Want to organize your fridge and potentially improve the shelf-life of your items? You may be able to keep food fresher longer, simply by knowing where it should go in your home's refrigerator.
Try these tactics at home to store your foods in the right place, while keeping your refrigerator tidy and organized:
Use manufacturer recommendations and features.
If you pay heed to any recommendations and storage features that your fridge has, you likely will notice an improvement in the appliance's performance and the quality of your food. This includes things like crisper drawers, egg containers, or dairy enclosures. Refrigerator manufacturers have these specific foods in mind when designing the best storage and determining optimal temperature for these compartments, so take advantage of these features!
Know where the cold is.
Check the temperature of your fridge periodically, and know where to put milk, dairy, or other items that you want to keep the coldest. Be aware of any foods that graze the light fixture in older fridge models as these might prematurely spoil perishable items.
Block the shelves.
Ever have difficulty finding items and ingredients in a full fridge, and end up buying items that you really don't need? Blocking the shelves is what grocery retailers do to make the goods look as appealing as possible. Pull smaller containers or foods up front, leaving any empty space in the back for taller items, which will make it easy to see what you have in there at a glance.
Keeping the right foods on the door.
The door of the fridge is probably the warmest spot in the fridge, especially in homes where it gets opened a lot. Be mindful not to store milk, dairy, or other items that could spoil easily in this spot, but instead reserve it for condiments or soft drinks.
Fill your freezer to conserve energy.
Did you know that you freezer will be more efficient when you fill it full? It is worth the cost to buy loaves of bread to fill in the gaps, or fill empty cartons with water and freeze.
Give your home's fridge an evaluation to see if you are making the best use of the space that you have available. This may also help you find foods that could be moved to potentially preserve these items longer.