Do the eggs go high or low? Does anyone really use the small cubby space for butter? And what about the refrigerator drawers—what’s really supposed to go in those things?
Like real estate, refrigerator organization is all about location. There really is a way to keep your foods fresher for longer. Here’s how to properly organize your fridge.
Eggs
Skip the built in egg container in your fridge. Leave eggs in the original carton and place them on the middle shelf, where the temperature is most consistent, to help them stay fresh.
Milk
Milk usually lands on the top shelf if it’s one of the most used items in your home, but it needs to go down low. Place it on the bottom toward the back where it’s coldest.
Cottage cheese, yogurt and sour cream
As with milk, these dairy products do best on the bottom shelf.
Raw meat
Packaged raw meat also needs a place on the coldest shelf. Placing meat on the bottom shelf also means other foods won’t be contaminated if the packaging drips.
Vegetables
Finally the refrigerator drawers can be used for more than chocolate you’re trying to hide. Place your veggies in the drawer labeled high humidity, as it’s the moistest spot in the fridge. Leave veggies in their packaging or a plastic bag.
Fruits
The low humidity drawer—sometimes labeled crisper—is meant for fruit. As with veggies, keep fruit in its packaging or a loosely tied plastic bag. Wait until you’re ready to eat or prepare fruits and vegetables before washing as water can cause bacteria to grow and promotes mold.
Deli meat
There are two options for your deli meats. Most refrigerators have a small deli meat drawer that stays colder than the rest of the fridge. If you don’t have that drawer, opt for the bottom shelf.
Butter and cheese
These dairy products do not have to be super cold, so store them in the warmest part of the fridge, the dairy compartment inside the door.
Condiments
Most salad dressings, ketchup and mayonnaise have a number of natural preservatives, making them ok to store inside the fridge door. Pickles and salsa are the same. Some oils—sesame, walnut, and other nut oils—belong in the fridge as well.
Juice
Fresh squeezed juice should be on the bottom shelf, but pasteurized orange juice or others made with preservatives can stay inside the door.
