How to Organize Your Fridge to Reduce Waste
There’s nothing worse than wasting money on food that has gone bad. Food waste is a large problem causing wasted resources and food to end up in landfills. Not to mention the food could’ve gone to people in need. Here’s a few ways you can use up your food faster while optimizing your refrigerator space.
Front and Center. Keep items and foods you want to use front and center. If you see it every time you open the fridge you’re more likely to use it. Don’t worry about placing foods in places they “should” be going. Optimize the fridge to suit your needs so you don’t have to dig for items in the back of your fridge.
Organize by Meal. Take some time to sit down and plan out a few meals for the week. Leave room for impromptu meals or spontaneous cravings. After you have your meal list down, go through and organize your fridge so the ingredients for each meal are grouped together. You’ll cut down on decluttering and organizing later.
Learn Your Food. Your produce will taste better and last longer depending on how you store it. Some fruits and veggies are best kept on a counter at room temperature while others should be kept in a separate fridge drawer away from other produce. Broccoli and cauliflower can make other veggies go bad faster if they’re in the same drawer. You’ll save up on space while also prolonging the lifespan of your fruits and veggies with this method.
Know Yourself. As soon as you get home from a haul of grocery shopping, prep any veggies or fruits for use. You can store them in clear containers so you can easily grab what you need or satisfy a craving later. If you find yourself always hungry for a turkey sandwich, leave the turkey and the bread together so you can easily grab both later. If you tend to snack, leave out some easily accessible healthy options such as grapes or carrots. Tend to be a long recipe cooker? Meal prep and store your meals on a specific day of the week so everything is organized and ready when you need it to be.
The Freezer. Your freezer should be your go-to when preventing food waste. If your spinach is about to go bad, freeze it for a smoothie later. Don’t think you’re going to get to that chicken in time? Freeze it for when you have more time later. It’ll save you food and money in the long run.
Source: the Kitchn