The Correct Way to Stock Your Fridge

Summer is here, and the fridge seems to get more use than ever before, from fresh snacks to preventing your fruit from expiring early with the warmer temperatures in your kitchen. Because of this, the biggest problem many families face in the summer is not having enough space for everything in their fridge.

Correct organisation and stocking can provide you with more space than you thought you could get from your fridge. As appliance suppliers, we have various sizes of fridges and freezers online, with many larger options offering additional features and storage options. However, we want to ensure that you get the most from your appliance before becoming unsatisfied with it.

The Correct Order to Fill Your Fridge

Most fridges have a minimum of two shelves and a draw at the bottom, yet some may come with additional shelving, wine racks, and even two side-by-side drawers. Whilst this information assists you in stocking correctly, it may require adjusting to your own personal appliance.

Fruit and Veg – This food belongs in what is commonly known as the crisper drawer. There are varying humidity levels throughout the fridge, and if you prefer to keep your fruit and veg with less moisture to make them soggy, they belong here. To help your fruit and veg last even longer in the drawers, we advise lining them with paper towels. This helps absorb any excess water and prevents it from turning your fresh produce bad.  

Raw Poultry and Meats – Any meat product must be wrapped or covered when left in a fridge. This prevents the spread of bacteria that contaminates the rest of the refrigerator. We specifically advise stackable plastic tubs but will cover this later.

Dairy Products – Most households will place their milk on the helpful shelf on the fridge door when the more optimal temperature for preservation is in the centre. The shelves on the door fluctuate in temperature, so for prolonged life, milk is best kept on a shelf. However, butter and cheese can sit quite happily on the shelf in the door.

Eggs – That little tray in your brand new fridge freezer is a cracking help for storing eggs in a chilled environment. While eggs are required in the fridge in America, in the UK, eggs can be placed on the counter in their original packaging as an alternative if you struggle for space in your fridge.

Food Fridge Myths

Regarding what belongs in the fridge and what doesn't, it can cause great debate amongst friends and families. Each household deals with items differently, and whilst there is a suggested way to store food, so long as they are kept clean and safe and are not out of date, they will be fine.

Things that shouldn’t go in the fridge;

• Baked goods – Keep them fresher for longer in a bread bin.
• Potatoes – These will last just as long on the side or in a veg storage system.
• Tomatoes – Loving the sun, these will stay juicier in an open container in your kitchen.
• Onions – Again, for their best flavour, keep these in a veg storage system.
• Fruits with Hard Seeds – Like tomatoes, these also love the sun; instead of the fridge, leave them in a fruit bowl or basket for a juicier taste.

Apples, garlic, ground coffee, oils, honey, and spices are also items that should be left out of the fridge for maximum taste.

The Right Temperature of a Fridge

The average temperature for a fridge in the UK is 7°C. However, optimal freshness and extension of food’s life should be between 0-5°C. This can usually be adjusted inside your fridge, with most new appliances, such as our Bosch fridge freezers which come with thermostatic control.

Even though your fridge may be set at a specific temperature, that does not mean the entire fridge will be at this temperature. For example, anything in the door, at the top or in the drawers will be at a higher temperature than the items in the centre of the fridge; something to consider when finding the correct spot for anything sensitive.

If your fridge is at the correct temperature and you still find that your food is going off quicker than it should, it could be broken. Whilst purchasing a new one may seem the quick and easy option, at Walworth Appliances, we can provide fridge and freezer repairs in the local area. Speak to us if you are nearby and see if we can help. 

Organising and Stock Rotation

When you restock your fridge after a big shop, it can often feel like Tetris making sure everything can fit correctly. The best thing you can do is purchase storage containers. It may feel pointless, but we can sure you that they make a tremendous difference. Empty anything in a multipack and store them in containers. For the likes of cheese strings and chocolate finger biscuits, you can fit much more in standing up than lying horizontally.

With melons and other round fruit, cutting them up before putting them in the fridge not only preserves their flavour but containing them in airtight tubs can ensure they last longer, and you can stack several on top of one another. This is also helpful for most fresh fruit and vegetables. By pre-slicing them, you can prepare meals easier, grab a snack quicker and offer a healthier and fuller fridge.

With multipacks, you will find that you can store them more efficiently without excess packaging. By separating them before entering the fridge, you can ensure that you recycle the extra packaging well. The only multipack which offers helpful storage solutions for fridges is the multipack of cans. They often come in cardboard boxes (“fridge packs”) which allow you to cut the corner off and let the cans come forward one by one. You can buy many fridge storage containers to help for organisation, including pop can storage. If you want pots to store horizontally, we advise buying flexible plastic, which can offer more durability and squeeze into more compact spaces.

In addition to organising your items after a big shop, you need to be sure that you are rotating anything you already have in the fridge. Prioritising moving the older items to the front will prevent using items with a longer best before date and ensure that nothing goes to waste.

Still No Space?

If you have tried all the tips and tricks in the world and still struggle to get your everyday shopping into your fridge, it is time to take a trip and purchase a new one. We have a huge range of appliances, from big brand names to smaller ones like New World appliances. You can buy online or visit our appliance centre in Hampshire.