Whether you are making a bowl of creamy tomato soup or biting into a tasty BLT sandwich, tomatoes are an essential ingredient in most kitchens.
However, it has often been debated whether tomatoes should be stored in either the fridge like most vegetables or kept on a countertop like fruit, but it turns out the answer is a little bit more complicated.
Tomatoes are often sold before they fully ripen, and placing them in the fridge halts their growth which will affect their taste and texture.
Lindsay-Jean Hard, a cookbook author, has explained that all tomatoes that have not fully ripened should be kept on a countertop.
On the blog Food 52, Lindsay-Jean wrote: “You definitely shouldn’t put unripe tomatoes in the refrigerator. They need to stay at room temperature, ideally in a single layer out of direct sunlight. And most importantly for keeping them fresher longer, store them stem side down while they finish ripening”
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Storing tomatoes upside down on their stem prevents moisture from leaving the tomatoes which will keep them plump and juicy for longer.
Stop Food Waste, the national campaign to make the most of food and avoid food waste has also confirmed keeping tomatoes upside down at room temperature will help keep them fresh.
They wrote: “Storing them vine/stem side down will ensure that the delicate bases of the tomatoes do not get squished or bruised.”
However, once your tomatoes have ripened it is time to put them in the fridge, as it will slow down their spoilage without now affecting how they taste, but it is advised to leave them out at room temperature before cooking with tomatoes.
