for more than eight hours.

An open jar of peanut butter stays fresh up to three months in the pantry. After that, it's recommended to store the peanut butter in the fridge (where it can maintain its quality for another 3-4 months). If you don't refrigerate, oil separation can occur.

In the United States, fresh, commercially produced eggs need to be refrigerated to minimize your risk of food poisoning. However, in many countries in Europe and around the world, it's fine to keep eggs at room temperature for a few weeks.

Meals Ready to Eat (MREs) One of the most convenient types of emergency food supplies is MREs or “Meals Ready to Eat.” They are already prepared food that's can stored for years, and then eaten as is without any preparation. What is this? Unlike freeze dried food, you don't have to add water to MREs.

Soup might be called the ultimate survival food. With just a few basic ingredients, soup provides a hearty, nutritious meal.

Berries are considered highly perishable fruits. After a couple of days, they tend to mold, become discolored and wet. Store them in the refrigerator for maximum freshness where they can stay fresh for up to eight days.

Do you have to refrigerate butter? ›

According to the USDA, butter is safe at room temperature. But if it's left out for several days at room temperature, it can turn rancid causing off flavors. The USDA does not recommend leaving it out more than one to two days.

Your refrigerator is the best place to keep fresh grapes. They thrive at about 30-32 degrees Fahrenheit with 90-95% humidity, so go ahead and throw them in the back of your crisper drawer (it's usually the coldest place in the fridge).

If the fruit isn't washed before storing it in a mason jar, the bacteria will spread, and the fruit won't last very long. To avoid having fresh fruit go bad inside a mason jar, it's essential to wash and dry it properly before storage.

While refrigeration will help maintain flavor, it's not necessary to refrigerate if you prefer to consume your mustard at room temperature. The recommended shelf life from the date of manufacture of French's Mustard is 18 months in a squeeze bottle, and 24 months in a glass jar.”

*Never keep your bread in the fridge. The starch molecules in bread recrystallize very quickly at cool temperatures, and causes the bread to stale much faster when refrigerated. *Shop-bought loaves should be kept in an air-tight plastic bag at room temperature rather than in the fridge.

Put simply, peppers should always be kept in the refrigerator. However, if an uncut pepper is left out for a few hours or even overnight, it will probably not spoil. A pepper's skin will keep the softer inner flesh protected from drying out and beginning to rot.

Common condiments that don't require refrigeration include soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, honey and hot sauce. Feingold says vinegars and olive oil (stored in a cool, dark place) are pantry-bound; coconut oil is actually best kept out of the fridge since it hardens below room temperature.

Even if bacon is cured or naturally-cured, it can still be prone to spoilage if left too long at room temperature. To help keep it fresh for the next few days, rely on the refrigerator. When stored at or below the ideal temperature of 40ºF, the growth of harmful bacteria is slowed.

Shop only for shelf-stable foods that you love to eat. These are more numerous than you'd think: Even without a kitchen, you can stock bread, nut butters, jelly, oatmeal, dried fruit, almonds, apples, pears, avocados, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, and salt. Citrus fruits hang on for several days at room temperature.

Once you've opened a jar of pickles, you should store them in the refrigerator. Many cooks keep them in a condiment shelf on the door — that's fine, as long as your fridge is kept to 40°F or below. You can also keep unopened, jarred pickles in the refrigerator, although it's not necessary.

Does Worcestershire sauce need to be refrigerated? ›

Does Worcestershire Sauce Need to Be Refrigerated? Worcestershire sauce doesn't require refrigeration even after opening, but doing so helps the condiment retain quality for longer. In other words, you don't have to keep it in the fridge, but that's a good idea if you want it to keep quality for more than a year.

You can store them in an unopened bottle or jar in your kitchen, without placing them into the fridge. You need to make sure they are in a dry and cool place out of direct sunlight, (like the pantry) as the sunlight can cause olives to deteriorate faster.

Shelf-stable canned hams do not require refrigeration and may be stored in a cool, dry place for 2 to 5 years. Country style hams are dry-cured with salt and aged for distinctive flavor; some are also smoked. Unopened country style hams can be kept up to 1 year without refrigeration.

Humus is a perishable food item, which means it is prone to spoil more quickly if not kept refrigerated at 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Most freshly prepared vegetable-based spreads fall under this category; this is why they are kept in the refrigerated section of your supermarket.

In fact, they eat lots of things in soup form—even breakfast! A typical Amish breakfast includes coffee soup, a bowl of creamed coffee served with freshly baked bread for dunking.

They use dollars when buying things from one another, and from non-Amish sources alike. Amish have checking accounts and some even use credit cards. While some Amish might trade or barter on a limited scale, it's not the way Amish generally conduct business.

Most mayonnaise can last up to one week in an open jar and is non-refrigerated in a shelf-stable state. Refrigerated: Miracle whip lasts for months upon opening if stored in the refrigerator. What is this? But it may get contaminated if you open it from time to time to consume it.

Most commercial brands of ranch dressing contain preservatives that allow them to be stored at room temperature. However, if you make your ranch dressing or purchase a brand that doesn't contain preservatives, it's important to refrigerate it.

Soft cheeses such as cream cheese, cottage cheese, shredded cheeses, and goat cheese must be refrigerated for safety. As a general rule, hard cheeses such as cheddar, processed cheeses (American), and both block and grated Parmesan do not require refrigeration for safety, but they will last longer if kept refrigerated.

What foods can stay at room temperature? ›

Apples, Beans, Berries, Broccoli, Carrots, Celery, Cheese, Cherries, Eggplant, Eggs, Grapes, Jalapenos, Leafy Greens, Meat, Milk, Zucchini. KEEP AT ROOM TEMPERATURE: Avocados, Apricots, Bread, Citrus, Coffee, Garlic, Honey, Kiwi, Melons, Onions, Pears, Peaches, Pineapple, Potatoes, Tomatoes.

Vegetables. Depending on the veggie, most can stay on the counter until use (or until overripe). According to Fruits & Veggies More Matters, many vegetables like basil, cucumber, eggplant, garlic, onions, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, and squashes, should only be kept at room temperature.

Heat-treated plant foods (rice, beans, and vegetables) Tofu and other soy proteins. Sprouts and sprout seeds. Sliced melons and cut tomatoes.

Soft cheeses such as cream cheese, cottage cheese, shredded cheeses, and goat cheese must be refrigerated for safety. As a general rule, hard cheeses such as cheddar, processed cheeses (American), and both block and grated Parmesan do not require refrigeration for safety, but they will last longer if kept refrigerated.

According to the USDA, butter is safe at room temperature. But if it's left out for several days at room temperature, it can turn rancid causing off flavors. The USDA does not recommend leaving it out more than one to two days.

In the United States, fresh, commercially produced eggs need to be refrigerated to minimize your risk of food poisoning. However, in many countries in Europe and around the world, it's fine to keep eggs at room temperature for a few weeks.

Root vegetables are great because they can easily last a week or more without refrigeration. These include potatoes, sweet potatoes, turnips, kale, beets, radishes and onions.

Your refrigerator is the best place to keep fresh grapes. They thrive at about 30-32 degrees Fahrenheit with 90-95% humidity, so go ahead and throw them in the back of your crisper drawer (it's usually the coldest place in the fridge).

Food from animal origin that is raw, cooked or partially cooked, such as eggs, milk, meat or poultry. Food from plant origin that is cooked such as rice, potatoes and pasta. Food from plant origin such as raw seed sprouts, cut melons, cut tomatoes and cut leafy greens.

What are three foods that spoil quickly when they are left at room temperature? ›