I got married in 1993, so I guess you could safely say I’ve been the boss of household produce for almost twenty-three years. I’m in charge of the grocery shopping, although several times per year I’ll throw a fit about that and drag my husband to the store with me. After what feels like five hours of his browsing, meandering, socializing and eating grapes we haven’t paid for yet, I remember why I shop alone.
The bottom is line is that I am the buyer of tomatoes.
Yesterday was grocery shopping day, and I needed tomatoes for Taco Tuesday. Apparently we’re having a tomato apocalypse somewhere because the meager selection looked like they were reenacting The Walking Dead, veggie-style. (Yes, I know tomatoes are a fruit, but you don’t put them in a fruit salad, do you?)
Because it took me more than the customary ten seconds to grab two tomatoes, I ended up looking at the signs. I had no idea some are better for sauces and some for sandwiches. Some are even marked as being better for slicing. But the kicker…
FOR BEST FLAVOR, DON’T REFRIGERATE.
Wait…what? Okay, logically I know the tomatoes aren’t refrigerated at the store. But for whatever reason, I’ve been putting them in the fridge for twenty-three years. And, OMG, the apples and the lettuce and the plums aren’t refrigerated at the store, either. Are all these things supposed to just sit out on my table? I put them all in the fridge. (Except bananas, because putting bananas in the fridge would be weird.)
When I put the groceries away yesterday, I left the tomatoes on the counter because, according to the sign, I guess that’s what you’re supposed to do with them. And every time I went into the kitchen, I looked at those tomatoes sitting on my counter. And I moved them when I needed to wash the dishes. And I moved them again when opening the box from my publisher with German author copies of All He Ever Dreamed. And I moved them yet again when I made my afternoon decaf because they were blocking the sugar bowl.
Then I put the damn tomatoes in the fridge.
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I think that’s like “Under or Over” LOL.
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I think you’re right.
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LOL thats too funny.
I just keep thinking: wouldn’t they spoil faster on the counter? Don’t they get soft and mushy out of frig?
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I thought so, but the store doesn’t refrigerate them. (I still will, though, because there’s no room on my counter, LOL.)
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Lol !! I put all of mine in the fridge, just like you!!
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I put my tomatoes in the fridge most of the time.
I do agree that beefstake tomatoes are better for sandwiches and slicing. But I’ll usually buy whatever kind is on sale at the grocery store. The nice thing about summer coming is the Farmer’s Market will be open and they always have better produce.
Now apples I don’t put in the fridge unless they are starting to go bad. Plums I usually leave on the counter (or put in a paper bag if they are hard to soften them up).
Lettuce goes in the fridge. Then again, I usually buy the big bag of pre-cut (finely shredded) lettuce as I hate cutting it up. And it’s so much easier to make a salad daily if that’s already done for me. It’s in the fridge at the store, too
Now as to what the settings on the crisper drawers of the fridge are supposed to be
I started reading the manual when we got our new french door fidge ten years ago, but my eyes glazed over before I got to that part.
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I didn’t read the manual for our new fridge either, LOL. And it was pointed out to me that lettuce is supposed to be in the fridge. But those of us who put the tomatoes there are definitely the minority.
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I work in Food & Nutrition Dept. at a hospital. All our tomatoes are refrigerated, cherry tomatoes for salads, whole tomatoes which are sliced for sandwiches. Our diced tomatoes are already done and come sealed in a package. Same for onions, celery, and green peppers. Apples and oranges by the case are put in the cooler. I think if your house is too warm these items wouldn’t last as long & you would have fruit flies? When I worked at restaurants we always put these items in coolers too!
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Yes! Fruit flies are the worst. I’m definitely still putting all produce in the fridge.