Keep Food Fresher For Longer With These Fridge Organizing Tips

If we had to rank modern appliances by how invaluable they are to our daily lives, refrigerators would be right on top of the list. They keep food items fresh for days, saving us so much time and energy. Just imagine if you had to go to the market every day, then cook your food immediately after. It would drive anyone crazy! We don’t have to do that anymore, all thanks to the trusty fridge.

But did you know that you shouldn’t just chuck your food wherever there’s an open space? Whether it’s meat, cheese, or eggs, these items should actually be placed in particular spots within your refrigerator. Read on to find out where you should these common food items.   

Raw meat and fish

If you’re going to cook them within the next few days, store meat or fish in the coldest part of your refrigerator—either the bottom shelf or the chiller. The low temperature will keep them safe from dangerous bacteria and it will also prevent their juices from dripping onto other food items, potentially making them unsafe. Otherwise, store raw meat or fish in the freezer until a day before you plan to cook it. Then you can put it in the fridge to safely defrost until you use it the next day.

IMAGE Pinterest

Eggs

This may come as news to you, but eggs do not belong in the refrigerator door. That’s the warmest part of the fridge and should not be used for anything raw. Instead, store eggs in their original packaging on the top or middle shelf. To test if eggs are still good to eat, put them in a deep bowl of cold water. If they float, toss them—those are already expired.

Milk, cheese, and other dairy products

Milk is like eggs in the sense that we also tend to keep them in the door of the refrigerator. Instead of doing this, place them on the upper shelves where temperature is constant. The same rule applies to other dairy products like cream or yogurt. Also, remember that once you open a milk carton, the contents are only good for three days, so open only what you can consume in that time period.

Fruits and vegetables

Many refrigerators have a drawer designed especially for produce. It’s especially useful for storing leafy vegetables since they will keep crisp and delicious for a longer period of time. Fruits, on the other hand, should be stored in a separate drawer or container since they can make the rest of your produce wilt faster. That’s because they produce a chemical called ethylene, which helps plants ripen quicker.

Read: You Can Grow Your Own Vegetable And Fruit Garden at Home

IMAGE Pinterest

Drinks and condiments

Place drinks and condiments where it’s most convenient—which usually means the top shelf or the refrigerator door. This will reduce the time you spend rummaging around the fridge, which means that you’ll be able to close it faster and save yourself some money on electricity bills.  

Cooked items and leftovers

Place your leftovers at the very front of the top shelf. This way, you’ll be less likely to forget them and you won’t have to deal with throwing out expired food (yuck!) in a week’s time.

Main Photos: Pinterest (left) and (right)

Sources: Choice, Lifehacker, Greatist