A well organized fridge does two things at once: it lets you find what you need without emptying half the shelves, and it stops what you buy from ending up in the bin. It only takes a safe temperature, a simple rotation and the right storage for each product.
Why is it worth organizing the fridge?
An organized fridge makes it easy to find the food, to make the most of what you already have and to avoid products expiring unused. It also helps keep the food in proper storage conditions.
Organization has to go together with a safe temperature and with correct food handling.
1. Keep the right temperature
Check the temperature with the appliance indicator or with a refrigerator thermometer. As a general reference, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends keeping the refrigerator at 40 °F (4 °C) or below, and the freezer at 0 °F (-18 °C). You can read the details in its refrigerator safety guidance.
Do not overpack the inside, because the cold air needs to circulate to keep the temperature even.
2. Put the food you will eat first in front
When you put the shopping away, place the products you have just bought behind the ones that were already open or have been stored for longer.
This simple habit, known as rotating food, helps reduce waste.
3. Store raw meat and fish correctly
Keep raw meat and fish in closed containers, ideally on a lower shelf where they cannot drip onto other food.
Keep raw products away from food that is ready to eat and follow the storage instructions on the packaging.
4. Protect your leftovers
Store leftovers in clean, closed containers. Refrigerate cooked food as soon as possible and do not leave it at room temperature for hours.
Label the containers with the date so you know when you prepared them. If you are not going to eat them within the recommended period, consider freezing them.
5. Do not store every food the same way
Some foods keep better outside the fridge, while others need to be refrigerated. Follow the instructions on the package and the official food safety recommendations.
Cut or prepared foods may need refrigeration even when their whole ingredients are normally stored at room temperature.
6. Use the drawers and the compartments
The drawers are designed to make it easier to organize fruit and vegetables. Use them as the manufacturer describes and separate the products that could make others deteriorate faster.
The door tends to experience bigger temperature changes, so it is better to keep products that are compatible with those conditions there.
7. Check the dates and the condition of the food
Tell a use-by date apart from a best-before date. The first one is about safety; the second one is about quality.
Do not taste a suspect food to find out whether it is safe. When you have doubts about how it has been stored, follow the official food safety recommendations.
8. Clean the fridge regularly
Remove the food residues and wipe up spills as soon as you can. For routine cleaning, use products that are suitable for surfaces that come into contact with food and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Never mix cleaning products, especially bleach with ammonia or with acidic products.
Conclusion
An organized fridge lets you find food quickly and keeps a much better track of what you need to eat. Combine the rotation of products with a safe temperature and proper storage to cut down on waste.
Organization works much better when the rest of the routine is looked after too: a weekly shop that is planned well stops you filling the fridge with the same thing, and proper storage at home multiplies the savings. We explain it in how to plan your weekly shopping to spend less and waste less food and in how to prep your meals for the week and save time and money.
