10 Popular Foods We Ought to Start Storing in the Fridge

When it comes to storing products, there are lots of nuances we have to consider to keep food fresh, safe, and delicious for as long as possible. The wrong conditions can lead to unpleasant consequences, like spoilage, mold growth, and even bug infestation. We all know how important it is to store things like milk in the fridge, but many more products can benefit from being kept cold, increasing their shelf life, improving taste, and more.

Here at Bright Side, we want you to enjoy fresh, tasty food, which is why we’ve found 10 popular foods you should start keeping in your fridge.

White flour

This kitchen staple has to be stored in a cool, dark place — ideally in an airtight container. This way, the product is protected from bugs and stays fresh longer. In fact, white flour that has been opened will be just fine in the fridge for 12 months, whereas at room temperature, it can only last 6 to 8 months.

Dried fruit and vegetables

Dried fruits and vegetables can indeed be stored in a cupboard for a long time, up to 6 months. However, it’s safe only for as long as it stays unopened. After that happens, it’s best to keep foods like this in the fridge as it can take their shelf-life from 1 month to 6 months.

Baked products

Even though it’s not recommended to store bread in the fridge (even more so if it’s homemade), products like buns, rolls, and more can “live” in a refrigerator slightly longer than they would in a pantry (up to 3 weeks). Also, storing opened bags of tortillas in the fridge allows them to stay fresh for up to 3 months. Finally, pizza dough, canned rolls, and biscuits should not be kept at room temperature at all because it’s not safe.

Apples

This fruit will stay fresh and crispy for as long as a whole month when stored in a moisture-resistant bag in a fridge. It’s advised to avoid washing apples before storing them as it might cause spoilage.

Natural peanut butter

We can store unopened natural peanut butter at room temperature (even though it does stay fresh for longer in a fridge). But once opened, specialists insist that you should only keep it in a refrigerator.

Citrus fruits

We can store oranges, clementines, grapefruit, and other citrus fruits for about 2-3 weeks in a fridge and only about 10 days at room temperature. There is no need to put the fruit in a container or a plastic bag — it’s better if the air circulates.

Hummus

No matter if you purchase pasteurized hummus at a store or make some at home — it’s not safe to keep it at room temperature either way. You can store the unopened pasteurized product in a fridge for about 3 months and 1 week once you’ve opened it — if the hummus is traditional with no preservatives, it’s safe to eat over the course of a week.

Nuts

After we open a bag of nuts, it’s best to put them in an airtight container in a fridge to preserve their moisture; this way, the nuts stay fresh for longer. Also, we should remember that unsalted nuts stay fresher than salted nuts over time.

Yeast

Yeast is one of those products that can be stored for a long time if it remains unopened in a cupboard (for about 2 years), but once it’s opened, it is very perishable in the wrong conditions. This is why it’s crucial to keep it in an airtight container in a fridge. This way, you can use it for up to 4 months.

Waffles and pancakes

If you purchased waffles or pancakes frozen, it’s not safe to keep them at room temperature. We should store these products in a fridge (for 3-4 days) or a freezer (for up to 2 months). Homemade pancakes and waffles can stay refrigerated in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

Do you have any other suggestions for products we should keep in the fridge? Please share your ideas in the comments!