Summer heat in the Kitchen - How to keep food fresh longer

Summer storage rules

Tomatoes lose their aroma in the fridge. Bread dries out quickly and bananas develop brown spots. This is well known - yet during summer heat, some of these foods should be temporarily refrigerated. The reason: temperatures above 25°C combined with high humidity create the perfect environment for bacteria and mold growth.

The Consumer Advice Center South Tyrol recommends buying smaller quantities in summer and storing cold-sensitive items like tomatoes, zucchini, and bell peppers in the fridge’s vegetable drawer for two to three days during hot days.

Fruits, bread & oils - How to store them properly in heat

Local fruits like strawberries, cherries, plums, apples, and pears stay fresh longer when refrigerated. Exotic fruits such as mango, kiwi, melon, and citrus also benefit from temporary cooling in heat but should be taken out about an hour before eating. Only bananas prefer to stay outside; they turn brown and lose flavor in the fridge.

Bread is especially prone to mold at higher temperatures, particularly white bread. It’s better to keep bread in the fridge or freeze it in portions - preferably unsliced.

Cold-pressed oils, like linseed oil, also belong in the fridge during summer. Any cloudiness from chilling is harmless and doesn’t affect taste. Similarly, nuts and chocolate last longer when kept airtight in the fridge during hot weather.

Cooling starts at the grocery store

In summer, always place perishable foods at the end of your shopping trip, cool them immediately after purchase, and ideally transport them in a cooler bag. At home, avoid overfilling the fridge to ensure proper air circulation, and store easily perishable items at the bottom, where it’s coldest.

Photo by Polina Tankilevitch via Pexels.