Tips For Organizing Your Fridge Larder

A fridge larder is a great option to store food that is beyond its best. You can also utilize a smaller refrigerator and save money on energy costs!

It's a handy space to store things like eggs, bread, and hard cheeses. Fresh herbs also benefit from a low moisture.

Keep It In Order

A refrigerator larder can reduce food waste and also make it easier to locate items when cooking. But, just like any other space in your home, the refrigerator can become messy and uncontrollable. Here are a few tips to keep your fridge organized and running smoothly.

Take Inventory

Holly Blakey, an organizer at Breathing room She says that taking inventory is the most important step in organizing your refrigerator. "Take everything out, check expiration dates, and wash the surfaces." Get rid of expired food items and throw away leftovers and dispose of any food items that aren't eaten before it gets rotten.

Blakey suggests placing the most frequently used items on the front of your fridge. Then, Fridges & freezers put away the less-used items in the back and the bottom of your fridge.

Organize Your Freezer

If you have a chest-freezer you can arrange it using clear storage containers which will allow you to locate foods easier. Label each bin clearly and put similar items together. Keep condiments in one bin and sodas in a different, and cheese sticks in the third. You can also use a lazy Susan to store condiments and other items that are often used. This will stop them from getting lost in the back.

In a fridge with a side-by-side layout, store foods that require the coldest temperatures in the back, and warmer items towards the front. The lower shelf is ideal for yogurt, milk cream, butter and cream (it won't melt). The crisper drawers work best to store spilled fruits and vegetables.

Drawer dividers make your fridge more functional and are easy to put in. They'll keep your fruits and veggies from getting lost in. This will stop the food from spoiling. In addition, they'll make sure your drawers remain clean and organized. To prolong the longevity of tender herbs, keep them in water. (Mason jars with one inch of water are ideal.) You can also purchase an herb saver to place in your refrigerator.

Keep It Clearly

Keeping your fridge organized will help you reach for healthy meals that keep you full and content throughout the day. Make sure all your food containers are transparent so that you can see the contents. This will let you know the number of days left on your expiration date and ensure that you don't store food that is over its best.

Begin by giving your refrigerator's larder a thorough clean. Scrub the drawers, shelves, and racks using warm water and dishwashing detergent. Give your refrigerator a thorough clean to remove any food debris and spills that may have accumulated.

Once everything is dry and clean now is the time to replenish your refrigerator. Start with the deli and cheese drawer -- that's the place to store your deli meats, cheeses leftovers, dairy items and other food items. Then, move to the produce drawer. This is where you should store greens that are leafy because they will quickly wilt. Keep it at least three-quarters full to ensure freshness.

The pantry drawers in certain refrigerators is a great place to store storage of party trays, large bags of frozen vegetables and other bulky food items. This drawer can be used to store condiments, such as mustard and ketchup as well as nut-butters and other canned items. Milk should not be stored here since the temperature fluctuates and cause it to spoil quickly.

The back of your refrigerator should be used for condiments, fridges & Freezers salad dressings and other jarred items that last for longer. Try using a riser to elevate jars, so they are easier to read. This will prevent you from closing and opening the lids several times.

As you stock each bin, make a point to label it with markers or stickers that are easy to read. This will make it easy for your family to understand the contents of each container and also for you to find the items you need. Labeled bins are an excellent way of decluttering your fridge and reducing the amount of plastic waste you generate.

Keep Cool

A good fridge larder will keep food items at the correct temperature to avoid spoilage and to slow down the growth of bacteria. Larders can be integrated into existing cabinetry or stand on their own. They are typically placed on the north-facing side of the house to limit sun exposure and could also have additional insulation or a ventilation system to prevent heat from getting into the food storage area. They also typically have more solid walls and less windows to keep the interior at a lower temperature than other areas of your home.

The larder should have an area for each kind of food, like meat and vegetables. Each drawer should be programmed to the right temperature. This ensures that chicken and burgers will be cooked well, but that the salad greens don't get overly wilted. You can also set the larder drawer to low-humidity for any fruit or vegetable that release a lot of moisture like cucumbers or tomatoes.

To preserve cheese, you can keep it in other drawers of the refrigerator. Wrapped in paper, greaseproof or clingfilm or greaseproof film to keep it fresher for longer. Other items that can be stored in the refrigerator's doors include drinks, condiments that are not perishable (like ketchup) eggs, water, and other liquids. The built-in fridge door is not the ideal place to store milk, since it tends to be warmer and less stable than other drawers.

To create a minimalist appearance, separating small containers of food and snacks will help to make the contents more noticeable as well as helpful when family members are searching for food in the car. Labeling bins or shelves to indicate which foods are best eaten first is also beneficial, especially when your family members don't know how to read labels!

A larder is also an ideal storage space for leftovers, as well as a selection of food-safe glass and plastic storage containers that are perfect for storing smaller portions of ingredients. Making these available for quick meals is a great way to save time and money when shopping. If you have a neat well-organized fridge that has an area designated for these items It will make it easier to stay on top of your grocery budget.

Keep it fresh

The most efficient ways to organize your fridge reduce food waste and make your healthy food items last longer. Some smart strategies will keep your fresh foods at the right temperature and make it easy to see what's in your fridge.

Most refrigerators come with crisper drawers designed to change airflow and increase humidity to extend the life of fruits and vegetables. It is essential to use these drawers correctly. If you mix greens and fruits, for instance, the ethylene released by the latter could cause the former to turn brown and then spoil quickly. It is also important to separate produce types and store them in drawers that are appropriate for the type of produce.

The door shelves are the warmest part in the fridge. They should be used for items that don't require extra cold or specific storage conditions, such as salad dressing jars jams, chutneys, jams and long-life drinks (anything that is bought in bulk and with the same expiration date). The top shelf is perfect for beverages that can be stored upright and without spilling, like milk and water.

Refrigerator drawers can be difficult to keep sorted with things that are bouncing around and scattered, but there are some simple tips to help. Consider investing in a set of refrigerator drawer separators. This will keep your food items separate and prevent them from squishing together. The idea of organizing by height is helpful. Keep items of similar heights on the same shelf, and don't store things that aren't of the same height in close proximity -- raw meat shouldn't go in the same drawer as cooked Ham!

A thermometer should be located in your refrigerator. It's a low-cost, simple-to-use tool that can ensure that your refrigerator is at the ideal temperature so your food stays in the best condition and is freshest.

Don't forget to keep a supply of plastic grocery bags in your fridge for storing items that don't have their own container. The moisture contained in the bag prevents vegetables from rotting. For herbs that typically will wilt over time you can keep them fresher for longer by washing them and putting them in a water glass. This is as efficient as a plastic bag in retaining moisture.