WHAT GOES IN?

Not everything stays fresh in the refrigerator. We bring you a few tips on cold storage

Not everything stays fresh in the refrigerator. We bring you a few tips on cold storage
So you go to the market once a week and cram your fridge with vegetables and fruits. And in the scramble between office, kitchen and department store, leftovers and food keep piling on your refrigerator shelves. Well, what8217;s wrong with that? While the fridge may make some of those items last longer, they might be doing nothing for the taste or the freshness. So what should you store in the fridge and for how long? We have the answers.

VEGEGABLES
Vegetables like pepper and cucumber should only be stored at room temperature as they have a tendency of turning black and over-ripening in the refrigerator. Mushrooms can be stored in the fridge but they must be wrapped in a cloth or paper. 8220;Tomatoes should not be stored in the fridge. Fresh tomatoes last for about a week if kept at room temperature and they shouldn8217;t be kept for longer than that anyway,8221; says Dr Sakshi Chawla, senior nutritionist, Fortis, Noida. Potatoes should not be stored in the fridge as the cold converts its starches into sugar and gives them a sweet taste. Carrots too shrivel in the fridge. Don8217;t store veggies in the refrigerator for more than two days.

FRUITS
Apples and papayas can be stored in the fridge, but not for more than a week. Bananas and melons should not be stored in the fridge as they turn black. Oranges and strawberries should also be stored at room temperature.

BREAD
Bread and other baked items should never be stored in the fridge. 8220;It makes them hard and lose their moisture,8221; says Chawla. Instead, you can keep them at room temperature in a breadbox or a plastic container up to two days.

MEAT AND EGGS
Eggs should only be stored in the refrigerator but the rack in the fridge door is not the right place. 8220;Since the door is opened several times a day, the constant change in the temperature can spoil them,8221; says nutritionist Shikha Sharma. Instead, they should be stored in a container in the rear back of the fridge, where the temperature is more constant. Make sure you keep the eggs at room temperature for a few hours before you cook them. 8220;The yolk of refrigerated eggs is more likely to break when you fry them as the change in temperature is more severe,8221; says Dr Chawla. Meat should only be stored in the fridge but it should be kept at room temperature before being cooked.

CHEESE/PANEER
Even though cheese retains its flavour best when stored at room temperature, in summers it should be consumed within a couple of days after you open a tin. So refrigeration is sometimes the only option. 8220;The best way to store cheese in the refrigerator is by covering it in a damp cloth or paper,8221; says Sharma. Since refrigeration makes the cheese hard, it should be kept at room temperature before being consumed.

BUTTER
If left outside, butter turns stale or rancid. And in the fridge, the butter turns so hard it8217;s difficult to spread it on a slice of bread. 8220;The only option is to keep it out for a few hours or even heat it for 10 seconds in the microwave,8221; suggests Chawla.

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KNEADED FLOUR
Kneaded flour should only be stored in the fridge, as it turns stale if left outside even overnight. It is advisable to use fresh kneaded flour everyday. But if you want to store it, don8217;t go beyond two days.

LEFTOVERS
Last night8217;s rice and sabzi will not turn stale if stored in the fridge. 8220;But that is how long it can last. Some people try to stretch their leftovers for two-three days and that is wrong,8221; says Chawla. Not only will they lose their nutritional value, but they might also turn stale and lead to food poisoning. Cooked meat and fish should be kept in the freezer and should be consumed within a couple of days.

HONEY
Honey is not a perishable item and will not spoil if not refrigerated. Even though it won8217;t harm it to store it in the fridge, the cold will solidify it and make it harder to consume.

SAUCES AND PICKLE
Pickle can be preserved for a year if stored in an airtight container at room temperature. So there is no need to keep it in a fridge. While readymade sauces can be kept at room temperature as they have preservatives, homemade sauces should only be kept in the fridge.