Peaches, nectarines, and plums are best ripened at room temperature where they can develop their aroma, softness, and sweetness, and only moved to the refrigerator once ripe to slow further ripening. The simple rule is ripen first, refrigerate later. Tomatoes are similar and surprise a lot of people, as whole tomatoes taste and feel better stored in a cool place out of direct sunlight, not in the fridge which dulls their texture and flavor, while cut tomatoes should be refrigerated promptly.

Bread is one many people get wrong, because refrigeration actually makes it go stale faster by accelerating changes in its starch structure. For bread you will eat within a few days, room temperature in a bread bag or box is preferable, and if you have more than you can eat soon, slice it and freeze it instead. Raw potatoes also don’t belong in the fridge, they prefer a cool, dark, dry, well-ventilated pantry, and very cold storage can increase their sugars and affect flavor, plus they should be stored away from onions to slow deterioration.

Whole, unpeeled onions and whole garlic bulbs also prefer a cool, dry, ventilated spot in a mesh bag or basket, not the humid fridge, while peeled or cut onions and chopped garlic should be refrigerated in an airtight container, and fresh garlic should never be stored submerged in oil at room temperature. Coffee beans are sensitive to moisture, heat, light, and odors, so the fridge can compromise their flavor, and an airtight, opaque container in a cool, dark cupboard is much better. Common cooking oils like olive, vegetable, and canola oil are best kept in a cool, dark cupboard away from the stove, as refrigeration can make them cloudy and solidified.

Honey is remarkably shelf-stable due to its low water content and acidity and doesn’t need refrigeration at all, which actually makes it crystallize faster, and crystallization itself is natural and doesn’t mean it’s spoiled. Many commercial peanut butters are shelf-stable at room temperature but become hard to spread when refrigerated, while natural versions may recommend refrigeration so you should follow the label. Soy sauce and many hot sauces are shelf-stable unopened in the pantry because of their salt and acidity, but after opening recommendations vary so check the bottle, and remember this doesn’t apply to highly perishable foods like raw meat, poultry, seafood, milk, soft cheeses, cooked leftovers, and cut produce that do require refrigeration.