Should You Refrigerate Tomatoes?
Only fully ripe ones, and only if you have to. A tomato that isn't ripe yet should stay on the counter — the cold stops it ripening and turns the flesh mealy and flat.
Why the fridge hurts a tomato
Below about 55°F, the enzymes that ripen a tomato shut down and its delicate cell walls start to break apart. That's exactly what gives a refrigerated tomato its grainy, mealy texture and washed-out taste. A tomato genuinely ripens — in color and in flavor — sitting right on your counter.
When the fridge is okay
Once a tomato is dead ripe and you simply can't eat it in time, the fridge will buy you a day or two before it spoils. Just take it out and let it come back to room temperature before you eat it. Most of the flavor comes back.
How to store them
On the counter, out of direct sun, stem-side down so they don't bruise. Don't stack them, and don't seal them in a bag — they like to breathe.
A cold tomato is a sad tomato. If yours have already been in the fridge, sit them out for an hour before slicing — you'll get most of that flavor back.