Tips For Organizing Your Fridge Larder
A fridge larder is a great option to store food that is past its best. It also helps you manage a smaller refrigerator and reduce your energy bill!
It's the perfect place to store items like breads, hard cheeses, and eggs. Fresh herbs also benefit from a low moisture.
Keep It Well-organized
A fridge larder helps reduce food waste and makes it easier to find items when cooking. However, like any space in your home, the refrigerator can get messy and uncontrollable. Here are some ways to ensure that your refrigerator runs smoothly and well-organized.
Take Inventory
Holly Blakey, an organizer at Breathing room, says that taking inventory is the most important step in organizing your fridge. "Take everything out and verify the expiration dates. Clean all surfaces." Dispose of food that has expired and leftovers, or throw them away or freeze them, and get rid of any food items that aren't eaten before it goes bad.
Blakey suggests that you place the most frequently used items at the front of your fridge. Then, put the items that are not frequently used in the bottom and back of your refrigerator.
Organize Your Freezer
If you have a chest freezer, organize it with clear storage bins that help you easily locate foods. Clearly label each bin and place similar items together. For example, put a bin in the pantry for condiments, another one for sodas and a third for cheese sticks. You can also make use of a lazy Susan for condiments and other commonly used items to keep them from being lost in the back.
Keep food items that require coldest temperatures at the rear of a side-by-side fridge and foods that require warmer temperatures towards the front. The lower shelf is ideal for yogurt, milk, cream and butter (it will not melt). And the crisper drawers are ideal for storing spillage of produce.
Drawer dividers make your fridge more efficient and are easy to install. They'll keep your vegetables and fruits from getting lost in. This will stop them from rotting. They'll also keep your drawers neat and tidy. Another simple trick for the fridge is storing tender herbs in water to extend their life. Mason jars filled with an inch of liquid work well. You can also purchase an herb preserver to keep in your refrigerator.
Keep It Visible
Keeping your fridge organized will help you reach for healthy food choices that keep you satisfied and content throughout the day. Make sure that all of your food containers and lids are clear so you can see what's inside. This will inform you of the number of days left on your expiration date and make sure you don't store food that's over its best.
Start by giving your fridge's larder a thorough cleaning. Scrub the drawers, shelves and racks with warm water and dishwashing detergent. Give your refrigerator a thorough scrub to get rid of any food debris and spills that may have been accumulating.
After everything is clean and dry now is the time to replenish your refrigerator. Start by storing your deli meats and cheeses in the drawer. Then, move to the produce drawer. This is where you should put away the leafy greens as they can are prone to wilting. Keep it at least three-fourths full for maximum freshness.
You can store bulky items in the pantry drawers of some refrigerators, including party trays and large bags of frozen vegetables. This drawer can be used to store condiments such as mustard and ketchup along with nut-butters and other canned items. Be careful not to store milk here however, as it could become rotten quickly due the fluctuating temperatures inside the fridge's door.
The back of your refrigerator should be reserved for condiments, salad dressings and other jarred food items that last for an extended period of time. Use a riser on jars to make them easier to read. This will prevent you from having to open and close the lid multiple times, which can prolong the life of your condiments.
Label each bin with the help of a marker or with stickers that can be easily read. This will help your family members to easily recognize the contents of each bin, and it'll make it easier to locate what you're searching for. Labeled bins are a great way of decluttering your fridge and reducing the amount plastic waste that you produce.
Keep Cool
A well-designed fridge larder will keep food at the correct temperature which prevents spoilage and slows bacterial growth. Larders can be installed into cabinets that are already in place or can stand alone. They are usually placed on the north-facing side of the home to reduce sunlight exposure. They may also have additional insulation or ventilation to keep heat from getting into the food storage area. They have thicker walls and have fewer windows. They generally are situated on the north-facing side of your house to limit the transfer of heat.
The larder should have an area for each kind of food, like meat and vegetables. Each drawer should be programmed to maintain the proper temperature. This will ensure that the burgers and chicken are cooked to perfection, however the salad greens will not be too discolored. A larder drawer can also be set to a low-humidity setting for vegetables and fruits that release a lot of moisture, such as tomatoes or cucumbers.
cheap fridge uk inside the fridge can hold items like cheese -- fresh cream, hard and freshwrapped in paper or greaseproof or clingfilm to preserve it for a longer time. Other items that can be kept in the refrigerator's doors include beverages, condiments that are not perishable (like ketchup) eggs, water, and other liquids. The fridge door is not the best place to store milk because it is warmer and less stable than other drawers.
To create a minimalist appearance, separating small containers of food and snacks will help make them more visible, which is also useful when family members are searching for something to eat while on the move. Labelling shelves and bins to identify what should be eaten first can also be beneficial, especially when family members aren't used to reading labels!
A larder can also be an ideal place to store leftovers as well as a selection of food-safe plastic and glass storage containers that are ideal for smaller portions of food items. These containers are great to save time and money when shopping. And if you have a clear well-organized fridge that has a dedicated space for storing these, it will be easier to keep on top of your food budget!
Keep It Fresh
The best fridge organization tips reduce food waste by ensuring your healthy food items last longer. A few smart strategies will keep your fresh food items at the correct temperature and allow you to see what's in your fridge.
Crisper drawers are included in many refrigerators. They alter airflow and increase humidity, extending the life of fruits and vegetables. It is essential to use these drawers correctly. Mixing greens and fruit can cause the former, such as the greens, to turn brown or become spoiled due to the ethylene produced. Separating different types of fruits and storing them in proper drawers is essential.
Door shelves are usually the warmest area of the fridge and should be reserved for foods that don't require extra cold or special storage conditions such as jam jars, chutneys, salad dressings and long-life juices (anything bought in bulk with the same date of use). The top shelf is ideal for drinks that can be stored upright and without leaks, such as water and milk.
It isn't easy keeping refrigerator drawers arranged, with items rolling and jumbling together. But there are some simple ways to assist. First, purchase refrigerator drawer dividers that keep the food items separate and prevent them from colliding with each one. The ability to organize by size is beneficial. Produce of similar heights can be stored together. Don't put items that aren’t the same height in the same drawer.
A thermometer is an additional essential item to have in your fridge. It's a simple, inexpensive and easy to use tool that will make sure your fridge is operating at the ideal temperature to keep your food safe and fresh.
Don't forget to have a bag of plastic grocery bags in your refrigerator for storing food items that don't come in its own container. The bag's moisture keeps vegetables from turning brown. And for herbs that would typically wilt in a matter of days, a simple trick to keep them fresher longer is to wash and put them in a glass of water which is just as effective at retaining moisture as a plastic bag.