Now that we are coming to the end of January, we wonder how many of you made a resolution to Eat better, Lose Weight, become more organized, and/or try not to be "wasteful?" All of these are very popular New Year's resolutions, and we believe that they are all good ones too. But, we all know that it is a little easier to accomplish a resolution or any goal for that matter, when you have a little help. So... we want to help you... CLEAN and REORGANIZE your fridge!
Here are 10 steps that we think you should know and follow to make the most of the food that you buy at the store, so you don't end up wasting so much food, so that you are making the most of it, and actually using the food that you buy as opposed to it mysteriously finding it's way to the dark abyss in the back of the refrigerator.
We hope this helps and would love to hear back from you if you have any great suggestions that you might want to share with us!
Happy Organizing!
1. Don’t believe everything you read.
Refrigerator door compartments are too warm to store dairy items. Even though refrigerator commercials often tout their large door compartments as a great place to store milk, it tastes better when it’s cold, so use the door compartments for less perishable items such as condiments.
2. Customize your refrigerator to your lifestyle.
Whether you eat most of your meals in a restaurant, or you’re the next Julia Child, you should figure out how you will use your refrigerator to complement you and your family. If it’s only used to keep leftovers cold, then don’t stock up on lots of perishables you won’t use.
3. Plan your meals for the week.
Put together a master list of meals with ingredients to make food shopping and rotation in the refrigerator easier. You will save money by using up ingredients that you already have on hand and you will save time trying to figure out what to cook when you are hungry! Check out our handy shopping checklist for some great nutritious items that should find their way into your cart.
4. Clean it up.
Purge shelves, drawers and doors each week, throwing away anything past its expiration date. Can’t remember the last time you opened that jar of salsa? When in doubt, throw it out (or recycle!). Then wipe down all surfaces with hot soapy water.
5. Keep it in the zone.
Keep like items together where you can see them, such as kids’ snacks, breakfast items, and lunch fixings. Yogurt containers won’t get lost if they are clustered together in a small plastic tub. Taller items should be kept towards the back of each group of items so that you can see them behind the smaller ones in front.
6. Store it right.
Store food in airtight containers. Reusable, plastic bins are perfect for the job. Purchase about 10 or 12 clear plastic high quality bins of the same brand. They are easier to stack; and see-through containers mean you won’t be guessing what’s inside. Toss out or recycle all those oddball take-out containers.
7. Prepare food for easy accessibility
When coming home from the store, wash, cut and store produce for immediate and easy use. This not only helps you to use things sooner rather than later, it is a great time saver. This also makes it easier to pack lunches for work and school too, if things are already prepared to grab and go (it saves you money by not buying lunch on a daily basis too).
8. Know your food.
Label all containers with a date. Keep a marker or grease pen near the refrigerator for a quick label. This helps to rotate the older foods to the front so they can be eaten first.
9. Keep it cold.
The back and bottom of your refrigerator are the coldest areas, so keep perishables and hardy vegetables, such as broccoli and cauliflower, there. Crisper drawers have higher humidity to keep vegetables such as celery and peppers crisp.
10. Leave it out.
Some things keep better outside the refrigerator, such as potatoes, onions, tomatoes, and apples. And over-stuffing your refrigerator just makes it work harder and costs more in electricity. So don’t over-stuff yours with items that don’t need to be there.
With these tips, your refrigerator not only will look good, but it will make food preparation and storage a snap.
