How to Tidy Your Fridge Like an Adult

It took many embarrassing trips to the trash can – throwing out moldy food and curiously sniffing heavy cream – to finally develop some adult fridge habits. For me, an adult refrigerator is the answer to some of life’s big questions, like “What’s the easiest way to stop food waste?” and “Will I ever stop sniffing cream?” It’s simple: all you need to develop adult fridge habits is a little nerdy fridge organization and an understanding of your strengths (and weaknesses).

This is part of the Adult Kitchen Skillet series , designed to answer your most basic culinary questions and fill in any gaps that your home culinary education may be missing.

Accept FIFO

First in, first out is an organizational tool that helps ensure that the first thing you buy or make gets eaten first. FIFO is the standard for organizing refrigerators in the food industry because it works and helps increase profits. This is ideal for items that expire quickly, items bought in duplicate, or items sold in bulk. I usually buy new almond milk, yogurt and cottage cheese when my last one runs out but isn’t ready yet. Instead of putting the new yogurt in front, I take the old half-eaten container out of the fridge, insert a new one, and push it back. Senior Yogurt is next, so now he’s ahead.

Put in a little effort now so you don’t waste your yogurt later. It sounds almost unnecessary, but maybe you know a person who simply grabs the thing closest to the door, even if the door is open behind it. This system was created for this person. Who are you, of course.

Label your food

Condiments in the refrigerator door are lost in sight. Even if you don’t keep your mustard and olive jars in a narrow doorway, it’s hard to line them up accurately because they’re so easy to push and shove in the back. Before you know it, you have four open jars of roasted red peppers, and one definitely from your New Year’s Eve party.

Label stored products. For jar lids, use a permanent marker and write the opening date directly on the lid. Use the largest font. For reusable containers, use a piece of sticky tape (bend one end so it’s easy to remove) and write down the date you cooked the food or the date you moved the food into the container. Once you’ve finished eating, remove the tape and your container is ready for the next job. No longer will you wonder if raw ground turkey is out of date, and the written date will remind you that the clock is ticking.

Eat the first basket (or shelf )

Even with the best organizational habits, leftover food and foil-wrapped snacks are pushed to the back of the refrigerator, where they end up in the bin a week later. Fight that fate and designate a shelf, a basket or a place for food in the refrigerator. This basket is great for any food with a short shelf life, such as some delicate vegetables, food that was shipped FIFO but is on its last legs, or small packaged snacks that are forgotten or slipped behind things like convenience foods. ate the deli sandwich you bought yesterday. The “Eat First” basket prioritizes where you get your food.

Adult Refrigerator Tools:

For the stackable option: Stackable organizer containers for the refrigerator.

For a larger basket: X-large Bino Storage Bin

Freeze-safe containers with clear lids: Joyjolt Joyful Borosilicate Glass Storage Containers

A whole bunch of deli containers that are easy to stack and store: Freshware Food Storage 16oz plastic deli containers with lids

Marking tape: blue or brown

Classic Sharpie Marker: Sharpie 6-Pack Fine Point Permanent Marker Black

Now that the nerdy organization is out of the way, the last step is to work on your strengths. Or maybe, I should say, avoid your natural human weakness to forget what you can’t see. Out of sight, out of mind is the real thing when it comes to leftovers. When you store food in colorful containers, you are more likely to forget about them. Instead, store leftovers in clear containers ( deli soup containers are a favorite).

This also applies to the lid, as opaque lids can hide the contents if the container is on the bottom shelf. When you find yourself browsing the fridge for a snack, you might see the tempting leftovers of fried chicken thighs from last night or the last birthday waffle cake you baked. It is more likely to be eaten quickly than found in the back of a refrigerator next month.

Developing good habits can be challenging, but having an adult fridge and reducing food waste is worth it. Start slowly. Try FIFO, and once it becomes a habit, try the labeling trick. You’ll enjoy your meal more, save money, and notice your fridge space is more organized.

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