Refrigeration is understood as the best way to keep foods fresh for longer.
However, here are 10 foods that should not be refrigerated in order to have them in their best condition.
Avocado
The best way to ensure that you pick the best avocado at the market is to buy avocados that are not yet ripe or those that are still firm to touch.
Refrigeration tends to stop the ripening process, therefore, to ensure that you have the best avocado in it's best condition, store it in the kitchen basket at room temperature.
[caption caption="Avocados"]
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Watermelon
Watermelons are the most commonly refrigerated fruit in Kenyan households.
Residents of the Coast especially prefer the fruit cold to help with hydration and relaxation from the humid heat.
The fruit, however, best preserves its flavour at room temperature and begins to go bad quickly if cut and put in the fridge.
[caption caption="Watermelon Slices"]
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Tomatoes
Against common knowledge, tomatoes actually lose taste and become watery when stored in the fridge.
Unripe tomatoes should also be let to ripen on their own in a well-ventilated room temperature environment to keep them succulent.
[caption caption="Tomatoes"]
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Potatoes
This vegetable is also affected by cold temperatures.
Refrigeration turns potatoes unpleasantly sweet and gritty when cooked, in addition to developing a black dry rot.
[caption caption="Potatoes"]
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Apples
Apples do not need to be refrigerated as they remain fresh for up to a week. Nonetheless, they may be put in the fridge to prolong their shelf life.
The fruit should not be mixed in with others as it has properties that speed up the ripening process.
[caption caption="Red Apples"]
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Bananas
A surprising quality of this fruit is that unripe bananas, when stored in the fridge will not ripen even after they are taken out.
Furthermore, the fruit soaks up water that leads to loss of taste and begins to turn black when stored in the fridge.
[caption caption="Ripe Bananas"]
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Berries
Strawberries, blue berries, black berries and grapes taste their best at room temperature, however, they gather mold quickly and as such may require refrigeration.
[caption caption="An assortment of edible Berries"]
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Honey
Honey is the only food that never goes bad, escavators of Egyptian pyramids have reported having found good honey that is believed to have been left there in pre-historic times.
Refrigeration causes honey to crystalise and refuses to flow, it is best enjoyed at room temperature.
[caption caption="A spoonful of honey."]
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Onions and Garlic
Humidity in the fridge may cause onions to develop mol. Additionally, onions that have already been cut should be used within 24 hours as they may cause food poisoning if used later.
Garlic should also be left out in the open and in a well-ventilated container to preserve it's strong flavour.
[caption caption="Red & White Bulb Onions and Garlic"]
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Bread
Refrigeration causes bread to dry out, however, if one wishes to store bread for longer than a few days, it should be completely frozen and toasted when ready for consumption.
[caption caption="Slices of Bread"]
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