Kitchen Hint of the Day!

Refrigerating your produce can help it keep longer, but not all produce does well in the cooler temperatures. The majority of fruits and vegetables handle cold fairly well, but naturally enough, the exceptions are tropical fruits, whose cells are just not used to the cold. Bananas will suffer cell damage and release a skin-browning chemical, avocados don't ripen when store below 45 degrees, and citrus fruit will develop brown-spotted skin. These fruits, as well as squash, tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, melons, and pineapples, are best stored at 50 degrees - so keep them out of the fridge unless you've already cut them and need to keep them fresh. Most other vegetables, including lettuce, carrots, and cabbage, will do better in your refrigerator, as will fruits like apples, and pears. Garlic, onions, shallots, and potatoes should never be refrigerated because the cold will cause sprouting, loss of flavor, or conversion of their starch to sugar. Keep these foods out of the fridge (at a little cooler than room temperature,if possible) and in a dark cabinet. Humidity is also an important factor, so fruits and vegetables should always be stored in the refrigerator crisper bins, which will prevent them from drying out.