10 Foods You Should Put In The Fridge Right Now

After a trip to the supermarket, you want to make sure that the foods that you bought stay as fresh as possible for as long as possible. You get home and get your food stored in their proper place. But are you really putting things where they should go?

Click here for the 10 Foods You Should Put in the Fridge Right Now (Slideshow)

There are some things you know absolutely need to be refrigerated, no doubt about it. Groceries like cheese, milk, and yogurt are placed in your fridge with no worries However, there are foods that appear on shelves that you may not think need to be refrigerated  It's important to know what should stay in the pantry and what should go in the fridge.

Refrigeration, which means temperatures should be at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or lower, is an important tool to keep some foods fresh. All food is derived in part by something that used to be a living being, plant or animal, so the natural process of decay begins as soon as the item isn't living anymore. Refrigeration slows the growth of bacteria that causes food to rot, especially in your least processed, non-preservative filled foods.  That same bacteria can also make you severely sick, so leaving some foods out of the fridge is hazardous to your health. Besides safety, refrigerating certain foods maintains their flavor as well.

To make sure that you save money, time, and keep yourself healthy, we've compiled a list of foods that should always go in your refrigerator.

Meat Broths

Unopened, a box or can of chicken or beef broth can last for up to a year stored in a cool dark place. However, once you open it, you need to store any leftovers in the fridge right away, or else it will start to go bad. You can leave leftover broths in the fridge for 4 to 5 days after opening.

Applesauce

If you're making your applesauce at home, store it in the fridge and it will be good for a week to ten days. For store-bought canned or jarred varieties, they are strictly refrigerate after opening. Once they are exposed to air, bacteria will begin to grow.

Click here to find out what other foods need to go in your fridge.

This post was originally published on June 12, 2014