From salad dressing to jam and even chocolate: These are the ten foods that you should NEVER keep in the fridge

• e-mail

Refrigeration is a must for many foods but some products don't fare so well in chilly temperatures.

Australian food website Delicious.com.au revealed a long list of items that should never be chilled, with some rather unexpected entries.

FEMAIL takes you through the 10 most surprising fruits, vegetables and snacks that don't belong in the fridge. 

Some foods are best kept clear of the fridge - the damp moisture causes garlic to turn rubbery and go mouldy (stock image)

1. Onions 

The damp humidity of the fridge causes uncut onions to turn mouldy and soft far quicker than they should.

Whole onions should be kept out of the cold, but once sliced it's best to keep them out of direct sunlight.

Pop them in an airtight bag in the chilled vegetable drawer of the fridge. 

2. Garlic

According to Delicious, garlic swiftly turns rubbery in the fridge because of the high moisture concentration in the air.

Keep cloves in a fresh, dry space with good ventilation for maximum freshness.

Leaving garlic out of the fridge also ensures the strongest flavour. 

3. Avocado

Attention avocado enthusiasts: take your goods out of the fridge and into the safety of the nearest fruit bowl.

Refrigeration interrupts the ripening process of avocados, so it's best to leave them au naturale and allow mother earth to work her magic. 

Keeping avocados in the fridge interrupts the ripening process (stock image)

4. Coconut Oil

Renowned for its impressive two-year shelf life, coconut oil is a sort of super food - so long as its kept clear of the fridge.

The texture of coconut oil becomes dense and hard to break down once refrigerated, so keep this handy kitchen helper in the pantry instead. 

5. Tomatoes

Somewhat surprisingly, tomatoes are best kept in the fruit bowl and away from the cool vegetable drawer of the fridge.

Chilly temperatures cause tomatoes to dull and wrinkle.

Cold temperatures cause tomatoes to dull and wrinkle (stock image)

6. Jam

The naturally occurring sugars in jam make it acidic, which helps to preserve it for long periods and prevent the growth of bacteria.

Delicious advise keeping jam in a cool, dry pantry for anywhere up to six months.

No fridge, no problem! 

7. Vegemite

Australia's favourite condiment needs no introduction, nor does it need any refrigeration.

Vegemite stays fresh from its first use until its best before date at home in a well ventilated cupboard. 

The naturally occurring sugars in jam make it acidic which helps to preserve it for long periods (stock image)

8. Chocolate

The age old debate of where chocolate should be stored has finally been resolved, and it's good news for those who pop it in the pantry.

When bars are stored in the fridge, the chocolate begins to sweat once it returns to room temperature which dissolves some of the sugar and makes it coarse and crusty.

Delicious recommend storing your favourite choco-treats in a well-ventilated, dark cupboard. 

9. Salad dressing

Naturally derived salad dressings usually contain olive oil, vinegar and salt which means they'll stay fresher for longer at room temperature rather than at the back of the fridge.

The only exception is cream based dressing like Ranch which should be refrigerated to avoid spoilage.

Chocolate begins to sweat when removed from the fridge, causing it to grow coarse and crusty (stock image)

10. Melon

Whole rockmelons and watermelons should be kept on the kitchen counter to hold their best flavour.

Once cut, wrap the remaining melon in plastic and keep it in the fridge for a maximum of four days.

According to Delicious, rockmelon in particular can cause other fruit and food to spoil quicker so make doubly sure you've wrapped it tight!