The art of stocking the fridge can keep the edible items fresh for a long time. Knowing when to shuffle the positions of stored vegetables can help prevent food-borne illness. Generally, the door bins are warmer than the shelves. So, storing snacks and food items accordingly is a wise decision to make.
In this article, we have given similar useful tips that can help you in storing items efficiently and ensure minimum food wastage. Now without further ado, let’s jump into it.
1) Storing Meat Separately
Be it cooked or raw meat, keeping them separate is very important. Meat should be kept in a separate drawer. It is preferred to have a fridge whose drawer temperature can be regulated. You should keep in mind that raw meat should be kept at a lower temperature, while it should be slightly warm for cooked platters.
2) Upper Shelves for The Snacks
The topmost shelves of a refrigerator are the warm areas. The temperature can reach up to 5 degrees Celsius. These shelves are ideal for storing snacks, jam, and jelly. You can also store here butter or leftover food items. It is advisable to store the leftovers in small containers to let them cool faster.
3) Racks on The Doors
The door can easily reach higher temperatures than the main body of the refrigerator. Storing perishable food items like milk and eggs will be an absolute blunder. This space is best reserved for storing spices, juice cartons, water, and oils. The mentioned products can easily handle higher temperatures and will also help you organize your fridge.
4) Fruits in Crisper Drawer
Crisper Drawers are designed for keeping fruits and green vegetables fresh. In modern refrigerators, the Crisper can be adjusted to different levels of humidity. Whatever be the case, you can use this space to store them.
It is best if you occasionally shuffle the drawer components. Bring the old vegetables and fruits to the top for early usage.
5) Clean the Fridge
At times, prolonged use of the refrigerator can lead to odours. It is best if you clean the shelves and boxes once or twice every month. Start by taking out the items. The overall cleaning takes about an hour or so. Hence, you need not worry about the rotting of stored food items.
Now, pull out the shelves and boxes. Throw out the small leafy vegetables or the chilli pieces from them. Take them to the washbasin and clean them thoroughly. This gets rid of the spots and the smell of meat, milk, or gravy. If your refrigerator has sufficient space, you can take a wet cloth and wipe it properly.
6) Use Proper Containers
Storing food items in sturdy and appropriate containers can help you a lot. Never store liquid items like milk or juice in zip lock bags because they can leak out. Use glass containers with air-tight seals for cooked vegetables. Keep the green vegetables in Crisper or reusable bags.
Do not keep smelly items like chopped onions in the fridge without a proper container. If you do so, that will lead to an unnecessary smell on all other items.
7) Hacks to Freshness
Placing a piece of lemon or a box of baking soda is a thing of the past. These items can seem to keep your refrigerator fresh for a day or two but are not preferable. Instead, soak a cotton ball in Vanilla extract. Let it dry before placing it in the fridge. It will help to combat the smell inside your fridge and also keep the items fresh for an extended amount of time.
Conclusion
Organizing your food properly also keeps your fridge in a good working state and ensures optimum efficiency. Keeping the food fresh can eliminate odour and minimize the wastage of your groceries. And if you follow these tips, then you will be able to store more food in your fridge and preserve it for a longer time.
