If you aren’t going to eat bread soon, it is better to store it in the freezer and remove slices as you need them. Bread shouldn’t be stored in the refrigerator as it will stale faster, due to air circulation. Honey is a shelf stable food and stores well in the pantry for a very long time. Tomatoes will taste better kept unrefrigerated, although refrigeration will prolong the life of tomatoes. Refrigerating tomatoes causes them to taste “mealy”. Tomatoes and most fruits and vegetables require refrigeration once they have been cut into, in order to avoid bacteria and contamination.
Store potatoes in a paper bag in a cool, dry place like a pantry (plastic bags can trap moisture and cause decay). Refrigerating potatoes will cause their taste to change as the starch changes to sugar and they also spoil more rapidly in the refrigerator. Onions store well in a mesh bag (so air can ventilate and avoid moisture) in a cool, dry area. Onions and potatoes should not be stored close together because potatoes produce moisture and gases which cause onions to rot. Garlic also stores well in a pantry and will store for 2 months in the pantry.
Olive oil and butter store well in the refrigerator. Olive oil becomes rancid quickly when exposed to heat and light, and butter can become contaminated with bacteria if left unrefrigerated. Olive oil becomes cloudy in the refrigerator, but clears quickly after is sits out for a short time.
