Do you have a system for your refrigerator, or do you just put food wherever you can find an empty spot?
If you use the latter method, you probably see more food spoilage. In fact, you may have to occasionally go hunting through the fridge to find out “what is that smell?!”
Keeping your refrigerator decluttered is a fairly easy process once you develop a system. The main goal is to keep your food easily accessible and highlight the foods that need to be eaten soonest.
Before we get started, you first have to clear out all the expired food, and this includes all those jars in the door you’ve had for 5+ years.
Now that you have only edible food in your refrigerator, think about how you want to use it.
- Dedicate space for frequent meal preparation: I have yogurt with granola every day for breakfast along with a fruit/vegetable smoothie. One shelf of my refrigerator has yogurt and the refrigerated shake ingredients so I can easily grab them first thing in the morning.
- Showcase the foods that will spoil soon by having them front and center. This will encourage you to use them in meal preparation. Angela makes it fun by adding an “Eat Me!” label to the shelf. Clear containers also make it easy to see what’s inside.
- Control the environment: Check the temperature to make sure foods are properly stored. My refrigerator consistently stays too cold, so I have the setting quite low. I also put liners in the bins to help absorb any moisture that could make my fruits and vegetables too cold.
- Develop a rotation system: When you buy new food, make sure you put it behind your older food. This keeps your food waste low and your budget on track.
- Don’t forget the freezer: If it is older than 6 months, it is probably freezer burned by now and can be tossed. Store your foods in airtight containers or bags and label them (include the date). No more “mystery meat” for dinner, and no more wasted food.
To keep your refrigerator decluttered, go through it once a week to identify foods that need to be eaten soon and toss what is no longer edible. To find out how long you can refrigerate or freeze foods, you can print out this food guide to hang on your refrigerator.
Once your refrigerator is decluttered, you’ll save money by having less food spoilage and eat better because all of your food is easy to find.
For a list of all the decluttering articles, click here.
About Betsy
Hey, that’s awesome that you linked to me. That "Eat Me" label is working so well it’s almost scary. This week I found my husband had let the bottom of a jar of spaghetti sauce go moldy because he was so focused on the Eat Me! section. It’s hard to emphasize how incredible it is that he would let that happen, because he eats spaghetti and tomato sauce several times a week.
Thanks for the food chart. I wonder if you know about condiments and how long they last- I feel bad throwing them out if they’re still good, but some have been in there for years. Do you know a source to check for that?
I always link to interesting people! Condiments usually have an expiration date on them, but you can use this as a general guide: Table of Condiments that Periodically Go Bad
I like it because it mirrors the Periodic Table of Elements and I’m just a little bit nerdy that way. You can also check the website of the product for guidelines.
My wife recently brought home these “green bags” that say they keep fruits and veggies fresher longer. I called BS, but I’ve been proven wrong. They literally keeps stuff 2-3 weeks longer, still crisp and everything. A little pricey per bag, but I wash and reuse them, and they save me money on throwing out old food. Sara found them at Fred Meyer, and they’re online here https://www.greenbags.com/ to take a look. Seriously, just get past the cheesy infomercial feel of the website; they really do work.
Thanks for writing in, Joe. I’m at a women’s conference in Dallas right now, and the keynote speaker today was Debbie Myers, creator of the green bags! I have them at home and they do work (just make sure there is no moisture on your veggies when you put them in).