When I come home from the grocery store, one of the first things I do is put away the foods that live in the fridge. Eggs, milk, and butter are quickly returned back into the chill of the fridge to ensure safety and increase longevity. But what about items like almond butter or maple syrup? As it turns out, there might be a few foods that wind up in your pantry when they should really be in your fridge.
It’s important to identify the items you might be storing incorrectly. Never challenge nature, and store products correctly as soon as you buy or harvest them from your garden. Certain foods that contain high amounts of water, sugar, fat, and protein and also have low acidity or salt concentrations can quickly spoil from yeast, mold, and bacteria. Another reason why it’s so important to look at the food labels.
It’s also key to take note of any foods that were not refrigerated when you bought them, but should be after they are opened. Items like salad dressing and tomato sauce can be stored at room temperature on a pantry shelf, but shouldn’t be returned there after that seal is broken. At that point, give them their rightful place in your fridge.
Table of Contents
5 Foods You Aren’t Refrigerating Yet Definitely Should Be
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that about 30 to 40 percent of all food in the U.S. goes to waste annually, costing a family of four as much as $1,500 per year and contributing to the climate crisis. It’s time to reverse that trend and save yourself some money by storing foods properly. Here are some of the most common foods that you might not realize should be stored in the refrigerator.
1. Nuts And Seeds
Nuts and seeds have a higher oil content and can go rancid faster at room temperature. Store them in a cool, dark place, like your pantry, if you use them up fast; otherwise, to preserve freshness pop them in the refrigerator. I actually always store nuts in the freezer for longer-term storage, and pull them out as I need them. Remember that whole, unshelled nuts will stay fresh longer than shelled, chopped ones.
2. Nut Butters
Whether you prefer almond or peanut butter, your nut butter can be stored at room temperature when unopened. Once opened, the oil can start to separate and turn rancid; this is especially true for natural nut butters (those without added preservatives).
If you have an opened jar in your pantry, don’t worry, there’s no need to toss it unless it’s been there for months. Once opened, most natural nut butters will stay fresh to use in a pantry for up to a month; nut butters with preservatives (like Skippy or Jiff) will last for two to three months unrefrigerated.
3. Maple Syrup
Maple syrup doesn’t contain preservatives, but should be refrigerated once opened. The water content is high enough for yeasts to grow and spoil the syrup. Also, storing maple syrup in the refrigerator also protects the flavor. Sugar may crystallize around the neck of the container even when the syrup is refrigerated, but don’t worry, this is not a sign of spoilage. It just might make the bottle harder to open.
4. Mustards
Like with other foods, storing mustard in the refrigerator will also preserve its quality. If you consume mustard within a month or so of opening a jar, then it’s safe to keep it at room temperature. Otherwise, store it in the fridge. Mustard doesn’t contain as much sugar as ketchup, so it can be kept outside of the refrigerator for about one to two months before it spoils. I always keep mustards in the fridge, mainly because my Mama always did. Some flavors we go through quicker than others, so it’s just best to keep them all in the fridge. No harm, no foul.
5. Hot Sauces
Hot sauce is a big category. How you store it really comes down to what the hot sauce is made from and how quickly you plan to consume it. If it happens to contain cream or eggs, which some homemade hot sauces do, it needs to be in the refrigerator. For other hot sauces, even those made with vinegar, storing it in your pantry likely won’t lead to food safety issues, but you’ll want to refrigerate your favorite hot sauce after opening to preserve its flavor and prevent it from spoiling. Hot sauces can suffer spoilage after one to two months unless they are fermented or contain high levels of salt.
Unless you want to spend a lot of time reading your hot sauce labels, the safest way to keep your sauce fresh and with its usual flavor punch, is to store it in the fridge.
Do You Refrigerate Tomatoes?
Do you wonder if tomatoes should be refrigerated? I am sharing the answer to this question, and a few reasons to back it up.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.