How to store food in the refrigerator to keep it fresh and avoid waste

What is the best way to store food in the refrigerator and avoid waste? All too often, when we go shopping we worry about immediately putting the products in the fridge without worrying about their correct arrangement. In short, the important thing is that yogurt, meat and cheese don’t stay out of the fridge for too long, right? Not exactly.

Although it is certainly important to keep certain types of food refrigerated quickly, the shelf on which you decide to store it could make the difference.

It seems incredible, but this little attention could do wonders in the reduce your family’s food waste. This is why you need to know how to best preserve food and how to use the refrigerator to avoid unnecessary and wasteful waste.

Furthermore, it is important to underline that the waste of food it is not just a problem from an economic point of view (when we throw away foods still in their packaging, we are literally throwing our money in the garbage), but also from an environmental point of view.

In fact, they are used to produce the food that we then throw away resources and raw materials like water and soil. And it’s a shame to know that these precious resources are wasted needlessly. Consider that, statistically speaking, more than half of the food we buy every year ends up in the garbage. But where the greatest food waste occurs?

One of the main causes of this enormous waste of resources lies precisely in the poor organization in the kitchen and in the bad habit of preserving food hastily and with little care. So, let’s see how to store food in the refrigerator, for the good of your wallet and our planet.

What is the best way to store food in the refrigerator?

Before deciding in which part of the fridge to place fruit, cheese and fish, here are some general tips to keep in mind.

Watch out for the deadline

Putting food in the fridge after shopping is certainly important, but when doing so remember to consult the expiry date of the products, and keep those that risk deteriorating more quickly within reach.

The refrigerator is not a window

Open and close the fridge door only if necessary, e do not leave the door open for too long. You would risk increasing the internal temperature and favoring proliferation of microorganisms unwanted (especially at the table).

Regular cleaning

Here’s one last tip: a constant cleaning of the refrigerator allows you to keep the battery charge and bad odors at bay, so remember to clean shelves and compartments regularly. About once a month it would, ideally, be optimal for everyone.

Very good! Now let’s see in more detail how to store food in the refrigerator to keep it nice and fresh and avoid waste.

Here’s how to store food in the refrigerator and avoid waste

When it comes to reduce waste in our fridgethere is only one password: organization. Inside the fridge, the temperature varies according to the different shelves, so it will be necessary to correctly use the sections dedicated to fresh foods and cheeses, meat, fish and fruit.

For sanitary reasons, this is important use the same compartments with disciplineso as to avoid contamination between raw and cooked foods.

How to arrange food in the fridge?

• Let’s start with lowest shelf of the refrigeratorthat is, the coldest. In this sector, the temperature is around 2°C, and is therefore suitable for preserving, for a maximum of 24 hours, products of animal origin such as raw meat, poultry and fish. It is important to store them in well-sealed and clean containers, so as to keep them fresh and prevent contamination.
• Proceeding upwards we will be able to have dairy products, eggs, yogurt and those products bearing the words “Store in the fridge after opening”.
• To the center we can have sauces, desserts, cooked foods and sausages. This arrangement will allow food to be kept at the right temperature and prevent the risk of contaminations.
• Inside the fridge door (usually the least cold part of the fridge), slightly higher temperatures are recorded. Here we will be able to arrange products that only require mild refrigeration, such as drinks, condiments, mustard or butter.
• And as for the drawers? Here the temperature can reach 10 degrees, and it is the ideal location for storing fresh fruit and vegetables.

How are cooked foods preserved?

The keeping food hot Another crucial point is: never put hot (or too cold) foods in the fridge or freezer.

The sudden change in temperature would produce an increase in the bacterial load of other foods and would force the fridge to work harder to reach the ideal temperature again. Better to wait for the food to reach room temperature. If necessary you could speed up the process by using ice bricks before placing in the fridge.

In all cases, never leave food uncovered in the fridge. Store them in special containers, preferably equipped with hermetic lidto preserve its freshness and avoid possible contamination between foods. And don’t forget that not all food goes in the fridge; some can be safely stored at room temperature, such as bread, unripe avocado, onions, tomatoes, eggs, exotic fruits, potatoes, bananas, chocolate, citrus fruits, honey and much more.

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