"Ask Me Anything:10 Responses To Your Questions About Fridge Larder

Tips For Organizing Your Fridge Larder

A fridge's larder is the ideal location to store food items that are no longer in use. You can also use a smaller refrigerator and save money on energy bills!

It's a great place to store items like hard cheeses, breads and eggs. Fresh herbs also benefit from the lack of moisture.

Keep It In Order

A refrigerator larder can reduce food waste and makes it easier to locate items when cooking. But, just like any other room in your home, the refrigerator can get messy and uncontrollable. Here are a few tips to keep your refrigerator organized and functioning smoothly.

Take inventory

The most important aspect of organizing your kitchen is to take inventory, according to Holly Blakey, a professional organizer at Breathing Room. "Take everything out, verify expiration dates, and wash the surfaces." Throw out expired foods and throw away leftovers and get rid of all food items that aren't likely to be eaten before they turn bad.

Blakey suggests placing the most frequently used items in the front of your fridge. Then, put away the less frequently used items in the back and the bottom of your fridge.

Organize Your Freezer

If you have a chest freezer, you can organize it with clear storage bins which will allow you to locate foods more easily. Label each bin clearly and categorize items that are similar. For example, store a bin to store condiments, another for sodas and one for cheese sticks. You can also use a lazy Susan for condiments and other frequently used items to keep them from being lost in the back.

In a side-by-side fridge you can store food items that require the coldest temperatures in the back, and warmer food items in the front. The lower shelf is ideal for milk, yogurt, cream and butter (it does not melt). And the crisper drawers are ideal to store spillage from produce.

Drawer dividers are an affordable and simple method of making your refrigerator more functional. They'll stop your fruits and veggies from rolling around. They will also stop them from rotting. They'll also help keep your drawers clean and organized. Another tip fridges for sale your refrigerator is to keep tender herbs in water to extend their life. (Mason jars with an inch of water work great.) Alternately, you can purchase an herb saver to place in your fridge.

Keep It Visible

Keep your fridge organized to help you choose healthy food choices and feel satisfied throughout the day. Make sure that all your lids and containers for food are clear so you can see what's inside. This will let you know the remaining days on your expiration date and make sure you don't store food that is past its prime.

Begin your fridge's larder off with a thorough clean by cleaning the drawers, shelves and racks with warm water and dish soap. Then give your refrigerator a thorough clean to rid of any gross spills and crumbs that may have accumulated over time.

Restock your fridge once everything is dry and clean. Start with the cheese and deli drawer -- that's the place to store your cheeses, meats leftovers, dairy items and other food items. Then move to the produce drawer, which should be kept for leafy greens as they tend to fade quickly. Make sure it is at least three-quarters full to ensure maximum freshness.

The pantry drawers in certain refrigerators can be helpful for storing party trays, large bags of frozen vegetables and other food items that are bulky. It is also a great space to store condiments such as ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise as well as nuts and other canned items. Milk shouldn't be stored in this area as the temperature can fluctuate and cause it to spoil quickly.

The back of your refrigerator should be used for salad dressings, condiments and other jarred items that will last for an extended period of time. Try using a riser to elevate jars, so they are easier to read. This will help you avoid opening and closing the lids a few times.

Label each bin using a marker, or with stickers that can be easily read. This will make it easy for your family members to know what each container contains, and for you to find the items you need. Labeled bins are an excellent method of decluttering your refrigerator freezer and reducing the amount of plastic waste you generate.

Keep it Cool

A fridge with a good larder can keep foods at the right temperature to protect against spoiling and to slow down bacterial growth. Larders can be built into existing cabinets or can stand alone. They are typically located on the north-facing side of the home to minimize sun exposure. They may also have additional insulation or ventilation to keep heat from getting into the food storage area. They also typically have more solid walls and less windows to keep the inside at less temperature than other areas of the home.

The larder should contain a drawer for each type of food, like meat and vegetables. Each drawer can be programmed with the correct temperature. This will ensure that the chicken and burgers are cooked to perfection, however the salad greens won't get too discolored. A drawer for the larder can be set to a low humidity setting for vegetables and fruits that expel a lot of moisture, like tomatoes or cucumbers.

To preserve cheese, you can keep it in different drawers of the refrigerator. Wrapped in paper, greaseproof or Clingfilm or greaseproof film, you can keep it fresher for longer. Drinks, non-perishable condiments like eggs, ketchup and water can also be stored in the fridge's door. The fridge door is not the best place to store milk, because it is warmer and less stable than other drawers.

To give your space a more sleek appearance, you can organize small containers to make them more visible. This is beneficial for family members who are traveling and require food. Labeling bins or shelves to identify which food items should be eaten first is also beneficial, especially when your family members don't know how to read labels!

Larders are also a great place to keep leftovers. You can keep them in a variety of plastic and glass containers that are safe for food preparation. They are great for storing smaller portions of food items. These containers are great for freezer saving time and money when shopping. And if you have a neat and tidy fridge, with an area specifically for storing these, it will be easier to keep on top of your grocery budget!

Keep it Fresh

The best tips for organizing your fridge reduce food waste by helping your healthy foods last longer. Some smart strategies help keep your fresh food at the right temperature and make it easier to know what you have and where it is.

Crisper drawers are included in most refrigerators. They alter airflow and increase humidity, extending the shelf life of fruits and vegetables. It's important to use these drawers correctly. Mixing fruit and greens could cause the former, such as the greens to wilt or spoil too quickly due to the ethylene created. Separating different types of fruits and storing them in the appropriate drawers is also crucial.

Door shelves are often the warmest area of the fridge and should be reserved for food items that don't require a colder temperature or special storage conditions such as jam jars, chutneys salad dressings, and long-life juices (anything bought in bulk with the same date of use). The top shelf can be used to store drinks such as milk and water, which can be stored upright.

It can be difficult to keep refrigerator drawers organized, with items that are moving and jumbling. But there are some simple tricks to help. First, you should invest in refrigerator drawer dividers to keep your food items separated and stop them from colliding with each one. Organizing by size is also helpful. Produce of similar heights can be stored together. Don't store items that aren't of the same height in the same drawer.

A thermometer is an additional important item to have for your fridge's larder. It's a simple, inexpensive and easy to use tool that will make sure your fridge is operating at the ideal temperature to keep your food safe and fresh.

Have a stash in your refrigerator of plastic bags for storing produce that is not in a container. The moisture contained in the bag keeps vegetables from turning brown. For herbs that normally go through a slow decline in the course of a day they can be kept fresher for longer by washing them before putting them in a glass of water. This is as effective as a plastic sack in conserving moisture.