Store Tomatoes Here for Best Flavor

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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends keeping fresh tomatoes on the counter or in the pantry for best taste.

Store fresh tomatoes where?

Keep unripe tomatoes at room temperature until they're ripe and ready to eat. Depending on when you'll consume them, put them in the fridge when they're ripe.

Store fresh tomatoes where?

 Store them on the counter or in the pantry at room temperature (55 degrees or above) until they're red to ripen. However, ketchup may need refrigeration.

Unripe tomato storage

The refrigerator should not be used for unripe tomatoes. The Florida Tomato Committee reports that below 55 degrees,

Unripe tomato storage

Tomatoes cease producing the enzyme that gives them taste. Permanent "off" switch.

Unripe tomato storage

Cold temperatures can damage tomato taste and enlarge tomato water. This expansion makes it mealy when you bite into it, but you can't see it.

Unripe tomato storage

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Stem-up or stem-down tomatoes? Florida Tomato Committee recommends stem-up. The tomato's "shoulders"—its softest part—will bruise if left on.

Unripe tomato storage

The other side claims that keeping tomatoes stem side down prevents them from drying out because moisture escapes through the sliced stem. You decide.

Unripe tomato storage

Take notice of where you place your tomatoes. Keep fruits and vegetables separate if you have other produce on your counter. 

Unripe tomato storage

You might think "Should tomatoes be refrigerated?" is always no. It's not. Tomatoes taste best when ripened at room temperature and maintained at room temperature until eaten.

Storing ripe tomatoes

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends storing tomatoes at room temperature until ripe and then for seven days without vinegar.

Storing ripe tomatoes

Once sliced, tomatoes should be eaten immediately. To avoid moisture loss, carefully wrap sliced or chopped tomatoes with plastic wrap. They'll last two days in the fridge.

Storing sliced tomatoes

To recap: Fresh tomatoes on the counter? Most often. Refrigerate tomatoes? If they're ripe, yes. Do tomatoes freeze? You can, however thawing will affect the texture.

Tomatoes freeze?

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