Best place in kitchen to store tomatoes to keep them fresh for longer - avoid the fridge
It turns out most people have been storing their tomatoes incorrectly, as tomatoes will go mouldy and watery quickly if stored in the fridge.
There's nothing better than juicy tomatoes on a burger or in a crisp salad during the warmer months, but it has often been debated where is the best place to store them.
Kathy Seppamaki, a food storage expert and founder of Simple Clean Living has shared that the best place to keep tomatoes is away from the fridge, as it can affect the flavour and cause them to become soggy and watery.
She said: “Many people make the mistake of storing their tomatoes in the refrigerator. Don’t do that!
“Tomatoes are very fragile and the extreme cold actually breaks down the fragile membranes inside tomatoes.
“This causes them to lose flavour and have an unpleasant ‘grainy’ texture. And who wants that? I know I don’t!”
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How to store tomatoes to keep them flavourful and fresher for longer
Instead, tomatoes should be kept at room temperature, preferably somewhere cool in your kitchen, as it will prevent the moisture from building up and stop them becoming “mouldy too quickly” according to Kathy.
However, the most effective way to keep tomatoes fresh is to pull off the vine and block any bacteria entering the stem cut, as this will stop bacteria from entering the fruit
Kathy said: “Pull off any stem and store them upside down on the side where the stem was attached.
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“Experts believe that mould grows in that area of the tomato. And so preventing air from having access slows down the rotting process.”
However, you can also prevent bacteria by simply taping over the stem end of a tomato and then storing it in a bowl, which will help preserve your tomatoes for much longer.
How to store chopped-up tomatoes
If you have any sliced-up tomatoes then they still should not go in the fridge as it can still affect the taste and texture of the fruit.
Kathy said: “Many people are tempted to place a cut tomato in the fridge. But you will just end up with a flavourless, grainy tomato!
“Storing it on the counter with the cut side down is also not a good idea, because it is far too easy for the tomato to be exposed to bacteria like salmonella.”
It is best to keep cut tomatoes in an airtight container or buy a tomato saver to store them in, which will keep them fresh for a little while longer and stop them from being exposed to bacteria.
If you follow this food storage method, unwashed taped tomatoes should only 10 days longer while sliced tomatoes should last a day or two longer.
Kathy said: “So enjoy those summer fresh tomatoes, especially now that you know how to keep them fresh longer!”