According to experts at The NEFF Kitchen – a cooking school in Australia – there has been a growing debate on the best place to store tomatoes. Some people are adamant that tomatoes should be stored on the kitchen countertop, while others believe they should go in the fridge. Considered to be “warm weather foods”, tomatoes continue to ripen when sitting at room temperature.
“Most experts” agree that, “if you’re wanting to preserve the flavours and aromas of fresh tomatoes they should be kept in a cool location”. If you live in a fairly warm home, then placing tomatoes on the kitchen countertop could make them “rot faster than you’d like”.
This means tomatoes should be stored in the fridge if you live in a hot house.
But there’s a caveat; the experts explained: “Most tomatoes are sold or bought a bit before their ideal ripeness [to allow them to ripen on the kitchen countertop].
“Placing them in the fridge will actually halt their progress [of ripening].”
Not only that, refrigeration “can affect the taste, texture and aroma of your tomatoes”.
To counteract this, the experts advised: “If you do store your tomatoes in the fridge to preserve them for longer, you should let them come to room temperature [before eating].”
Tomatoes should be left outside of the fridge “for at least an hour (or up to a day)” before eating to “restore their flavour-producing enzymes”.
The type of tomato also influences whether it should be stored in the fridge or on the counter.
Cherry tomatoes, for instance, do better stored in the fridge whereas fleshier tomatoes, such as Roma tomatoes, would do better on the kitchen counter.
Factors that influence where to store tomatoes
- How warm your house is
- The variety of tomato
- Ripeness of the tomato
If the tomatoes you have already bought are overly ripe, placing them in the fridge will help to stop them from rotting more quickly.
However, if you have unripe tomatoes, leaving them out on the kitchen counter would be best.
Whether you place your tomatoes on the countertop or inside the fridge, remember to only eat them at room temperature for the best flavour profile.