War on Waste: How to Keep Your Fridge Food Fresh
These 9 refrigerator rules will keep more of your food fresh and tasty – and out of the compost bin
Can you still remember your parents yelling at you to close the refrigerator door? Although they might have just been trying to keep the energy bill down, they were also protecting the food in the fridge. There are ‘rules’ for keeping things safe and healthy in your refrigerator. The first and most important one is to keep the door open for only short periods of time. This rule prevents the warm air outside the fridge from raising the temperature inside. Here are nine other tips for keeping the food in your fridge fresh.
2. Bath time
Before putting fruits and vegetables in the fridge, wash them first in a vinegar and water bath. Do this by filling up your sink with water and adding 1 cup of distilled white vinegar. Add your fruit and vegies to the bath and let them soak for 10 minutes. The natural acid in the vinegar will kill bacteria that causes mould and rot.
Before putting fruits and vegetables in the fridge, wash them first in a vinegar and water bath. Do this by filling up your sink with water and adding 1 cup of distilled white vinegar. Add your fruit and vegies to the bath and let them soak for 10 minutes. The natural acid in the vinegar will kill bacteria that causes mould and rot.
3. Dry and humid zones
Vegetables prefer a humid storage climate while fruits prefer dry. Check to see if your refrigerator has controls for each bin and store them separately. If you don’t have this option, you can wrap vegies with a wet paper towel to maintain humidity.
Do you want expert advice on how to have the most functional kitchen you can get? Talk to a kitchen designer on Houzz.
Vegetables prefer a humid storage climate while fruits prefer dry. Check to see if your refrigerator has controls for each bin and store them separately. If you don’t have this option, you can wrap vegies with a wet paper towel to maintain humidity.
Do you want expert advice on how to have the most functional kitchen you can get? Talk to a kitchen designer on Houzz.
4. Move the milk to the back
Milk needs to be stored where the temperature stays consistently the coolest. In general, the best spot at the rear of the fridge. Milk should not be stored on the door, since that area is regularly exposed to warmer air when the refrigerator door is opened.
Milk needs to be stored where the temperature stays consistently the coolest. In general, the best spot at the rear of the fridge. Milk should not be stored on the door, since that area is regularly exposed to warmer air when the refrigerator door is opened.
5. Keep that cheese and butter sealed
Many refrigerators have a dedicated storage space for cheese and butter, most often located at the top of the door. This is a fine area to store your cheese and butter, but it’s still important to keep them sealed in an airtight container so they don’t spoil.
Many refrigerators have a dedicated storage space for cheese and butter, most often located at the top of the door. This is a fine area to store your cheese and butter, but it’s still important to keep them sealed in an airtight container so they don’t spoil.
6. So what should you keep in your refrigerator doors?
Store soft drinks and non-perishable condiments on door shelves. These are items that aren’t that affected by slight temperature changes.
Store soft drinks and non-perishable condiments on door shelves. These are items that aren’t that affected by slight temperature changes.
7. Go easy on those eggs
Eggs should be kept in their original container and placed on the middle shelf with nothing too heavy stored directly on top that could crack them.
Eggs should be kept in their original container and placed on the middle shelf with nothing too heavy stored directly on top that could crack them.
8. Keep those meat juices locked up
Raw meat juices can cross-contaminate all the exposed food in your refrigerator. Therefore, store raw meat in a glass container so liquid doesn’t spill onto the shelves.
Raw meat juices can cross-contaminate all the exposed food in your refrigerator. Therefore, store raw meat in a glass container so liquid doesn’t spill onto the shelves.
9. Store leftovers in the right containers
Leftover food should be kept in clear glass containers or resealable plastic bags so you can see what condition it’s in without having to open the container and expose the leftovers to air. It’s a good idea to always store your leftovers in the same area in your fridge so you don’t forget about them. As a general rule of thumb, you should purge your leftovers every three days.
Your turn
Do you have more fridge-related tips to share? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, save the images for inspiration and join the conversation.
More
Want more hygiene and safty tips? Read Hands Up: Do Your Kitchen Habits Pass the Food Safety Test?
Leftover food should be kept in clear glass containers or resealable plastic bags so you can see what condition it’s in without having to open the container and expose the leftovers to air. It’s a good idea to always store your leftovers in the same area in your fridge so you don’t forget about them. As a general rule of thumb, you should purge your leftovers every three days.
Your turn
Do you have more fridge-related tips to share? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, save the images for inspiration and join the conversation.
More
Want more hygiene and safty tips? Read Hands Up: Do Your Kitchen Habits Pass the Food Safety Test?
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Don’t cram all the food you can fit into your fridge. It’s important to leave enough space between food so the air can flow freely and keep the temperature inside consistent. Consistent temperature is key to keeping your food fresh.