This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. For more information, see my disclosure policy.
I recently teamed up with Glad Food Protection to take the #SAVEITSUNDAY pledge to not only help eliminate food waste in my own kitchen, but to show you some cool and creative ways you can reduce food waste in yours.
What is the #SAVEITSUNDAY pledge?
Well basically it’s about loving food more and wasting it less, one day at a time.
Today we’re talking fridge organization. Next to the washer/dryer eating your socks, I swear the fridge is the easiest place to lose things. I am convinced there is a Bermuda Triangle effect going on in my fridge sometimes. I will think I have everything accounted for and then, one day, out of nowhere, a yogurt with an expiration date of 2004 pops up. Where has it been? I don’t know.
Does that ever happen to you? This year, I am changing a couple of things around, all in the name of ZERO food waste, and it all starts with impeccable fridge organization {very Martha Stewart of me to use terms like impeccable fridge organization, don’t you think?}.
First, the basics: Did you know that in order to get the most out of your food, you should be storing certain things in certain spots in the fridge? For example, putting milk in the door is a no-no {same goes for yogurt}. It apparently needs to be on the shelves in the fridge, toward the back, where it stays coolest.
The door should be reserved for items that don’t need to stay as cool, like dressings and condiments {reason being, they typically have vinegar, a natural preservative}. Deli meats should actually go in the deli drawer, since it is designed to stay a little colder than the rest of the fridge. Veggies {except those that really don’t need refrigeration, like onions and potatoes} should go in the veggie drawer, which is specifically designed for the proper humidity.
Now that we have the basics out of the way, here are 10 of my favorite organization tips that will help make sure you use up ALL of your food and you can find it easily:
- I like to store several individual servings of soup, chili or rice in Glad containers to pack in lunches for my husband and kid’s after school snacks. I find that when I keep the leftovers in one big container, they are less likely to grab it and warm it up. Why? I literally have no idea, but I’ve stopped fighting it, and decided to just embrace what works.
- Lazy Susans. Oh, how I heart thee. Lazy Susans are awesome for those elusive things like yogurts that can get pushed to the back of the fridge, and I assume through a portal where they disappear for years at a time. Put the lazy Susan/turntable in the fridge, and you can easily give it a spin to find your flavor. Plus, older yogurts can go on the perimeter to ensure they get eaten first.
- Plastic baskets. Plastic baskets, that are labeled are awesome for keeping like things together, and again, preventing items from getting pushed deeper into the fridge where they will be lost forever. You can label the basket “condiments”, or “meats” {for the ones you are thawing for the week}, etc. That way, you can quickly grab the basket out of the fridge and get what you need.
- Line your shelves with Glad Press’n Seal. If something gets spilled it’s super easy to just peel it off and toss it. It’s OCD without the time commitment.
- Keep salad in mason jars. I don’t know why, I am sure there is something super scienc-y for the reason this works, but it will literally double the life of lettuce.
- Take inventory BEFORE you go grocery shopping. I know how it is, you’re out and about, and you think, I’m already here, I might as well get the grocery shopping out of the way. Don’t. You will buy things you don’t need just in case. Be meticulous about grocery shopping. Make a menu, make a list, check the fridge, then go. I promise, it will save you money in the long run.
- Label leftovers with masking tape. Quickly jot down whatever is hiding in the GladWare and slap it on. Your family will be much more likely to grab it, instead of rooting around and mussin’ up your system.
- Keep an “Eat Me First” bin in the fridge. Toss anything in that needs to be eaten within the week: yogurts, fruit, sour cream, etc.
- I have stainless steel, so I can’t do this one, but I did see the idea of keeping an inventory of the fridge with a dry erase marker on the front of the fridge. This is for the uber-organized, and if you do it, I’m gonna want to see a picture.
- Keep in mind that an over-stocked fridge not only leads to more food waste, it deteriorates faster. Food needs proper air circulation–cool on all sides. When a fridge is over-crowded, it limits how cold each individual item gets, leading to more rapid spoilage–which leads to Mavis feeling sad.
Do you have any tips on keeping your fridge organized?
~Mavis
For more information about the #SAVEITSUNDAY Pledge and how you can enter to win a gourmet chef prepared meal in your home, head on over to SAVEITSUNDAY
Looking for more Glad Food Protection Pointers? Head on over HERE where you’ll learn lot’s of cool tips and tricks to keep the food you love fresher, longer.
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Colleen says
Instead of using masking tape, i just use dry-erase markers to write what is in the container.
Mandy says
My mother always called the crisper drawer the rotter, because (and I quote) “I’ve never seen anything crisp come out of there.”
I have no tips, just that reading this made me remember something about my mom I’d forgotten, so thank you!
Kelley says
(this made my day – your mom just made my day)
Jennifer A. says
They do make a dry erase sheet you can stick onto a surface. I had one on our old fridge and it sort of helped. Debating if I want to get another one for my new fridge.
Sakura says
I spin my lettuce before putting it in jars and it lasts longer. Also I have a whiteboard on the side of my fridge that I keep a list of produce I have on hand. As I use up the item I erase it. This helps to use up items quickly. I also agree with you on left overs. I put them in individual containers and they are eaten right away.
Tina B says
I do the same thing with a white board on the side of my fridge, too! I have 2 columns; one is fruits, listing what and how many, while the other is veggies, also listing what and how many. I get my produce mostly through a wonderful co-op called Bountiful Baskets and before putting away my bounty I tally it up and write it on the white board. This happens on Friday night. During the day on Saturday, I come up with a menu for the week that is focused around that produce, so it gets used up, with the shorter lived stuff being used first. This helps me get in so many servings of veggies and fruits on a daily basis, I bet my body is wondering why I hadn’t always done this.
To help keep leftovers from “hiding and dying” I do a last in/first out thing in my fridge. New leftovers go on the “leftover shelf” and in the back. As I do this, I pull the stuff from yesterday or the day before towards the front. Nothing has gone bad on me in a very long time by following this simple routine.
Julie says
I too use a whiteboard of most of the things in my fridge so I can keep track of what I have. But I also do this with mini whiteboards inside my cupboards, lined up by each self so I know exactly what is there at all times. I’m short and this is my easy way of knowing of things that are in the back. I guess I’m also a bit OCD lol.
Wynne says
Number 8 — genius! I should be doing that.
I like to use glass containers (e.g. Glasslock) to store the individual portions so they can be microwaved in the container. It’s an investment to get a set, but I haven’t bought new plastic containers for years now. Also, there’s a product called Label Once with stickers you can write on and reuse. It’s like dry erase, only it works with Sharpie and a rubber eraser, and the sticker really lasts, even through the dishwasher.
gc says
My kids are the same way. If I individually package leftovers they will eat them, if it is in one big container it sits until I throw it way. I fumble thru the fridge every week before I go shopping, pitch anything bad, or plan to use up anything forgotten. Overall, I keep less in my fridge.