Forget THAT other ‘guide’ – THIS is the definitive list of what to put in the fridge, which food tastes infinitely better left out on the sideboard… and the ‘natural enemy’ items to NEVER store next to each other

To some, the very idea of storing your eggs in a cupboard rather than the door of the fridge is horrifying.

Others will tell you that a bar of chocolate tastes far better when it’s chilled to the point that it could break your teeth.

There are those who insist that an open bottle of ketchup must be refrigerated – but who wants cold tomato sauce on their hot chips?

Is it any wonder that we’re all slightly baffled about what we should and shouldn’t chill? A survey found that three-quarters of us are so confused it’s leading to domestic fallouts.

To avoid further friction, here’s the ultimate expert guide to what you should keep in the fridge and what’s better off in the cupboard.

Eggs

When it comes to the ‘to chill or not to chill’ debate, eggs are undoubtedly the most contentious item.

Our fridges all come with egg storage containers, so surely that’s where we should keep them? But attempting to boil an egg from the fridge usually leads to some very lonely soldiers after the egg cracks and explodes.

Specialist dietician Nichola Ludlam-Raine says: ‘Eggs are better off in the fridge. However, keep them in the original box on a shelf, not a compartment in the door as that’s the area most variable in temperature.’

Butter

A dairy product, so logic dictates it should be chilled. But as everyone knows, if you try to spread it straight from the fridge it ends up tearing a huge hole in your £6 loaf of sourdough.

Previous generations stored their butter in a dish in a cool larder, keeping it deliciously soft. Should we be going the same way?

Nichola says: ‘Butter is now available in a form that will spread straight from the fridge. They add extra rapeseed oil and water to achieve that.

‘When people kept butter in a dish in the larder it was before the days of central heating. Modern houses are much warmer. A block of pure butter would be ok in a dish in cool weather, especially salted. But, generally, it’s better in the fridge.’

Bread and cake

A survey found that three-quarters of us are so confused about what to store in the fridge or the cupboard it causes domestic fallouts

Who wants dry, crusty bread? Keeping loaves in the fridge is an odd one but the popularity of huge, American-style fridges means that Brits store the majority of their food there, freeing up cupboard space for their ever-growing array of trendy kitchen gadgets.

Nichola says: ‘Refrigerated bread will be slower to grow mould but the starch firms up very quickly and it’s going to go stale much sooner, so there’s no value to chilling it. A bread bin on the side is best. Cakes contain a lot of sugar and so will last well in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.’

Fruit

What home doesn’t have a fruit bowl? All the fruit thrown in together, usually with a brown banana buried at the bottom and a pineapple that gets binned because nobody knows how to cut it up. But is a fruit bowl now old-fashioned?

Nichola says: ‘Fruit ripens better and faster at room temperature, so keep things out of the fridge until they’re ready to eat. Bananas are best out of a fridge always and stored on their own as they give off ethylene gas, which causes other fruits to spoil.

‘Apples are fine in a bowl but will last longer in a fridge and chilling won’t alter the taste. Remove bad apples from the chiller drawer, though, as they’ll turn the other ones. Ripen avocados on the side and then refrigerate.’

Vegetables

Did you know that potatoes and onions are the sworn enemies of the vegetable world and should never be kept together? Onions give off ethylene gas that will cause the potato to sprout and rot, while the potato releases water vapour that makes the onion go soft and mouldy.

The official advice about where to store your spuds has changed.

Previously, the advice was not to refrigerate in order to prevent ‘cold sweetening’ – the formation of additional sugars which convert to higher levels of potentially-carcinogenic acrylamide when cooked. Food scientists now believe this not to be the case.

Nichola says: ‘Most people keep their potatoes in a cupboard but they’ll keep for much longer if you refrigerate them. Onions and garlic are fine in a pantry until they’re cut. Leafy green veg should always be chilled to preserve nutrients.

‘Instagram is full of reels of influencers unwrapping their vegetables, washing and then storing. Don’t! Keep them in the wrappers until you use them.’

Tomatoes & salad

Nichola says produce like tomatoes can be kept out of the fridge, whereas lettuce and cucumber should remain chilled in their packaging 

Visit the home of anyone with a fancy kitchen and you’re likely to see a tick-list of things. Range oven? Tick. Flashy coffee machine? Tick. Tomato bowl? Tick. But is a bowl for your tomatoes the right thing to do?

Nichola says: ‘Tomatoes taste better at room temperature and they’ll ripen better out of the fridge too. If you keep them in a bowl on the side, make sure it’s out of direct sunlight. Always keep your lettuce and cucumber chilled and in the packaging – it’s designed to be protective and preserve the produce.’

Jams and spreads

For generations, people happily kept their opened jams, spreads and marmalades in cupboards without coming to any harm, only discarded once they grew a fetching fur coat.

Now, the advice is very much to keep refrigerated. But who wants icy-cold marmalade on their hot, buttered toast? Or chilly strawberry jam on their warm scone?

Nichola says: ‘Nut butters are fine in a cool, dark cupboard and honey should be out of the fridge, otherwise it will crystalise. But with jams, the jarring is a huge part of the preservation, so once you open and let oxygen in, it will start to spoil. So, yes, in the fridge.’

Kate Hall, a food waste expert advises: ‘If it simply has to be the cupboard for you, then always use a clean spoon or knife to avoid contamination from crumbs and butter. But never scrape mould off and hope for the best!’

Chocolate

Anybody who has ever kept a bar of milk or dark chocolate in the fridge will know that it starts to turn white. It’s because of ‘sugar bloom’ and it impacts the taste too. This happens when chocolate is chilled and then exposed to warmer temperatures. Condensation on the surface dissolves some of the sugar, which then re-crystallises.

Nichola says: ‘The joy of chocolate is the melt-in-the-mouth experience, which you don’t get if it’s very cold. Keep it in a cool, dry place. In a heatwave maybe go for an airtight container.’

Olive oil

The UK olive oil industry now exceeds £1billion. Prices are expected to soar after a summer of drought and wildfires. The last thing you want to do is ruin your expensive bottle.

Nichola says: ‘Keeping the oil away from light and heat is the key to keeping it at its best. Store in a cupboard, not the fridge. If you have it on the work surface, then make sure it’s away from the oven hob.’

Ketchup and mustard

The average bottle of ketchup has an 18-month use-by date – making them a super-tough and hardy food product. Yet the labels usually instruct us to put them in the fridge after opening. If they’re packed full of vinegar and sugar do they really turn into super-wimps that need to be chilled the minute they’re opened?

Nichola says: ‘The advice from manufacturers such as Heinz is to refrigerate after opening and they’re the ones that have done the testing. Do what the labels say.’

However, Kate Hall advises: ‘Ketchups are generally high in sugar and vinegar, so the risk of keeping them in the cupboard is low, especially if they’re going to be used up quickly. But I would definitely chill them during a heatwave. Opened mustard always needs to be kept in the fridge.’