Room temperature first
If tomatoes are ripe and you will eat them soon, keep them at room temperature and away from direct sun. This keeps the aroma and texture in better shape.
When the fridge helps
The fridge is useful when tomatoes are fully ripe and you need to slow them down. It is better to chill a ripe tomato than let it spoil, but let it come back towards room temperature before eating.
Use the soft ones
Soft tomatoes are not automatically waste. Roast them, blend them into soup, reduce them into sauce or cook them down for ketchup-style sauces.
Quick rules
- Do not crush tomatoes under heavier food.
- Keep them dry until you use them.
- Use split or very soft tomatoes first.
- Trust smell as much as appearance.