Ripen fruit at room temperature. Once they are ripe, refrigerate. Apples, cherries, grapefruit, grapes, oranges, pineapples, strawberries, tangerines and watermelon are received ripe and should be refrigerated.
Assuming they are ripe when you buy them (they're one of the few products for which supermarkets don't expect us to do the work), it is best to put oranges in the fridge, and not just because no one wants warm orange juice. Once ripe, they start to lose their vitamin C, a process that is slower when cold.
Despite the additional drying effect the fridge can have, the cool space is ultimately better for storing oranges. They can live for a few days to one week at room temperature but popping them in the refrigerator extends that to three or four weeks.
Fruits That Should Not Be Stored in the Refrigerator
Apricots, Asian pears, avocado, bananas, guava, kiwis, mangoes, melons, nectarines, papayas, passion fruit, pawpaw, peaches, pears, persimmons, pineapples, plantain, plums, starfruit, soursop, and quince will continue to ripen if left out on the counter.
"Store oranges loose (not in a plastic bag) in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator for maximum freshness." To prevent mold from growing, Ziata suggests keeping your refrigerated oranges in something breathable, such as a mesh bag.
At room temperature, oranges can last for about a week. In the fridge, meanwhile, they can stay good for about a month. If you don't plan to eat them within about four weeks, consider freezing your oranges — frozen oranges will keep for up to a year.
Since oranges start to decompose as soon as they've been picked, storing them in the fridge will slow down the process and keep them fresher, longer. Always make sure your oranges have room in your fridge to breathe; sealing these citrus babies in a container will suffocate the fruit and promote the growth of mold.
Even though cucumbers are prone to chilling injury, the fridge is still the best place to store them. At room temperature, cucumbers will only last for about two days. So, what's the solution? Store cucumbers in the warmest part of the fridge — towards the front, furthest from the cooling elements.
In the United States, fresh, commercially produced eggs need to be refrigerated to minimize your risk of food poisoning. However, in many countries in Europe and around the world, it's fine to keep eggs at room temperature for a few weeks.
CLEMENTINES - FRESH, RAW
Clementines will generally keep well at room temperature for about one week; longer storage at room temperature can cause the clementines to shrivel and lose flavor. To extend the shelf life of clementines, refrigerate in a plastic bag.
How to store mandarin oranges. Store mandarin oranges in a cool, dark place (like the fridge). At room temperature they'll last about 1 week. Refrigerated in a bag they should last 2 weeks to 1 month.
Avoid direct sunlight.
If you keep your oranges in sunlight, they won't last long. Oranges prefer a cool dry place, such as the vegetable crisper in your refrigerator, but if you are storing oranges on the kitchen counter at room temperature, keep them in the shade and eat within a few days.
Ripe tomatoes should still be kept at on your counter, uncovered, if you are going to enjoy the tomato in the next day or two. But any longer than that – the recommendation is to refrigerate. A so-so tomato is much better than a rotten, moldy tomato. Refrigeration will slow down the decay.
Cherries & Grapes – Store in refrigerator, unwashed, in their packaged plastic containers or plastic bags until ready to wash and eat. Citrus fruit – Extend the shelf life of clementines, grapefruit, lemons, limes and oranges by storing them in the crisper drawer or in a mesh bag in the refrigerator.
When the mercury dips into the 30s in the San Joaquin Valley, the cold actually makes oranges sweeter. The chill brings that deep orange hue to the skin and the fruit, it thickens the peel — as if Mother Nature is putting on an extra coat — and it triggers sugar production in the fruit.
Another questions many people ask about storing apples is “Can I store apples and oranges together?” The answer about storing apples and oranges together is “No”. When apples and oranges are stored together, they emit some gas that causes both kinds of fruits to spoil faster!
In terms of safety, there's no real need to refrigerate ketchup. Tomatoes and vinegar, the main components in ketchup, help preserve the condiment at room temperature due to their natural acidity.
An open jar of peanut butter stays fresh up to three months in the pantry. After that, it's recommended to store the peanut butter in the fridge (where it can maintain its quality for another 3-4 months). If you don't refrigerate, oil separation can occur.
The lower and consistent temperature limits moisture lost through the pores of the egg shell. This keeps the egg fresh right up to the "best before date" that's stamped on the exterior of the carton.
Your refrigerator is the best place to keep fresh grapes. They thrive at about 30-32 degrees Fahrenheit with 90-95% humidity, so go ahead and throw them in the back of your crisper drawer (it's usually the coldest place in the fridge).
To keep your Bell Peppers tasting great longer, store them in your refrigerator crisper drawer. In the fridge, raw Bell Peppers will last between 1 and 2 weeks. Cooked Bell Peppers will typically last 3-5 days.
*Never keep your bread in the fridge. The starch molecules in bread recrystallize very quickly at cool temperatures, and causes the bread to stale much faster when refrigerated. *Shop-bought loaves should be kept in an air-tight plastic bag at room temperature rather than in the fridge.
Don't store potatoes in the fridge.
Raw potatoes have lots of starches, and the cold temperatures can turn the starches into sugars. This can make your potatoes turn sweeter and darker during cooking.
They prefer the refrigeration. Apples keep longest when held at 31-36 degrees Fahrenheit. So, you want to keep them in the coolest part of the refrigerator. Most home refrigerators don't get that cold because the rest of your food would freeze, but the colder the better.