10 Fruits and Vegetables You Should Never Put in the Fridge

It makes sense that produce from warm climates doesn’t much like the cold. In the case of bananas, the problem is twofold: First, the fruit’s cell walls have no natural defense against the cold, so they break down and start reacting with the banana’s nutrients, turning things black and mushy. Second, if the banana isn’t fully ripened, the cold will stop it from ever getting to that state.

While this flavorful winter squash should be refrigerated once it’s cut up into pieces, the whole vegetable keeps very well in a cool but not cold place. The humidity in the refrigerator might hasten spoilage. Another reason not to put it in the fridge: It’s big and takes up a lot of room.

Dried beans will keep for years (up to three decades, according to some studies) if stored in well-sealed containers in a cool, dark place. Inside a humid refrigerator, they will absorb water and spoil.

Refrigerators that are in regular use are humid places, and the moisture can make garlic go moldy. Also, garlic odors are readily transmitted to other foods and liquids within a closed space. Do you really want garlicky milk or leftover pie?

Basil and other leafy herbs, such as cilantro, parsley, or mint, will wilt and/or turn dark faster than usual, and may absorb other food odors. Treat these herbs as if they were flowers, trimming their ends and sticking them in jars of cool water, then set them on a shelf or counter at room temperature.

Whole melons, like cantaloupe, honeydew, and watermelon, should be stored at room temperature for the most flavor. USDA studies have shown that they may retain their antioxidants more efficiently if they’re not chilled. They should go into the refrigerator only if they’re cut up.

According to the National Onion Association, the lack of ventilation in a refrigerator crisper drawer will reduce the shelf life of these essential bulbs. They should never be stored in plastic bags, either. They like a cool, dry, dark place to rest, with plenty of air movement. Only whole peeled or cut-up onions should be refrigerated.

Though like onions spuds should be stashed somewhere cool, dry, and dark (to avoid encouraging them to sprout or develop mold), the refrigerator is the wrong place for them. Cold temperatures break down their starch, converting it to sugar, which makes them disconcertingly sweet and may give them a gritty or grainy texture.

When sweet potatoes are refrigerated, their cell structure breaks down and they remain hard in the middle, and harder to cook. They much prefer cool room temperature, away from the light.

Volatile compounds that help give tomatoes their attractively green and grassy character are broken down at temperatures below 39ºF (35ºF is considered the ideal refrigerator temperature), and storing them below 50ºF may lead to premature softening and scar the surface.