Here are 9 foods you should be refrigerating – some of them may surprise you

As many of us try shifting to more natural ingredients and fewer processed foods, storage techniques have become confusing. How should we best store foods with fewer preservatives to try and make them last as long as possible?

You may be surprised to discover that these nine foods belong in your refrigerator and not outside in your pantry or on countertops.
1. Lemons and other citrus fruits
While that abundant bowl of lemons looks lovely in home design magazines, following this trend may shorten the life of your fruit. Lemons, limes, and oranges may last for a few days at room temperature, but placing them in your refrigerator's fruit storage extends their freshness and life.
2. Corn
Nothing's more disappointing than shucking an ear of corn to find out that the corn is going bad and has a rancid smell. Try refrigerating corn in their husks for up to two days.
3. Mushrooms
When mushrooms darken and develop a sticky, slimy surface, it is time to throw them out. These veggies like it cool as well. Store bulk mushrooms in a brown paper bag for up to two weeks in the refrigerator. Packaged mushrooms can remain in their purchase container.
4. Olive and other cooking oils
Most people store olive oil and other cooking oils in the pantry. However, oils store best between 50 degrees F and 70 degrees F (10 and 21 degrees C). The warming process may cause a cloudy appearance, but it does not affect taste or performance.
5. Peppers
Keep your peppers dry and refrigerated. Peppers can stay pristine in these conditions for up to two weeks.
6. Eggs
If you've ever visited Europe, you might have been shocked finding eggs stored unrefrigerated in the markets. While it may seem tempting to try this in the U.S., Business Insider warns against it. Due to U.S. manufacturing and processing methods, American eggs that are not refrigerated will develop salmonella.
7. Soy milk
Whether or not you should refrigerate soy milk tends to confuse consumers, as soy milk is usually sold in dry goods without refrigeration. In fact, you can safely leave it on the shelf for up to a year. However, after opening, it should be refrigerated and consumed within a few days.
8. Nut and whole wheat flours
All your intentions for healthier baking can quickly vanish if you do not store these flours in the refrigerator. These flours go rancid faster than their bleached and multi-processed counterparts, so store and use them accordingly.
9. Bananas
This one is tricky as storing both in and out of the refrigerators is technically correct. However, store bananas outside of your refrigerator only until they ripen. After that, it's time to refrigerate. This may cause the skins to turn brown, but don't worry. They're still good. In fact, they actually contain more antioxidants at this point.

Keep that healthy diet going with more natural foods and keep those foods fresher longer by storing them correctly.