Choosing good products is one thing, knowing how to store them is another. When it comes to storing vegetables, it’s not always easy. While our first instinct is often to put them directly in the refrigerator, be aware that some of them don’t like the cold, which will not only alter their texture, but also their taste.
Tomatoes
It’s simple, putting tomatoes in the fridge will completely ruin their taste. The cold damages the membranes of their cell walls, making them tasteless and floury. In addition, the cold will inhibit the production of ethylene, the hormone responsible for ripening fruits, and prevent your tomatoes from ripening properly. So you should store them at room temperature, on your table or countertop, and consume them once they are fully ripe.
Potatoes
Potatoes are not meant to be refrigerated. The cold turns starch into sugar, resulting in an unpleasant taste and grainy texture when cooked. Store them in a dark, cool, well-ventilated place to prevent them from sprouting or spoiling too quickly. Better yet, avoid proximity to climacteric fruits like apples or pears, or your potatoes will spoil prematurely.
Eggplants
Eggplants are also refrigerator-sensitive vegetables. Prolonged exposure to cold softens them and affects their taste. The result: a wilted vegetable, far from appetizing. Depending on the degree of ripeness, your eggplants will keep very well for 3 to 7 days at room temperature.
Squash
Squash and other cucurbits are vegetables that also do not appreciate the atmosphere of the refrigerator, which makes them lose all their flavors. Store them in a cool, dry place where they will keep for three to six months. If possible, choose squashes whose stalk has not been completely cut off, this will help with conservation.
The lawyers
Avocados should not be stored in the refrigerator until they are ripe. Cold temperatures slow down their ripening process, leaving them hard and tasteless. Too low temperatures also affect the flesh of the avocado, which becomes stringy. So, store them at room temperature until they are ready to eat. Once ripe, you can refrigerate them for a few days if you are not eating them immediately.
