How to Organize Your Fridge to Eat Healthier

Have you opened your fridge lately only to find it full to the point of overflowing, and then realized that you have no idea what’s in there?  If you’re not clearing out old items on a regular basis, you could be doing damage to your health without even knowing.  For one thing, items that have begun to mold or go rancid can affect other foods, especially if containers aren’t properly sealed.  And a fridge that is unclean can attract insects and other pests.  Further, if you don’t mark items with dates, you may inadvertently eat fords that have begun to spoil.  The obvious solution is to declutter your fridge and start a system of organization that will ensure healthier eating habits.  Here’s how to do it.

You’ll want to start by pulling absolutely everything out of your refrigerator and freezer (probably separately if there may be items you want to preserve).  Once this is done, look through everything.  If it doesn’t have a date, you can’t remember when you put it in there, or it has expired, do not hesitate to throw it away.  It may seem like a waste of money, but take a moment to consider what you might spend on a visit to the emergency room because you have contracted food poisoning.  That ought to make it a little easier for you.

Next you need to clean your fridge.  Remove drawers and shelves and use warm, soapy water and a sponge to clean the interior.  Then clean the individual shelves and drawers in the same manner and return them to the fridge.  Instead of scouring away stuck-on items with an abrasive cleaner or brush (which can damage the finish) soak items in a sink full of warm water until these substances can be easily wiped away with a sponge.  Now that your fridge itself is in ship shape, you can begin restocking it, and this is where the organizational aspect comes in.

Crisper drawers should be used to house fruits and vegetables, but if you have multiple drawers, separate them so that you can optimize temperature and humidity settings for these specialized food items.  If you have extra drawers, use them for meats and cheeses, which may spoil more rapidly than other foods in your fridge.  Then dedicate specific shelves to dairy products, condiments, breads (if you keep them in the fridge), leftovers, and so on.  Use the FIFO (first in, first out) system employed by restaurants to make sure that the oldest items (those that need to be eaten first) are in the front, where you can easily grab them before they go bad.  And consider limiting the items in your fridge at any given time to avoid the buildup of items that go bad and subsequently need to be purged.  For healthier eating, choose items that are fresh and natural rather than pre-packaged foods that may last longer, but certainly aren’t as good for you.

If you want to declutter and organize your fridge, you really don’t have as much work ahead of you as you think, especially if you’re open to throwing away old and outdated items.  After the big cleaning, all you have to do is clear out expired or unused items weekly (like on trash day) to keep the clutter low and ensure that you can easily find the food you want, knowing that the odds of it being bad are a lot lower.  Keep a pen handy to write the date of storage on cooked or opened items and you’ll enjoy better health over time.