Cupboard or fridge? A chef has finally answered where all these foods should actually go

Okay so apparently bread in the fridge is a big no-no

2 years ago

Bread. Mayo. Chocolate. It’s an age-old question of where all these foods belong – fridge or cupboard? You can see if your opinions match everyone else’s, but before you do that – an actual chef has settled the debate and revealed once and for all where different foods should go.

Professional head chef Anna Williams has shared with AEG where foods like ketchup, chocolate and bananas should really go. Your uni kitchen may be essentially one big biohazard, but at least you can rest easy in the knowledge that all your food is being kept in the right place. And if your mum tries to tell you ketchup should be kept in the cupboard, you can send this to her.

Ketchup and mayo – fridge

People are divided over where both ketchup and mayonnaise should be kept – but Anna says they should both be in the fridge once they’re opened, with the lids tight on. However, she says before they’re opened, both can be kept either in the fridge or cupboard.

Chocolate – either

Apparently chocolate manufacturers say chocolate should be in a cool, dry and dark place like a cupboard, rather than the fridge. But lots of people prefer their chocolate cold and Anna says it’s fine to keep it in the fridge. She says: “Chocolate can be stored in the fridge to increase its shelf life by up to 25% and even frozen to increase it by 50 per cent. One thing to make sure, wherever you store it, is that the temperature does not fluctuate between warm and cool otherwise it will start to bloom – grow white bits.”

Bread – cupboard

Okay so it turns out my entire life is a lie because I’ve been a life-long bread in fridge person, but turns out it’s meant to be in the cupboard. Time for some science, but apparently keeping bread in the fridge can actually make it go stale quicker. Anna says: “Make sure to store it in an airtight container or bag to try and maintain as much moisture as possible. Bread can of course be frozen, just make sure to add a little flick of water when toasting for freshness.”

Eggs – fridge

According to Anna, eggs should be kept in the fridge – but specifically they should be on the middle shelf, close to the back, and in the cardboard container you buy them in. “This location in the fridge is best to keep the eggs at a constant temperature and the cardboard boxes provide the perfect level of protection, plus it will have the expiry date on.”

Bananas – cupboard

If you put bananas in the fridge their skin darkens and they go brown very quickly – so they should be kept outside of the fridge at room temperature, Anna says.

Potatoes – cupboard

Another one Anna says should definitely not be kept in the fridge are potatoes, as being refrigerated makes the starch in them develop into sugar. Instead, they should be in a cool, dark cupboard.

Onions – either

Onions are an easy one because either’s fine. Anna says: “Personally I store them in a sealed container in the salad draw just to save cupboard space, but a cool cupboard is equally just fine for storage”.