A Flawless Fridge

Ok so not flawless… but on the path to!

One thing I love about J is his desire to also have a “pretty fridge.” We love matching water bottles and rows of pretty drinks, but as I’ve been cooking more, we’ve needed to make room for the “not so pretty stuff” (guess that cameo in Cribs isn’t happening anytime soon…). Here is the method to our madness:

Top Shelf: Beers, Waters, Soda, Mixers

2nd Shelf: Wine, Milk, Dairy (Sour Cream, etc.)

3rd Shelf: Meat, Tofu, Misc.

Top Drawer: Cheese, Lunch Meat

2nd Drawer: Heartier Fruits and Vegetables (ie Broccoli)

3rd Drawer: Lettuce, Herbs

Top Shelf in Door: Savory (Pickles, Dips, Sauces, etc.)

2nd Shelf in Door: Main Condiments (ie Mustard, Mayo)

3rd Shelf in Door: Sweets (Jams, Hot Fudge, etc.)

Bottom Shelf in Door: Ethnic Sauces, Marinades, etc.

Thanks to Pintrest I’ve learned a lot of “refrigerator rules” and here are some of my favorites:

• Berries: Wash berries with a mixture of 1 part vinegar to 8 parts water. Let berries soak for a few minutes then lightly rinse and store in a Tupperware.  Before I did this, my berries spoiled in a few days, now they last 3 weeks!

• Cheese: Wrap cheese in wax paper and then place in a plastic baggie or wrap in foil (do NOT put in plastic wrap)

• Juice: Freeze fruit juice (i.e. lemon/lime/orange) in ice cube trays for future use (Great if you have a fruit tree, and can’t consume everything in season!)

• Bananas: Wrap the crown of bananas in plastic wrap (Don’t refrigerate – keep separate from other fruits/veggies)

• Salad: Put a paper towel on top of salad to keep it fresh longer. I also do this when I pack lunch salads for work.

• Celery/Broccoli: Wrap celery and broccoli in tin foil before storing in the fridge  

• Tomatoes: They should be kept at room temperature on the counter away from sunlight (not touching each other, stem side up)

• Mushrooms: Store in a paper bag

• Don’t mix fruit/veggies/meat in the same drawer!  I keep salads/herbs in one drawer and more heartier fruits and veggies in another.

• Invest in some clear glass containers to store food.  I also keep scotch tape and a sharpie near by to write dates on leftovers and cardboard containers (i.e. almond milk, chicken broth)