Which Fridge Shelves Should You Store Your Food On?

The question of where a food item belongs in the fridge is a question many people would give anything to know; why? Keep reading to find out.

Refrigeration is very important because it can save you hundreds of dollars. But, if you have ever put cheese at the bottom of the rack of your fridge then you must have noticed that it didn't last very long.

This is because it would have done better at the top of the racks with other dairy products. The ruined cheese will cost you money to replace but knowing that simple rule would have saved you money and a trip to the grocer's.

Below are various categories of food items and where to store them in your fridge:

Ready-to-eat foods

This includes dairy products, ready-made meals, packaged foods, leftovers, cooked meats and even prepared salads. All of them need to be put in a container before entering the fridge. This is to prevent contamination.

Also note that ready-to-eat foods have to be stored at the top or middle shelf of the fridge, where they are far away from raw foods. This precaution prevents harmful bacteria from being transferred to cooked or ready-to-eat food.

Raw meat, poultry and fish

Almost every fish has one or more of these in various forms. It is advisable to store them in sealed containers to prevent them from dripping onto other items in your fridge. Raw meats must be stored at the bottom of your fridge to prevent cross-contamination. Before they enter the fridge, make sure all items that belong to this category are wrapped tightly or sealed in a container to avoid it coming in contact with other foods.

Fruit, vegetables and salad vegetables

These belong in the salad drawer. They should have been washed before storing them and wrapped in paper or sealed in plastic with air holes to keep them safe from contamination. To keep salads and herps, you can wrap them up in a moist towel. This way they’ll retain their moisture and remain fresher for longer.

Fridge Hygiene Tips You Must Know 

Now that you know where all the food items belong, Here are some tips for your fridge.

Keep the fridge temperature between 0-5°c to slow down the rate of food spoilage and prevent the multiplication of pathogenic bacteria.
Get serious with use-by dates. Many overlook this but it is also very important. Food that has passed its use-by date is no longer edible because it means harmful bacteria have had the chance to grow and make the food dangerous to consume.
Make sure the fridge is never overloaded. Too much food may block the cooling unit which will lead to the spoilage of everything in it.
New stock goes behind the new stock. This will ensure you eat the food based on its use-by date which lessens the likelihood of consuming expired food products.
Do not store open cans in the fridge to prevent chemical contamination.

Good luck!