As the great ketchup debate rages, here's 11 foods you really shouldn't keep in the fridge

There’s a debate currently raging online and it is completely dividing the Internet. Sure, there are plenty more important things currently going on in the world, but the issue that’s whipped social media up into a frenzy is more of the #firstworldproblems variety…whether or not Tomato Ketchup should be stored in the fridge or a cupboard.

The Great Ketchup Debate has once again been reignited thanks to supermarket chain Asda, which recently conducted a poll asking shoppers their views on the issue – and the results were pretty close with with 53 per cent opting to keep it in the fridge, while 47 per cent keep ketchup in the cupboard.

As a result of their findings, Asda’s Clapham branch has announced it will now be keeping some bottles on the shelf, and the rest refrigerated to see which storage location customers prefer.

But while the Internet fights it out on whether the red stuff should or shouldn’t be kept in the fridge we decided to reveal some foods that really shouldn’t be kept in the chiller.

Chocolate

If you’ve been hiding a chocolatey treat at the back of the fridge, you might want to take it out.

A new guide reveals exactly how to store the sweet stuff and explains that chocolate bars should only be stored in the fridge if your kitchen is too warm. Apparently, bars need to be kept between 15C (60F) and 21.1C (70F) – a cool room temperature and stored away from sunlight (for obviously reasons) A cool pantry or cupboard is ideal.

If having the central heating whacked up means your kitchen is too warm, you can keep it in the fridge but make sure you wrap it up tightly to prevent any odours from ruining the taste or condensation spoiling the texture. No one likes a sweaty Wispa right?

Coffee

Yeah, you know that old wives’ tale that coffee needs to be kept in the fridge, turns out its just a myth.

“Many people advise you to store your coffee in the fridge or freezer but this can often have a negative impact on the quality of the coffee as it will oxidise when it comes in to contact with humidity as well as light and air,” explains Dave Cutler, Head of Innovation at Lavazza.

“To keep coffee beans at their best store them in an airtight container, limiting the amount of air you trap in side, and keep in a cool, dark place. Beans will keep longer than pre ground coffee as with pre ground you are exposing more of the coffee to deteriorating factors.”

Garlic

Salad tray full of garlic? Might be time to find them another storage spot as garlic actually goes off pretty quickly in the fridge. Not only will it grow mould and go rubbery-soft, you’ll be fooled into thinking its still good to eat because the outside offers no hint of it’s no-longer-freshness.

Tomatoes

A nice, chilled tomato over a soggy, warm one is a no-brainer right? Wrong! Refrigerating tomatoes actually damages the membrane inside the fruit, altering the taste and texture. Not only will tomatoes lose flavour, they might also taste more watery. Leaving the tomatoes in the fruit bowl, will ensure they ripen and develop more flavour.

Bananas

This actually boils down to personal taste and depends on how ripe you like your bananas. Cool temperatures tend to slow down the ripening process, so putting green ones in your fridge will mean they pretty much stay green. On the other hand if you’re bananas are just about to turn the wrong side of ripe, putting them in the fridge will ward off the turning process. The skin may turn brown, but the fruit inside will taste the same.

Honey

Honey is naturally preserved, which means sticking it in the fridge is pretty pointless really. Plus keeping it in a cold temperature will merely increase how quickly the honey crystallises. And grainy, lumpy honey is so not the one!

Avocados

Is there anything more disappointing in life than a hard avocado? Often when you buy avos they still need considerable time to ripen, but if you stick them in the fridge, the cold temperature will merely put a stop to the ripening. So keep your avocados on the counter, your brunch depends on it!

Herbs

Much like coffee, herbs tend to absorb smells, which makes it near on impossible for them to return to their original flavour. Plus storing them in cool temperatures makes herbs lose their flavour more quickly and go dry. If you must keep them in the fridge make sure they are wrapped up properly or stored in an air-tight container. Tuppaware is your friend.

Bread

Bread dries out and goes stale much more quickly when stored in the fridge. And stale sarnies aren’t exactly the lunch of dreams. Instead store your loaf somewhere cool and dry. It’s an excuse to buy a bread bin if ever you needed one.

Potatoes

According to the Food Standards Agency (FSA) the humble potato is the one food you should never, ever keep in the fridge, not because it affects the taste, but in fact it could be harmful.

“The most important food not to keep in the fridge are potatoes,” the website reads. “When these are stored in the fridge, the starch in the potato is converted to sugar. When baked or fried, these sugars combine with the amino acid asparagine and produce the chemical acrylamide, which is thought to be harmful.”

Onions

Onions are best kept in dry, well-ventilated areas. What’s more, if they’re in the fridge they could affect the taste of the other food in your fridge. Remember to keep onions somewhere dark or they’ll start sprouting.

Where do you keep your ketchup? Let us know @YahooStyleUK

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