Tip of the week: happy fridge, happy family

Organise your fridge to cut your food waste & bill

08/11/17

Something as simple as organising your fridge can be a great way to cut your food waste, save you money, (or help you avoid other jobs you are putting off).

Just follow our nine steps to a happy fridge…

1. The back - When you buy new food, put it at the back. It’s all too easy to keep blocking the older food with new purchases and then it never ever gets eaten.
2. Eye level - Keep items that will go off quickly near the front and at eye-line level so you see them every time you open the door and then you won’t forget it’s there.
3. Bottom drawer - Put condiments and sauces here. All too often we put veg in the bottom drawer and it’s a case of out of sight, out of mind.
4. Bottom shelf - Keep meats well wrapped on the bottom shelf. Anything accidental drips won't contaminate the rest of your food. It’s also the coldest place in the fridge.
5. Top shelf - Dairy products should be on the top shelf. The temperate up there is the most consistent so the food will last longer.
6. Separate fruit and veg - Some fruits (like apples, stone fruits, kiwis, mangoes and pears) give off ethylene which makes vegetables go off quicker.
7. Cheese - Cheese lasts best when wrapped in cheese paper. It does well in waxed paper or parchment paper too. This lets it breathe a little bit without drying out.
8. Counter top - Garlic, onions, tomatoes, potatoes, bananas and citrus don’t like being in the fridge. Keep them cool in a cupboard or on the counter.
9. Bread - Bread goes stale in the fridge. But it lasts for a long time in the freezer. Give the loaf a little shake before you freeze, it’ll help to separate the slices.