Foods You Should Never Refrigerate And How To Store Them Instead

Is your refrigerator bursting at its seams? Are the shelves completely cluttered? If that is the case, you're going to be glad to know that some of the foods taking up valuable fridge space are among the groceries you're storing all wrong. In fact, lots of things are better left on the counter or in the pantry. A good rule of thumb is to think about where the ingredients are displayed in the grocery store; whether they are frozen, refrigerated or kept at room temp, follow suit at home. Here are some foods that you shouldn't refrigerate.

Grocery store loaves should be kept in their plastic loaf casing at room temperature. And bakery breads that are usually sold in brown paper bags should be removed from the bag and wrapped tightly in plastic cling wrap and also kept at room temperature. The absolute best way to store all your loaves is in a bread box right in your kitchen. And if you're not going to get through your loaf within a few days, know how to freeze and thaw bread.

The best place to store bananas is simply on the counter. If you have extra ripe bananas you don't know what to do with, make banana bread or peel and freeze them for healthy smoothies.

To keep your basil fresh, trim the tips of the stems. Then repurpose a glass jar and place the basil in water just as you would cut flowers. Even if the basil stems aren't long enough, you can still place them in a jar the same way. Put the jar on the windowsill or somewhere it can get sun but not overheat. You can also cover the basil loosely with a plastic bag to help the leaves stay fresh even longer. Change the water if it starts to get murky.

Potatoes are pretty low maintenance and last for weeks. They are best stored in a cool, dark and airy place in a paper bag. Keep away from onions, which can cause them to sprout faster and take on the flavor of onions. Remember, toss out any green potatoes you may find in the bunch before whipping up our all-time best potato recipes.

Leave tomatoes out on the counter in a glass bowl. Easy peasy.

If you have a straw basket laying around, use it to store your onions. Baskets are well-ventilated and make for an optimal environment for storing onions, garlic and potatoes. And when you need to chop your onions, make sure you know how to cut onions without crying. If you want to save part of a cut onion, that can go in the fridge in a sealed container.

Store your unpeeled garlic bulbs on the counter for the best results. You can also keep them with your onions in a straw basket.

Sweet potatoes, which are fantastic to use in a lazy breakfast hash, last for a long time on the counter or in a cool, dark place like the basement or a pantry.

Ideally, chocolate should be stored in a dark, dry, cool place around 62F. Keep it in a resealable plastic bag or other airtight container to keep it as fresh as possible and ready to eat and use in the best chocolate recipes. If your home is hot and there really isn't a cool spot then keep the chocolate in an airtight container and move it to the fridge.

When you bring home fresh apples from the apple orchard or grocery store, place them in a fruit basket or a big bowl on the counter.

Keep watermelons and other melons like honeydew and cantaloupe on the counter for maximum flavor. In fact, watermelons will keep for seven to 10 days at room temperature just fine. But once you cut the melon, pop it in the fridge for a few days. And it's important to know how long cut fruit and other foods last in the fridge.

Honey is one of those things you always need to keep in your kitchen. Room temperature in the pantry or cabinet is ideal to keep honey gooey and perfectly silky.

Store your cereal boxes in a dark pantry at room temperature. Or above your cabinets, or on top of the fridge — wherever you want. Just not in the fridge. Use a clip to keep the plastic bag closed so the cereal doesn't get stale.

For the perfect cup of coffee at home, store your coffee beans in an airtight container in the pantry or right on the counter.

If hot sauce is a pantry staple at your house, simply stash your bottles right alongside your dried pastas and canned beans. Just make sure the hot sauce is vinegar-based before doing so.

The National Peanut Board suggests storing processed brands of peanut butter (Skippy, Jif) in a cool, dry place with limited light and heat. Peanut butter is one of those groceries with a surprisingly long shelf life thanks to the stabilizers like palm oil and hydrogenated oils.

The robust vegetable will keep nicely for a month or more in a cool and dark place. But once cut, you can refrigerate it in airtight containers if you're not using the whole thing to add into a hearty soup.

Cucumbers stay cool as can be just sitting on the counter. Storing them at room temperature will keep the cucumbers fresh and crisp to put into your salad.

Simply store your stone fruit out on the counter. Peel them and make some iconic fruit pies once they are ripened.

The best way to store avocados is at room temperature until they're fully ripened. However, if you want to save half a cut avocado for later, sprinkle it with some lemon juice, pop it in an airtight container and then put it in the fridge. And these tips can help other foods last longer, too.

The superfood is packed with healthy omega-3 fats and it belongs exclusively in your pantry. If stored properly, a bottle of olive oil can last a couple years. Along with olive oil, it's just as important to know the shelf life of rice, flour and other pantry staples.

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