When it comes to food storage, uncertainty reigns in many kitchens. Should certain items go in the refrigerator, or will they retain their flavor better at room temperature? From tomatoes and eggs to chocolate and coffee, the answers are not always intuitive.
Here is a breakdown of the most debated foods and where they truly belong.
Citrus Fruits
Oranges, lemons, clementines, and grapefruits offer flexibility. According to Interfel, the French interprofessional association for fresh fruits and vegetables, these fruits keep well at room temperature for up to a week. For those unsure when they will consume them, citrus fruits have “low sensitivity to cold,” according to the Technical Interprofessional Center for Fruits and Vegetables. When in doubt, storing them in the refrigerator’s fruit and vegetable drawer after grocery shopping will not harm them.
Bananas
“Bananas are a tropical fruit and do not like the cold,” emphasizes the French banana industry. “When they arrive at retail outlets, bananas are still ripening. Consumers can therefore keep them until they reach their full flavor potential.” The ideal approach is to hang them in a room with a temperature between 20°C and 25°C.
Butter
To best preserve your butter, refrigeration is preferable, ideally in a butter dish that prevents it from absorbing the flavors of other foods. “If you want to leave it at room temperature, it is advisable to take out only the amount you need and place it in a closed butter dish for no more than one or two hours,” recommends the Grand Fermage cooperative. This is the ideal solution for breakfast toast.
Coffee
Whether whole bean or ground, coffee does not belong in the cold, according to Terres de café, a Paris-based roasting company. “Coffee absorbs moisture very easily… and odors. As a result, the beans quickly lose their aromas and capture those of surrounding foods.” Experts recommend storing coffee in an opaque, airtight container away from heat.
Chocolate
Like coffee, chocolate readily absorbs odors, which argues against refrigeration. Chocolatiers recommend storage at around 18°C “in a cool, dry place, away from light,” according to the Fauchon brand. They also suggest wrapping the product in aluminum foil or an airtight container so that chocolate “retains all its flavors and is protected from surrounding odors, mold, and germs.”
Eggs
This is probably one of the most debated foods, and for good reason: the answer is not entirely clear-cut. “Ideally, eggs should be stored in a dry, cool place between 10°C and 15°C, such as a pantry,” recommends the French egg industry association. For the many households without a cellar or pantry, refrigeration is advised, placing eggs pointed-end down and without washing them, “at the risk of removing the protective film” that surrounds them.
Apples
Apples are known for their “natural ability to keep well for several months,” notes the National Apple and Pear Association, which represents French growers. This does not preclude certain precautions: to prevent apples from spoiling, “we can store them in a cool place away from light, for example in a cellar or in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator.” As with many foods, the ideal is to take them out shortly before eating.
Potatoes
According to the French potato industry, “only 43% of French people use the correct storage methods.” If you habitually store them in your refrigerator’s vegetable drawer or in a cellar, you are among that minority. “Potatoes should be kept in a cool, dry place to prevent sprouting. Ideally between 6°C and 8°C.”
Tomatoes
“Tomatoes should never be eaten straight from the refrigerator,” reminds the association of tomato and cucumber producers, AOPn, which recommends placing them “in a fruit basket at room temperature.” However, this rule is not universal: when tomatoes are fully ripe, “it is better to refrigerate them to extend their shelf life. This prevents them from spoiling,” notes Gabriel Bray, a consultant at the London-based Good Food Studio, in an interview with The Guardian. In that case, take them out an hour before eating to enjoy their flavor more fully.
