How Do I Keep My Fridge Food Fresh?
These 9 easy rules will keep more of your food fresh and tasty – and out of the compost bin
Leslie Reichert
22 December 2017
Houzz Contributor. Cleaning expert that teaches and encourages people to use greener methods to clean their home. I have books, magazines, and a TV series to show you how to live a cleaner, greener lifestyle. For more cleaning tips go to www.greencleaningcoach.com
Houzz Contributor. Cleaning expert that teaches and encourages people to use greener... More
Can you still remember your parents shouting at you to close the fridge door? Although they might principally have been trying to keep the electricity bill down, they were also protecting the food. There are ‘rules’ for keeping things safe and healthy in your refrigerator, the most important one being, make sure the door is open for the shortest possible time, so the warm air outside doesn’t raise the temperature inside. Here are 9 more tips for keeping the food in your fridge fresh.
Facilitate good airflow
Don’t cram all the food you can fit into your fridge. It’s important to leave enough space between items so the air can flow freely and keep the temperature inside consistent. This is key to keeping your food fresh.
Don’t cram all the food you can fit into your fridge. It’s important to leave enough space between items so the air can flow freely and keep the temperature inside consistent. This is key to keeping your food fresh.
Wash your fruit and veg
Before putting fruit and vegetables in the fridge, wash them in a vinegar and water solution. Do this by filling up your sink with water and adding 235ml of distilled white vinegar. Add your fruit and veg 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 fruit and vegetables in the fridge, wash them in a vinegar and water solution. Do this by filling up your sink with water and adding 235ml of distilled white vinegar. Add your fruit and veg to the bath and let them soak for 10 minutes. The natural acid in the vinegar will kill bacteria that causes mould and rot.
Separate into dry and humid zones
Vegetables prefer a humid storage climate while fruits prefer dry. Check to see if your fridge has controls for each bin and store them separately. If you don’t have this option, you can wrap veg in a wet paper towel to maintain humidity.
Should you get a black fridge-freezer?
Vegetables prefer a humid storage climate while fruits prefer dry. Check to see if your fridge has controls for each bin and store them separately. If you don’t have this option, you can wrap veg in a wet paper towel to maintain humidity.
Should you get a black fridge-freezer?
Move milk to the back
Milk needs to be stored where the temperature stays consistently the coolest. In general, the best spot is in the rear of the fridge. Milk should not be stored on the door, since that area is frequently exposed to warmer air when the fridge door is opened.
Milk needs to be stored where the temperature stays consistently the coolest. In general, the best spot is in the rear of the fridge. Milk should not be stored on the door, since that area is frequently exposed to warmer air when the fridge door is opened.
Keep cheese and butter sealed
Many fridges 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 these items, but it’s still important to keep them sealed in airtight containers so they don’t spoil.
Many fridges 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 these items, but it’s still important to keep them sealed in airtight containers so they don’t spoil.
Reserve door compartments for non-perishables
Store soft drinks and non-perishable condiments on door shelves. These are items that aren’t so affected by slight temperature changes.
Check out these 9 neat ways to deal with rubbish in your kitchen
Store soft drinks and non-perishable condiments on door shelves. These are items that aren’t so affected by slight temperature changes.
Check out these 9 neat ways to deal with rubbish in your kitchen
Go easy on eggs
Eggs should be kept in their original container and placed on the middle shelf. Make sure there’s nothing too heavy on top of the box that could crack them.
Eggs should be kept in their original container and placed on the middle shelf. Make sure there’s nothing too heavy on top of the box that could crack them.
Keep meat juices locked up
Raw meat juices can cross-contaminate all the exposed food in your fridge. Try to store any raw cuts in a glass container so liquid doesn’t spill onto the shelves.
Raw meat juices can cross-contaminate all the exposed food in your fridge. Try to store any raw cuts in a glass container so liquid doesn’t spill onto the shelves.
Swap doggie bags for something clearer
Leftover food should be kept in clear glass or plastic boxes or resealable plastic bags so you can see what condition it’s in without having to open the container and expose the leftovers to the 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, you should purge your leftovers every three days.
How do you prolong the life of your food? Share your tips in the Comments section.
Leftover food should be kept in clear glass or plastic boxes or resealable plastic bags so you can see what condition it’s in without having to open the container and expose the leftovers to the 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, you should purge your leftovers every three days.
How do you prolong the life of your food? Share your tips in the Comments section.
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Shop more frequently and don't buy too much — that way you will use up what you buy and won't have stuff building up or going off.
I don't particularly like celery but I have a pearl barley and lamb shank soup recipe and I don't mess with it in any way and whilst I could by just the strips and no leafage, it is much nicer with the celery tops to be used, so whilst I still buy a whole celery, I make two batches of soup and freeze the soup once cooked and with the rest of the celery I blanch it, drain it and place the right amount into ziplock or small freezer bags and freeze it so next time I want to make this soup I have plenty of celery packs I can use.
In answer to a comment made to grow your own veggies, I do just a few like corn and beans but we as farmers are at our busiest during vegie growing times and sometimes it is very hard not to loose vegies exposed to allot of heat when we're away from home for 12-14 hours a day so people need to be more retired or even semi retired to be able to do that successfully.
Carol Jones - thanks for the info re The Swag - I will be investigating as I am hesitant to use paper towel all the time...I know you can compost it, but I am not in a living situation where that is possible, so hate adding to waste.