Do you know that every product and food should have its own place in the refrigerator? Some products prefer cold places, while others should be kept in warm places.
Food storage is a serious thing, which helps save products and money. Our main task is to make our fridge the right place where food will be kept maximum long, without losing its flavor. In this article, you'll find some tips and simple rules, which help you keep everything fresher and tastier.
Clean Refrigerator
First of all, open your fridge and throw away all the unnecessary food. This doesn't mean that you have to say a "goodbye" to all your food products. No! Throw away spoiled products and those that have grown moldy. Don't make your refrigerator a graveyard for food!
How to Store Products in a Fridge
Most products absorb outside smells and, as a result, lose their flavor and get spoiled. Eggs do not only absorb outside scents but also produce carbonic acid gas. Keep them in the original carton and, before putting in a fridge, wash them and wipe dry.
The scent of dairy products may also suffer. Cheese, curd, and butter should be stored in special containers. Add one piece of lump sugar to the container with cheese, otherwise, it may become dry.
Put meat and sausages on a baking tray and keep them separately from dairy products. This is how they will stay fresh longer and will not spoil. Do the same thing with fish and vegetables.
Some fruit and vegetables produce harmful gas (ethylene), that is why you must keep them separately from those which are sensitive to it. Apples, pears, plums, apricots, avocados produce ethylene. Keep them away from broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, cauliflower, fresh herbs, green beans, and kiwi.
Proper Storage Places
It depends on what the refrigerator you have. You'll find the coolest shelf either above the freezer compartment or below it. Cool meat and fish should be stored on the bottom of a fridge. Since the back is cooler than the front, put dairy products there. Marinade, dressings, sauces, jams, and sodas should be stored in a door. You can also put butter there. By the way, olive and vegetable oil suffer from cold, while peanut oil needs it.
Fresh juices should not be stored at all. Thus, if you don't have a choice, put them closer to the back of the fridge.
Ready to cook and ready to eat food should be kept in the coolest place of your refrigerator.
There are special bins in a fridge for controlling humidity. Unless you want limp lettuce, a good rule is to keep it in a humidity bin. Mushrooms don't like humidity, so, store them in a paper bag.
Remember that a refrigerator can affect the flavor and texture of many fruit and vegetables. For example, bananas turn black, tomatoes lose their flavor.
Finally, check the products you have in a fridge before going shopping. Probably, you already have the product you want to buy!
