It has become a normal practice in almost every part of the world that all things organic must find their way inside the refrigerator. This is our first instincts when it comes to preserving fresh foods most especially if they are perishable. Although storing groceries in the fridge is one of the best ways to preserve them, but it turns out that not every food do so well under the cold. Certain foods can lose their tastes when in a cold environment, others loses their textures, while for others they discolor.

If you’ve always seen the fridge as a paradise where everything can be stored and sustained, then it may interest you to know that the refrigerator is not always what you think it is.

Here are some foods that are not best buddies of the fridge:

Watermelon

Watermelon is a fruit very rich in antioxidants, this characteristic is well preserved when the melon is stored under a room temperature according to many researches. A whole ball of watermelon it best stored when fresh air is allowed to blow over it, but once cut, wrap it in a nylon and store in the refrigerator but only for few days.

Tomato

How well your tomatoes stay fresh depends on the way you chose to keep them. Leave over the counter so they can receives some fresh air at room temperature and remain fresh or stock them in the fridge so they can lose their flavor and go stale. It is always advisable to store these berries no longer than two days at room temperature to get the best out of them.

Avocado

Avocados should be stored and eaten at room temperature, the temperature maintains their texture and keep the flavors intact. This storage method also ensures that avocados attain their peak ripeness quicker.

Bananas

All tropical foods doesn’t seem to do better in a cold environment since they are already used to a warmer climate. Tropic fruits like bananas need a warm temperature to get ripe which means that the fridge is altogether a bad idea. They only need fresh breeze to blow over them.

Onion

Store your onion somewhere cool and dry. If you’ve ever noticed that your onion became soft and moldy in the fridge, it was as a result of the moisture it was exposed to in that environment. Keep your onions out of the fridge unless they're cut.

Garlic

Just like their close cousins (onion), garlics need to stay far away from cold otherwise they lose their potent flavor when they become rubbery as a result of cold environment. 

Potatoes

The paper bag is this spud’s best buds. Putting potatoes in the refrigerator will only breakdown the starch in them, making them too sweet and gritty. For the best storage practice, place potatoes in a cool, dry space to keep them fresh or better still, have them remain in a paper bag where they do so much better. 

Bread

The fridge is messing up your bread than you actually realize. Although it may help to stop molds from growing but it actually dries out the bread much faster. Optimal storage is over the counter but it’s cool to refrigerate if you intend to toast afterwards.

Spices

This is a no-brainer, and it goes without saying that it seem a little bit absurd refrigerating spices. Moisture are their worst enemy, keep them far away from it.  

Coffee

We all enjoy how brown beans make our day all days. In order to keep enjoying the euphoria that comes with caffeine, keep your coffee beans far away from the cold whose humidity can ruin it flavor. For the perfect storage, seal coffees in an airtight container and have them waiting in your pantry.

Honey