The Only Way to Store Cherry Tomatoes, According to a Food Scientist

I’m a tomato lover through and through; I even shamelessly ate them like apples as a kid. And while every type of tomato is perfect in my book, the sweetness of smaller varieties, like cherry and grape tomatoes, is something I look forward to all year. Sure, they’re available to buy year-round at the grocery store, but nothing compares to freshly harvested summer tomatoes.

However, I’ve found that maintaining the flavor of tomatoes at home is completely dependent on how you store them—a surprisingly divisive topic. There's an ongoing debate about whether tomatoes should be stored in the fridge or at room temperature.

To get to the bottom of this, I spoke with a food scientist to learn the correct way to store cherry tomatoes once and for all.

How to Store Cherry Tomatoes So They Last

When it comes to the tart yet sweet flavor and bursting juiciness of cherry tomatoes, science has a reason behind every alluring characteristic of summertime treasures. “Their small size means they have a high skin-to-flesh ratio, which gives them a satisfying pop when you bite into them. The sugars and acids in cherry tomatoes are more concentrated, which is why they taste more intense than slicing tomatoes,” explains Abbey Thiel, PhD, food scientist, consultant, and educator.

But all of these desirable qualities can quickly degrade when stored incorrectly. “Cherry tomatoes taste best when stored at room temperature—especially if you plan to eat them within a few days. That’s because cold temperatures, like those in the fridge, can reduce the production of aroma compounds that give tomatoes their fresh, tomato-y smell and flavor,” says Thiel.

That said, there is one circumstance where Thiel will pop her tomatoes in the fridge. “Once tomatoes are fully ripe and starting to soften, it’s okay to refrigerate them if you need to make them last longer. The cold won’t hurt their sweetness or acidity, but it can mute their flavor,” she adds.

The refrigerator is also the best place to store cherry tomatoes that have been cut or added to recipes like salads, dips, and salsas.

The Fridge Versus Room Temperature Debate

And if you want a little more information on the fridge versus room temperature tomato debate, Thiel has all the tea.

“This debate is based on the study called ‘Tomato Flavor and Aroma Quality as Affected by Storage Temperature.’ They found that tomatoes that were stored at refrigeration temperatures had increased sourness and lower aroma, flavor, and sweetness compared to tomatoes stored at room temperature,” shares Thiel.

The conclusions of this 2000 study led to the current tomato storage recommendations. “When it comes to flavor, room temperature is the way to store any type of tomatoes,” Thiel reiterates. She also adds that if you do need to store the tomatoes in the fridge for extended shelf life, be sure to let them sit at room temperature for one to two hours before eating for better flavor.