Tomatoes are a staple in most households, but it turns out where we store them can have a huge impact on their taste and their longevity – and it’s not the fridge
Storing fruits like tomatoes in the fridge might seem sensible, but it could actually be a big mistake.
Everyone wants their tomatoes to remain fresh and full of flavour whether they’re being tossed into hot meals, salads or layered on sandwiches – after all, we all crave that perfect, sweet taste from our ‘love apples’.
Tomatoes don’t just pack a tasty punch; they’re also brimming with health benefits and versatile for countless dishes. However, the secret to sublime tomatoes lies in knowing how to store them based on their stage of ripeness.
According to Laura Feuntes, cookbook wizard and the brains behind Momables, it’s all about the colour of your plump toms. Green, unripened tomatoes should never see the inside of your fridge as the cool temperature halts their ripening journey dead in its tracks.
But if you’ve got tomatoes that are already red and ripe, the fridge can be your ally in keeping them fresh for longer
The cooking show founder said: “Ripe tomatoes are only going to last on your counter for about two days. If you need them to last a little longer, you can refrigerate them and that will slow the ripening process. But you don’t want to put green tomatoes in the fridge because they’re not going to ripen at all.”
The culinary expert has dished out some top tips for storing green tomatoes, emphasising that they should be kept in a “cool, dry place” to prevent premature ripening and spoilage. She advised: “I do recommend you store your tomatoes on a plate or a dish the furthest away from your stove or oven. As you cook throughout the week, it is going to emit heat and make your tomatoes ripen super fast, make them mushy and they’ll go bad.”
For those looking to give their green tomatoes a timely ripeness boost, she suggests: “If you have green tomatoes and you want to make a sandwich tomorrow and want them to ripen up faster, put them on your windowsill – with indirect sunlight it is going to help speed up the process.”
To ensure green tomatoes mature to perfection, it’s best to let them age gracefully away from direct sunbeams. When tomatoes take on a luscious red hue and reach full maturity, chilling them in the fridge is the savvy move to extend their shelf life.
When it comes to tomatoes destined for longer storage, keeping them intact is key, but if you’re keen on pre-cutting them for meal prep, make sure to wrap them snugly in cling film to lock in their freshness.
Laura added: “Fresh ripe tomatoes [will last] once to two days from the vine and when they are ripe you are going to consume them. If they are green, they’ll last about four to five days on the counter. What I do recommend is to not wash your tomatoes when you come home from the store. You just wash them right before you slice them.”