Freezer
Let’s start with
the obvious stuff: Freezers are for storing frozen things (duh!). Your ice goes
in the freezer, as do frozen fruits, veggies, meat, stock, and other items. You
can also store a surprising number of other foods in the freezer for later use,
such as tortillas, pasta sauce, and even eggs. (Note: You can freeze bread for
up to three months, but don’t store it in the fridge or it’ll dry out.) The
trick with freezers is to pack foods tightly in their containers and keep
things well organized, since this optimizes storage and also saves energy (and
moolah on that energy bill). Rather than using glass jars, which can break,
freeze foods in stackable plastic containers or in plastic freezer bags laid
flat.
Doors
Doors are the
warmest part of the fridge and should be reserved for foods that are most
resistant to spoiling. Keep condiments, juices, and other foods that can stand
up to temperature fluctuations here. (And remember that even condiments have a
shelf life). Since fridge doors can get warm (particularly when they're opened
often), eggs and dairy shouldn’t go here, even if you guzzle milk straight from
the carton all the live-long day. (Although if that’s how you roll, you have
bigger bacteria to worry about.)
Upper Shelves
The upper shelves
of the fridge have the most consistent temperatures, while the lower shelves
are coldest. One pro strategy from restaurant kitchens is to place foods that
don’t need to be cooked near the top of the fridge. This includes leftovers,
drinks, and ready-to-eat foods like tortillas, hummus, and deli meats. Herbs
can be kept fresh by placing them upright in a vase or jar with water and
loosely covering it with a plastic bag. You’ll also want to keep berries up
here for easy access (see the crisper section for more berry info).
Lower Shelves
The lower shelves
are your best bet for raw meat, eggs, seafood, and other dairy to be stored at
the coldest temperatures. To prevent raw meat’s bacteria from spreading to
other areas, assign a particular section of the fridge as your meat locker.
Keep meat in its original packaging, and place it on a plate or in and
improvised bin that’s cleaned regularly.
Overall: Don’t
crowd your shelves too much. Unlike the freezer, the fridge shouldn’t be
totally packed. Cold air needs to flow here, and if it can’t, you’ll get
inconsistent temps with pockets of heat and warmth. (Lukewarm yogurt, anyone?
Didn’t think so.) Leaving a little wiggle room between your leftovers will also
help keep down your energy bill.
Crisper Drawers
The purpose of
crisper drawers is to maintain moist conditions that help preserve fruits and
vegetables. But don’t make the mistake of jumbling all your produce together in
a fruit and veg free-for-all. Many fruits, including apples, peaches, plums,
pears, and cantaloupes, produce ethylene, a chemical that helps them to ripen.
Unfortunately the ethylene produced can also promote ripening in other plants,
causing vegetables to go yellow, limp, or even sprout. For this reason, keep
veggies in one drawer and fruits in another.
Fruits and veggies
should be washed before eating, but too much moisture can cause foods to flip
from ripe to rotten before you can get your antioxidants on. The goal is to
wash fruits and veggies when it’s convenient, but not so far in advance that
they are likely to spoil before you eat them. When washing fruits, remove extra
moisture by draining in a colander, blotting with paper towel, or using a salad
spinner. Berries are particularly fragile, so handle with care and gobble them
within a day or two of washing. (Storing them on the top shelf of the fridge
will help with that.) Once washed, put greens and herbs in a plastic bag or
container with a square of paper towel to soak up excess moisture and
everything else in clean (and preferably clear) containers. Put the containers
back in the crisper for longer-term storage or on the top shelf where you’re
more likely to see them and eat them up quickly.
