I know that at my parent's house, my mother and father always bicker about what has to go in the refrigerator and what can stay out and kept in the cabinet; peanut butter, bread, ketchup, etc. Here is a list of food items that should always be kept in your refrigerator.

  • Mustard because even though there is nothing in mustard that will go bad if left out after opening, it will lose it's flavor if not kept refrigerated.
  • Avocados should be kept in the refrigerator to keep them from ripening. It is recommended that you leave them out on your counter until they ripen, and then you should refrigerate them to avoid them over-ripening.
  • Ketchup after it's been opened should be placed in the refrigerator to avoid bacterial growth from occurring inside the bottle.
  • Bananas should be kept in the refrigerator only after they have ripened. Otherwise, it will disrupt the ripening process. So they should go on the counter until ripe and then refrigerate.
  • Wine should be recorked and refrigerated after it's been opened. I don't know anyone who doesn't finish a bottle in one sitting, but if you don't then you should refrigerate your wine and drink it within five days to insure freshness.
  • Whole wheat flour and nut flours should be refrigerated to keep them from spoiling or going rancid.
  • Lemons, limes and other citrus fruit will last up to four times longer if they are kept in the refrigerator.
  • Butter is often left out to make it more spreadable, but it will only stay fresh for a week or two at room temperature, so it is probably best to keep it refrigerated.
  • Maple syrup (the pure kind, not Mrs. Butterworth's) has no preservatives and will spoil if it is not kept in the refrigerator. It can develop mold on the surface if left out at room temperature.
  • Eggs, believe it or not, in other parts of the world, eggs do not need to be refrigerated, but because in the United States, eggs undergo a washing process to reduce salmonella contamination (which also cuts away at the cuticle of the egg, something that helps keep bacteria from infecting the egg) refrigeration is necessary.

I'm sure you already knew a lot of these, or you bicker with your roommate or spouse about them at least. Hopefully you can end these refrigerated battles once and for all now.

(via CNet)

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