A well organised fridge is not only good for your sanity, but can also result in less food wastage, saving you money and energy. With some items, it’s obvious where to put them – like veggies in the crisper, and cheese in the cheese drawer – but there are more things to consider when deciding how to organise your fridge. Different parts of your fridge range in temperature and humidity, so starting with a clean slate with your new Aceco Rental fridge is the perfect opportunity to put some new systems in place make sure you get the most out of what’s in your fridge.

The Door: The door shelving section of your fridge is typically the warmest area, and is subject to frequent temperature fluctuations – especially when your fridge is being open and closed often. Organise your fridge so that items which are well preserved are in the door shelves, like soft drinks and juices, and foods that high in salt and preservatives like condiments and sauces. Contrary to popular belief, this is not a good place to store your milk or eggs.

Upper Shelves

With the most consistent temperature zone, this part of your fridge is perfect for cheeses, deli meats, and fresh herbs. It is also a great place for any foods that don’t require cooking such as leftovers, drinks, and ready-to-eat foods like tortillas and hummus.

Lower Shelves

This part of the fridge is closest to the cooling element which means it is the best spot to keep your meat, fish, eggs and dairy products. To prevent the bacteria in raw meat spreading to other foods, you should organise your fridge so that there is a particular section of the lower shelving reserved solely for meat.

Crisper Drawers

These plastic drawers at the bottom of your fridge tend to retain moisture, which is great for fresh produce. To even better protect what’s in your fridge, separate your ethylene producing fruits from your other fruits and veggies. Certain fruits (like avocados, bananas and mangoes) produce ethylene, a ripening chemical which can have a negative impact on other fruits and veggies, causing them to over-ripen and spoil.

The Freezer

To avoid freezer burn or spoiled foods, ensure your freezer is set to -18 degrees or colder and remember, items stored in the freezer door will be more susceptible to fluctuations in temperature. Foods must be packaged well (use solid, plastic containers and zip lock bags – no cling wrap, or glass!). It also pays to pack foods tightly to optimize storage and save energy. Along with the usual suspects (ice, meat, frozen yoghurt) you can also use your freezer to store a number of other items, like eggs, pasta sauce, tortillas and bread.

 

As North Shore fridge rental experts, we love making your life easier. Here’s a couple of additional pro-tips to help you get the most from what’s in your fridge:
Wrap your cheeses in wax paper rather than plastic wrap. Plastic wrapping can encourage bacteria growth, and will not allow your cheese to breathe – trapping natural gases and spoiling your favourite fromage.
Be careful with what you store on top of your fridge – this is not the place for bottles of wine or olive oil! Your fridge emits heat and items stored on top of it will spoil. Instead, this is the perfect place to keep your cookbooks or small appliances.
Don’t over pack your fridge. While tightly packed freezers are great, organise your fridge so that there is room around items for the cold air to circulate – this helps maintain an even temperature, and avoids warm pockets.

Want to more about how to get the most from your appliances? Contact our friendly team of North Shore fridge rental specialists for more simple tips that could help you save time, money and energy – call us today.