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Feeling lost, not knowing how to properly store food in the fridge? Don’t worry! This post will help you to understand everything you have to know about fridge food storage and how to make your food last longer and fresher.
You will learn how to avoid wasting food just by knowing in which fridge zone a certain type of food should be stored to make its lifespan last the most.
Also, you are going to learn some tips on how to store some specific foods and how to avoid electricity waste by keeping your fridge running efficiently.
This post is about how to properly store food in the fridge to make it last longer and fresher.
Understanding the Zones of the Fridge
Each shelf is ideal for a certain type of food to improve its freshness and make it last longer. So it is very important to know the category and characteristics of the food and to understand which shelf is the best option for it.
According to the FDA, the right temperature to store food is at or below 40° F (4° C). Although, inside the fridge there is a temperature difference between the bottom and top shelves.
Even with newer fridges that have better airflow control, the hot air tends to rise, which means that the top shelves will be slightly warmer than the bottom ones.
This is important to understand how to organize a fridge for food safety.
So with this in mind we can think about the characteristics of the foods and think about how we can store our food more efficiently and smarter.
Keep on reading if you want to know how to store food in the fridge from top to bottom.
1. Fridge Upper Shelves
The “warmest shelf” of your fridge is not ideal for raw meat for example. We want to avoid bacteria growth, right?
If you ever wondered how to store cooked food in the fridge, this is the best zone.
This is the best zone for leftovers and grab-and-go kind of food – which means, food that doesn’t need to be cooked or processed.
Some examples of food that can be stored in this section are dips, snacks, leftover pizza, and deli-type salads, such as potato or coleslaw salad.
2. Fridge Middle Shelves
This is the area where the temperature is consistent and colder. Cold slows bacteria and other microorganisms’ growth.
This area is ideal for foods like eggs and dairy products, such as milk, butter and yogurt.
3. Fridge Bottom Shelves
The bottom shelves also have a consistent and colder temperature and are ideal for raw meat, poultry and fish.
By storing this type of food in the bottom you reduce the risk of cross-contamination, which can occur if the meat juice drips on another type of food that doesn’t need to be cooked.
4. Fridge Crisper Drawers
The crisper drawers are designed to control humidity effectively, so this is the area for fruits and veggies.
In this section, you will learn how to organize fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator.
Some fridges have two crisper drawers: one for low humidity and one for high humidity. The low-humidity drawer introduces some airflow and the high-humidity drawer doesn’t.
If that’s your case, in the low humidity crisper drawer store fruits that release ethylene (a natural gas that induces the ripening process for many fruits), such as peaches, avocados, kiwi and papayas. The airflow removes some of the ethylene, which makes the fruits and vegetables last longer.
In the high-humidity drawer store the fruits and vegetables that are more sensitive to ethylene, such as berries, broccoli, lettuce, peppers, cucumbers and squash.
If your fridge doesn’t have this division, then just try to keep the fruits that release ethylene away from the fruits and vegetables that are sensitive to it.
5. Fridge Side Doors
This is the warmest zone of the fridge. This is the area where you should store products that can go through temperature fluctuation and don’t spoil as quickly.
This means that this is the perfect area for condiments, such as dressings, ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise, and also drinks like water and soda.
Good to know 1: Specific foods have specific needs
Did you know that there are specific ways of storing some types of food, such as vegetables to make them last longer and fresher?
Here is a list of how to store some vegetables and fruits properly:
- Carrots: The leafy greens tops keep on sucking nutrients out of the carrot if you don’t cut them out. So, before storing your carrots, remove the green part!
- Citrus fruits: Fruits like oranges and lemons need oxygen circulation to last longer, so instead of storing them in a plastic bag, use a mesh bag.
- Fresh herbs and greens: Store them in sealed bags to reduce oxygen flow and maintain their nutritional value.
- Berries and fresh produce: Don’t wash them until you intend to eat them and keep them dry. They are extremely sensitive to moisture and can develop mold quite easily.
- Tomatoes: They are better stored outside the fridge actually, so they can continue to ripen and develop more flavor. Store them on the counter, instead.
- Bell peppers: Store them in the vegetable crisper in a dry sealed bag to prevent them from turning moldy, soft and slimy.
- Cucumbers: Make sure they are dry before storing them. Wrap them in a paper towel to prevent them from becoming soggy due to humidity from excess water or condensation.
- Mushrooms: Store the mushrooms together in a paper bag. The paper bag absorbs excess humidity which makes them last longer.
- Asparagus: Put them upright in a glass of water to keep them fresh for longer.
- Celery: As they release ethylene, keep it wrapped in foil to prevent your other vegetables and fruits from being affected by the gas and last longer.
Good to know 3: The Perfect amount of food
Did you know that overloading or keeping your fridge way too empty can make your food last less and reduce energy efficiency?
When every inch of your refrigerator is packed with food, the air can’t circulate and the contents won’t keep it cool. And this can decrease the lifespan of your food. It can also block the air vents, which can reduce energy efficiency.
However, if you have a large near-empty fridge it can also cause you trouble. The fridge has to work a lot harder to keep just some products cool, which means you’re wasting electricity.
When your fridge is way too empty, you can add some bottles of cold water inside it to help keep your fridge running efficiently.
So, how much food should I store in the fridge? Aim for your fridge to be two-thirds full. That’s the perfect amount.
Conclusion
You don’t have to feel completely lost and overwhelmed anymore! Now you master all the concepts of storing food in the fridge.
You now know everything from the ideal temperature to the ideal shelf and the right amount of food that should be stored in your fridge.
With these tips in mind you can now organize your fridge and properly store your food to make it last longer and fresher.
This post showed you how to properly store food in the fridge to make it last longer and fresher.
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