Did you open your fridge and actually notice the mess there? Well then, welcome to this blog! A messy fridge is a real thing and so is cleaning it up. But simply throwing away the unnecessary stuff is not the only way to clean it. Cleaning also means storing the food properly. In the right places.
Your fridge has different sections that are right for different kinds of food. Surprised? Take a look into your fridge and notice those small icons on different sections or zones. Those tell you what needs to go where. This will help your food items stay fresh for longer than you would expect. So, yes to answer the elephant in this blog, smart food storage matters a lot. Let’s dive in and see why it matters.
The Art of Your Fridge
Understanding your fridge is no less than understanding science. Your fridge has specific zones that have different temperatures, functions, settings and more. It is a world in itself! Knowing these different temperatures and smart food storage will help you organise your fridge and remember where you have kept your favourite snack.
Temperature Zones
Your fridge is more than just a cool box. It has different sections and zones that have different temperatures. The top shelves are slightly warmer, the bottom shelves are colder, and crisper drawers have the magic of different humidity settings. So that your fruits and vegetables stay fresh and juicy!
Humidity Control
Adjustable humidity settings are things that we generally do not give a thought to. The truth is fridges come with a high and low humidity setting. You can store leafy greens that are still crunchy in areas with high humidity while juicy fruits in areas with low humidity.
Food Safety
Cross-contamination and foodborne illnesses can easily happen if you are not storing your food correctly. Raw meat getting mixed up with your vegetables or other snacks isn’t the best of food combos.
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Upper Shelves: For Your Go-To Foods
The upper shelves are the perfect spot for your ready-to-eat items. This space is the best for anything you would want to grab quickly when you are on the go like energy bars, or other snacks. Keeping your go-to food items here can save you a lot of time. How? You can easily find your leftover pizza, grab the yoghurt you want for breakfast, or the energy bar you need when your energy is low. You just know where to find these things! These upper shelves are actually the warmest part of the fridge. Even though we think a fridge having a warm section is bad, it is not. You just need to know what to store here!
Keep Your:
- Ready-to-eat items
- Leftovers
- Pre-prepared meals
Middle Shelves: For Your Dairy and Eggs
Move everything aside because the middle section is reserved for dairy products and eggs. Why? Because the middle section has a stable and consistent temperature your dairy products and eggs need to stay fresh. It can be a little surprising to know that milk and eggs are not to be stored on the door shelves. Keeping them there increases their chances of getting spoiled faster. You can think of your middle shelf as a sweet spot for your cheese, butter, milk, eggs and every other dairy product that you use every day. You can also store soft cheeses, sour cream or cream cheese. It would be better if you store these items in either original packaging or airtight containers to make sure they are fresh and don’t spread funky odours.
Store Your:
- Dairy Products
- Eggs
Lower Shelves: For Your Raw Meat, Poultry, and Fish
The lower shelves are where the magic happens. This section is the chillest zone in your fridge world. That’s why it is the perfect place to store your raw meat and fish. The extra chill temperature helps keep your meat safe and fresh for longer. You can also keep your leftovers that need to be cold to stay fresh. One tip is to store your raw meat, and fish in containers. So that if they drip, they don’t contaminate other foods. A smart food storage is a safe one.
Ideal For:
- Raw Meat
- Poultry
- Fish
Crisper Drawers: For Your Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
Crisper drawers are a crispy heaven for your fruits and vegetables. They are specifically made to store all fruits and vegetables. But every vegetable and fruit needs different humidity food storage. To make sure that all produce stays fresh, you can adjust humidity levels according to the kind of vegetables or fruits you are storing. Leafy vegetables need high humidity levels, and drier fruits need low humidity levels. Adjusting these levels will help in keeping them fresh, and crisp.
Store Your:
- Vegetables that need more moisture in high humidity
- Fruits that need less moisture in low humidity
Door Shelves: For Your Sauces, Spreads and Drinks
Your door shelves are the place where you can just put random things. Actually, they are the hot and cool zones that don’t mind the temperature changes. You can store things like ketchup, mustard, salad dressings, mayonnaise and other similar things. Why? Because they don’t need Arctic zone coldness or Hawaii humidity. So, the door shelves are the perfect spot, just like that chair full of clothes. The temperature on door shelves keeps on fluctuating and that’s why it’s best to store already processed food items. You can also store your bottled drinks like juice, soda cans and other drinks. This is another go-to zone for food items that you use frequently if not every day.
Keep Your:
- Condiments
- Sauces
- Beverages
Conclusion
So, does it really matter where you store your food in the fridge? Yeah, absolutely! A smart food storage is like a collaboration of understanding your fridge and the needs of your food items. If you find it hard to recall where to keep what, simply remember top shelf is every day quick, the middle shelf is dairy and eggs, the lower shelf is the cold zone of raw meat and fish, and crisper drawers for crisp vegetables and fruits, and door shelves for all your sauces, spreads, pickles and drinks. Along with smartly storing food, you also need to make sure your fridge is working in its best condition. If you come across any issues, you can contact Barton Appliance Repair. We provide the best fridge repair service in Vancouver, BC.
Happy organizing!
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