How to Store Food in Fridge?
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Knowing where to store food in the refrigerator is a question many people want to know the answer to. Refrigeration of food is important to ensure food is safe to eat and to prevent the spread of harmful bacteria from raw to ready-to-eat foods. Yes, the refrigerator can be a grim cave of wonders. But it’s not just a closet for food. An appliance that helps you keep all your favorite snacks, condiments, and meal fixtures in optimum condition. So, here in this post, you will get to know how to store food in the fridge.
How to Organize your Fridge
One of the biggest mistakes people make is overfilling the refrigerator. When food blocks the airflow, the refrigerator works slower. You can put food in the refrigerator in an intelligent way to maintain good airflow and a uniform temperature. Avoid placing food on the back or sides of the refrigerator and aim to keep all food about half an inch apart. This will allow air to flow between the refrigerator spaces and reduce the chance of food going rancid.
You need to clean the refrigerator twice a month. You can install a food thermometer in your refrigerator to ensure the right temperature. Place it on the second shelf from the top to make sure the readings are correct. If the temperature starts to rise, you can lower the temperature of the refrigerator or call any technician. Here below are some tips on how to organize your fridge.
Freezer
You need a freezer basically to freeze food items which are required. Ice for drinks and smoothies goes into the freezer just like frozen fruits, vegetables, meats, broths, and other items. You can keep homemade stock for thickening the soup in the freezer until it is needed. The secret to your freezer is to pack your food tightly in containers and keep everything organized. This will optimize your storage and save more energy costs.
Door
The door is the warmest part of the refrigerator and should hold food that is most resistant to spoilage. Store seasonings, juices, and other foods here that can withstand temperature changes. You should not keep eggs and dairy products in the door if you open the fridge door every time.
Upper Shelves
The top shelf of the refrigerator maintains the most constant temperature, and the bottom shelf is the coldest. You all use one tactic to put food on the upper shelf of the fridge that doesn’t need to be cooked. This includes leftovers, drinks, and ready-to-eat foods like tortillas, hummus, and deli meats. You can also keep the herbs fresh by standing them upright in a vase or jar of water and loosely covering them with a plastic bag.
Lower Shelves
Low shelves are best for storing raw meat, eggs, seafood, and other dairy products. It should be stored at the coldest temperature. To prevent the spread of bacteria from raw meat to other areas, designate specific areas of the refrigerator as meat storage areas. This is now for the meat and nothing else. No vegetable can cross this border.
Crisper Drawer
The purpose of crisp drawers is to keep them moist, which helps preserve fruits and vegetables. But don’t make the mistake of shuffling all your products to give fruits and vegetables all free. You are recommended to store vegetables and fruits separately.
Top of the Fridge
People often keep things on top of their refrigerators. Do not leave wine here as it may spoil the wine. Also, do not put bread on top of the refrigerator. The heat in the refrigerator can spoil it faster. It’s a good idea to place appliances, cookbooks, or non-food items on top of it.
Do not put coffee here as it may spoil the coffee. While it’s coffee-themed, it’s important to point out that freezing or refrigeration of coffee doesn’t make it last longer. It dries the beans and destroys the oils that give the coffee a fresh taste.
Recommended Refrigerator Temperature
You should measure the temperature of the refrigerator regularly to ensure that your food does not get spoiled by bacteria. Keep the refrigerator temperature below 41°F (5°C) to ensure food safety and avoid bacterial growth.
Many refrigerators have a built-in thermometer. If your fridge does not have this feature, you will need to store the instrument thermometer in the refrigerator. This can be very important, especially if there is a power outage. Food is safe to consume if the refrigerator is still below 41°F when turned on. You should not consume food if the temperature in the refrigerator rises above 41°F, as this increases the risk of food-borne diseases.
Food hygiene tips for your refrigerator
You should keep the temperature of the refrigerator to 0-5°C to slow food spoilage and prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. At this temperature, your food will be safe to eat. Also, don’t forget to keep an eye on the expiration date. You should not consume foods that are past their end date because that can be harmful to health. You can have foods past their best before date, as this is only a mark of quality, not safety.
