Tips For Organizing Your Fridge Larder
A fridge’s larder is an ideal storage space for expired food items. You can also make use of smaller refrigerators and save money on energy costs!
It’s a great place to store items such as eggs, bread and hard cheeses. Fresh herbs also benefit from low moisture.
Keep It In Order
A fridge freezer collection-friendly larder can reduce food waste and make it easier to find items when cooking. The refrigerator, like any other room in your home can get messy and fridge freezer small unorganized. Here are some tips to keep your fridge tidy and running smoothly.
Take Inventory
Holly Blakey, an organizer at Breathing room, says that taking inventory is the most crucial step in organizing your fridge. “Take everything out, check expiration dates and clean the surfaces.” Get rid of expired food items, toss or freeze leftovers and dispose of all food items that aren’t likely to be consumed before they go bad.
Blakey suggests putting the most frequently used items at the front of your fridge. Then, put away the less-used items in the back and bottom of your fridge.
Organize Your Freezer
If you have a chest freezer, organize it with clear storage bins to make it easier to locate food items. Label each bin clearly and group items that are similar together. For instance, you could store a bin for condiments, another one for sodas and a third for cheese sticks. You can also use a lazy Susan to store condiments and other items that are frequently used. This will stop them from getting lost in the back.
Keep food items that require coldest temperatures in the back of a side by side fridge and foods that require warmer temperatures towards the front of. The lower shelf is ideal for milk, cream or butter (it will not melt) and yogurt, as well as other items that don’t require constant temperatures. The crisper drawers are best for spilled food items.
Drawer dividers can make your fridge more functional and are easy to install. They’ll stop your fruits and vegetables from getting lost, preventing them from spoiling before you can use them. They’ll also help keep your drawers tidy and organized. Another tip for your refrigerator is to keep tender herbs in water to extend their life. (Mason jars that have one inch of water are ideal.) Alternately, you can purchase an herb saver to place in your refrigerator.
Keep It In View
Keep your fridge tidy to help you choose healthy foods and stay content throughout the day. Make sure that all your food containers and lids are clean so that you can see what’s inside. This will tell you the remaining days on your expiration date, and ensure that you don’t store food that’s beyond its expiration date.
Start your fridge larder off with a deep clean by scrubbering the shelves, drawers and racks with warm water and dish soap. Give your fridge a thorough clean to get rid of any crumbs and gross spills that could have been accumulating.
Restock your fridge once everything is dry and clean. Start with the deli and cheese drawer — that’s where you should keep your deli meats, cheeses leftovers, dairy products and other items. Then, move to the produce drawer, which should be reserved for greens with a lot of leaf as they tend to fade quickly. Make sure it is at least three-quarters full to ensure freshness.
You can store bulky items in the pantry drawer of some refrigerators, like platters for parties and large bags of frozen veggies. You can also use this area to house condiments like mayonnaise, mustard, and ketchup and nut butters and other canned items. Do not store any milk in this area though, as it can become rotten quickly due the fluctuating temperatures inside the refrigerator door.
Finally, the rear of your fridge should be a place for jarred food items, salad dressings and other condiments that will last longer. Use a riser for jars to make them easier to read. This will save you from closing and opening the lids a few times.
When you fill each bin, make a point to label it with the help of a marker or stickers that are easy to read. This will make it easy for your family members to know the contents of each container and to locate the items you need. Labeling your bins can also be a great method to declutter your fridge and decrease the amount of waste that you create.
Keep it Cool
A fridge with a good larder can keep food items at the correct temperature to protect against spoiling and also slow down the growth of bacteria. Larders can be incorporated into existing cabinets or stand on their own. They are usually placed on the northern side of the house to reduce the sun’s exposure. They may also have additional insulation or ventilation to keep heat from entering the food storage area. They have thicker walls, fewer windows and are usually situated on the north-facing side of your home to minimize the transfer of heat.
The larder should have a drawer for each type of food, like meat and vegetables. Each drawer should be programmed to maintain the proper temperature. This ensures that the burgers and chicken will be cooked to perfection, and that the salad greens don’t get overly discolored. You can also set the larder drawer to low humidity for any fruit or vegetable that release a lot of moisture such as cucumbers or tomatoes.
To preserve cheese, you can store it in other drawers in the fridge. Wrapped in paper, greaseproof or Clingfilm or greaseproof film to keep it fresher for longer. Drinks, non-perishable condiments such as ketchup, water and eggs can also be stored in the fridge’s door. Milk should not be stored in the refrigerator doors however, as these shelves are warmer and more unstable than drawers in other drawers.
For a sleek appearance, separating small containers of food and snacks will help make them more visible as well as useful when family members are searching for food while on the move. Labelling shelves or bins to identify which food items should be eaten first is also helpful, especially in the event that your family members do not know how to read labels!
A larder can also be the ideal place to store leftovers as well as a selection of food-safe plastic and glass storage containers, which are perfect for storing smaller portions of food items. Having these ready for quick meals is a sure way to save money and time when shopping. If you have a neat and organized fridge freezer sale, with an area designated for these items it makes it easier to stay on top of your grocery budget.
Keep It Fresh
The best ways to organize your fridge reduce food waste and make your healthy groceries last longer. A few smart strategies ensure that fresh food items are kept at the right temperature and help to see what you have and where it is.
The majority of refrigerators have crisper drawers that are designed to alter airflow and boost humidity to extend the lifespan of vegetables and fruits. But it’s important to use them correctly. If you mix greens with fruit, for instance the ethylene created by the latter could cause the former to wilt and then spoil quickly. It is also essential to separate different types of fruits and vegetables and store them in drawers that are appropriate for the type of produce.
Door shelves are usually the warmest area of the fridge. They should be reserved for food items that don’t require extra cold or special storage conditions such as jars of jam, chutneys salad dressings, and long-life juices (anything purchased in bulk and with the same expiration date). The top shelf is ideal for drinks that can be stored upright without leaking, including water and milk.
It can be difficult to keep refrigerator drawers arranged, with items rolling and jumbling together. However, there are simple tricks to help. Invest in a set refrigerator drawer separators. This will keep your produce separated and prevent them from squishing together. Organizing by size is also useful. Keep items of similar heights on the same shelf and don’t store things that aren’t of the same height adjacent to one another Raw meat shouldn’t go in the same drawer as cooked ham!
A thermometer is an additional must-have for your fridge freezer small (official site) larder. It’s an inexpensive, easy-to-use tool that can ensure that your refrigerator is at the ideal temperature to ensure that your food is at its safest and freshest.
Don’t forget to keep a stash of plastic grocery bags in your fridge for storing food items that don’t come in its own container. The moisture in the bag keeps vegetables from turning brown. And for herbs that would normally wilt within days, one of the best ways to keeping them fresher longer is to wash them thoroughly and place them in a glass of water, which is equally efficient in retaining moisture than the plastic bag.