The ABCs of an organized fridge for better food storage

Did you know that the average Canadian family throws out close to $100 worth of food each month? One of the main reasons for all this waste? Forgotten or poorly stored food in the fridge.

Reverse this trend and prevent waste with an organized fridge. Just a minimal effort can lead to a ton of benefits: optimized food storage, limited overconsumption (think of the multiple half-empty condiment jars), and most importantly, reduced waste. “A place for everything and everything in its place,” as they say.

Here are some basic tricks for keeping your fridge organized.

Rotation

When putting your groceries away, take the opportunity to rotate the food in your fridge. The oldest items should be placed in the front and consumed first. In other words, first one in, first one out!

Fruit and vegetable drawers

The fruit and vegetable drawers have humidity control features so you can store food longer. Use a different drawer for each category, however! Because fruits and vegetables do not ripen at the same pace, mixing them can make them rot faster. Keep your broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots on one side, and apples, pears, and peaches on the other!

Door

The door is where temperatures fluctuate most. Avoid keeping milk there. The door is the ideal place for condiments, jams, juice, and other drinks. You can also keep your butter there, as long as it has a closed compartment. Otherwise, it will lose its freshness and absorb odours from other food.

Centre shelves

Cooked meals, soups, leftovers, hummus, and pastries—any food that needs to be consumed quickly—should be kept within sight so they aren’t forgotten. That’s also the best place to keep your eggs and milk.

Bottom drawer or shelf

The bottom shelf or drawer (also known as the meat drawer) is the coldest part of the fridge. This is where you should keep your raw meat and fish.

Top shelf

The temperature there being cool and stable, this is the best place to keep dairy products, such as cheese, puddings, and yogurt.

Freezer

Your freezer is most energy efficient when it is full. Whenever possible, keep your freezer filled to maximum capacity to prevent any warm air from seeping in.

Overall temperature

The fridge should be kept at a temperature ranging from 0°C to 4°C, and the freezer should be set at around -18°C. Use a thermometer to check this regularly!

Finally, not everything goes in the refrigerator!

While the fridge is a great ally for preservation, it's not suitable for all fresh foods. For example, unless they're already cut, garlic and onions should be kept outside the fridge, as should squash and turnips.

Bananas should also not be refrigerated, as they will turn brown more quickly. Potatoes, on the other hand, should be kept cool and dry in a paper bag stored away from light to prevent their starch from converting to sugar and causing them to sprout too quickly.

Finally, after organizing our fridge, we make it our mission to keep it tidy and clean. We throw away moldy or rotten food and regularly wipe the shelves with a cloth dampened with hot water to clean away any maple syrup or juice stains.