Tips For Organizing Your Fridge Larder

A fridge larder is an excellent option to store food that is past its best. It also helps you manage a smaller refrigerator and help you save money on your energy bill!

It's the perfect location to store items such as hard cheeses, breads and eggs. There are also fresh herbs, which benefit from low humidity.

Keep It Organized

A fridge's larder can help reduce food waste and helps you find items when cooking. The refrigerator, like any other room in your house, can become overcrowded and out of control. Here are some suggestions to ensure that your refrigerator runs smoothly and neatly.

Take inventory

The most important aspect of organizing your fridge is to take inventory, according to Holly Blakey, a professional organizer at Breathing Room. "Take everything out, look up expiration dates and clean the surfaces." Get rid of expired food items and throw away leftovers, and get rid of everything that isn't eatable before it spoils.

Blakey suggests placing the most frequently used items on the front of your fridge. Then, place those items that aren't often used in the back and the back of your refrigerator.

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 group items that are similar. Store condiments in one bin and sodas in another and cheese sticks in the third. You can also make use of a lazy Susan for condiments and other commonly used items to prevent them from getting lost in the back.

In a fridge with a side-by-side layout you can store food items that require the coldest temperatures in the back, and warmer foods toward the front. The lower shelf is great for yogurt, milk, cream and butter (it does not melt). And the crisper drawers are best for storing spillage of produce.

Drawer dividers make your fridge more efficient and are simple to install. They will prevent your vegetables and fruits from rolling around. This will prevent the food from spoiling. They'll also keep your drawers neat and tidy. To extend the time of tender herbs place them in water. Mason jars that are filled with an inch of liquid work great. Alternately, you can purchase an herb saver to put in your fridge.

Keep It Visible

Keep your fridge organized to help you choose healthy foods and stay content throughout the day. Make sure that all of your lids and containers for food are clear to see what's inside. This will inform you of the number of days are left until the expiration dates, and also prevent you from keeping food that is past its expiration date.

Start by giving your refrigerator's larder a thorough cleaning. Scrub the drawers, shelves, and racks with warm water and dish detergent. Give your fridge a thorough scrub to get rid of any food debris and spills that may have accumulated.

Restock your fridge once everything is dry and clean. Start with the cheese and deli drawer -- that's where you should keep your cheeses, deli meats, leftovers and fridge larder dairy items. Then move to the produce drawer, which should be reserved for leafy greens because they can wilt quickly. Make sure it is at least three-quarters full to ensure maximum freshness.

You can store bulky items in the pantry drawers of certain refrigerators, like tray sets for parties and large bags of frozen veggies. You can also use this space to store condiments such mayonnaise, mustard and ketchup, as well as nuts and other canned goods. Milk should not be stored here as the temperature can fluctuate and cause it to spoil quickly.

Finally, the rear of your fridge should be reserved for jarred meals like salad dressings, salad dressings and other condiments that are able to last longer. Use a riser on jars to make them easier to read. This will save you from having to open and close the lid multiple times, which will increase the life of your condiments.

Label each bin using a marker, or stickers that can be read easily. This will make it easier for your family members to know the contents of each container, and 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 that you produce.

Keep It Cool

A good fridge larder will keep food at the proper temperature to avoid spoilage and also slow down bacterial growth. Larders are installed into cabinets that are already in place or can stand alone. They are usually placed on the north-facing side of the house to limit sunlight exposure. They may also have additional insulation or ventilation to keep heat from entering the food storage area. They also typically have more solid walls and less windows to keep the interior at the lower temperature than other areas of the house.

A larder should have an area for meat storage and one for vegetables each with a distinct setting that can be programmed to the appropriate temperature. This will ensure that the burgers and chicken are cooked to perfection, but the salad greens will not be overly discolored. A larder drawer can also be set to a low humidity setting for fruits and vegetables which release lots of moisture, like cucumbers or tomatoes.

Other drawers inside the fridge can contain items such as cheese -- fresh, cream and hard -wrapped in paper or greaseproof or clingfilm so that you can preserve it 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 kept in the refrigerator doors however - these shelves are warmer and more unstable than other drawers.

For a streamlined look, corralling small containers of food and snacks can help to make the contents more noticeable and useful when family members are searching for food items on the go. Labeling bins and shelving 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 excellent place to store leftovers. You can keep them in various plastic and glass containers that are safe for food items. These are perfect for smaller amounts of ingredients. Making these available for quick meals is a sure way to save time and money when shopping. And if you have a clear and tidy fridge, with space specifically designated for storage of these items, it will be much easier to stay on top of your food budget!

Keep It Fresh

The best tips for organizing your fridge reduce food waste by helping your healthy foods last longer. Some smart strategies will keep your fresh food items at the right temperature and make it easy to see what's in your fridge.

The majority of refrigerators have crisper drawers designed to alter airflow and increase humidity to extend the life of vegetables and fruits. But it's important to use them properly. If you mix greens and fruits, for instance, the ethylene created by the latter could cause the former to turn brown and then spoil quickly. Separating produce types and storing them in the appropriate drawers is crucial.

Door shelves are often the warmest area of the smeg fridge and should be reserved for food items that don't require a colder temperature or special storage conditions like jam jars, chutneys salad dressings, and long-life juices (anything that is bought in bulk with the same expiration date). The top shelf is ideal for beverages that can be stored upright and without spilling, like water and milk.

Refrigerator drawers can be tricky to organize with all the items moving around and getting scattered However, there are easy tricks to aid. Set up a refrigerator with drawer dividers. This will keep your produce separated and prevent them from getting squished together. It is also useful. Keep produce that is similar in height on the same shelf and don't place items that aren't of the same height next to each other Raw meat shouldn't be kept in the same drawer with cooked ham!

A thermometer is an additional important item to have for your fridge's larder. It's a cheap under counter fridge, easy-to-use tool that can ensure that your american fridge is operating at the right temperature to keep your food fresh and safe.

Don't forget to keep a stash of plastic grocery bags in your fridge for storing produce that doesn't have its own container. The moisture contained in the bag keeps veggies from becoming rotten too quickly. For herbs that typically will wilt over time, you can keep them fresher longer by washing them and putting them in a glass of water. This is as effective as a plastic sack in retaining moisture.