The refrigerator was invented to preserve food, but some foods actually spoil more quickly in cooler temperatures. To make your food last longer and taste better, learn how to store it properly. Here are a few ways your fridge’s built-in features can prevent food from spoiling.
FOOD STORAGE TIPS FOR THE REFRIGERATOR
1. What Not to Refrigerate
Some vegetables do not keep well in the refrigerator. For example, cold air destroys the flavor of cucumbers and tomatoes. Instead of refrigerating your cucumbers, dip them in cold water, then store them in a cool, dry place. If you want to serve them cold, chill them right before serving.
Don’t keep potatoes in the refrigerator, either — the starch breaks down quickly in colder temperatures. Winter squash, garlic, gingerroot, and mature onions are also best stored in a cool, dry place outside of the refrigerator.
Store most fruit at room temperature until it is ripe, including apples, bananas, melons, pears, plums, avocados, peaches, pineapples, and tomatoes. Citrus fruits keep best at room temperature because they have a waxy coating that seals in moisture.
Bread will go stale much faster if you keep it in the fridge. Much like potatoes, the starches in bread break down faster in cold temperatures. However, freezing slows down that degradation, keeping the bread fresh. For the best taste, wrap bread in foil, store it in the freezer, then reheat it when you’re ready to serve it. If you don’t think you’ll use the entire loaf in one sitting, break it into smaller portions and freeze what you don’t need.
2. Making the Most of Your Crisper Drawers
Take advantage of your refrigerator’s crisper drawers. They’re designed to seal tightly and retain humidity, which helps vegetables stay moist.
Place broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, celery, green beans, and scallions in resealable airtight containers, then put them in the drawer with the highest humidity. As you close each container, try to squeeze out as much air as possible. Wrap peppers, eggplants, summer squash, beets, cabbage, and mushrooms in a loose covering, such as a towel or a plastic produce bag, before refrigerating.
Fruit keeps best in a lower-humidity crisper drawer. Use the knobs above your crisper drawers to adjust the amount of humidity created. Refrigerate grapes and berries in a paper bag with perforated holes or cover them loosely with plastic wrap. Store ripened fruit (except bananas) and cut-up fruit (in airtight containers) in your crisper drawer to maintain freshness.
3. Making Your Fridge Work for You
Adjust your refrigerator shelves to organize foods by type, so you can easily find everything. Place ready-to-eat foods such as yogurt, cheese, and leftovers on top shelves where you can grab them for a quick snack or meal.
Keep meat and fish you’re defrosting or planning to eat that day on the bottom shelves (above the crisper) in sealed containers. This helps prevent them from dripping on and contaminating other foods in your fridge.
Avoid putting eggs in the door of your refrigerator. Every time you open the door, the eggs are exposed to warm air, which causes them to deteriorate faster. Instead, keep eggs in their carton toward the back of a shelf or in an interior compartment designed specifically for eggs, if your fridge has one. Use the refrigerator door to store items like jams, syrups, and condiments, which will keep well at warmer temperatures.
Newer refrigerators and freezers feature multiple doors within doors to help organize contents by food type or category. Others have zones you can switch from cooling to freezing. They help maximize your fresh-food storage space and keep perishables fresher longer by maintaining optimal conditions. With some refrigerator models, you can even lower the temperature in any compartment within minutes for quick chilling.
Keep like items together on your fridge and freezer shelves. You can also corral similar foods — such as snacks, dairy, or dressings — in specially designed refrigerator storage bins. Some new fridges even have built-in and rearrangeable storage bins that help you organize your food.
4. When in Doubt, Throw It Out
Although frozen foods will keep almost indefinitely at zero degrees Fahrenheit, their quality deteriorates over time. Throw out meats covered with a thick layer of frost and anything that’s been in the freezer for more than a year.
Dispose of refrigerated foods as recommended in this Refrigerator & Freezer Storage Chart from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. If you’re not sure how long your food will stay fresh in the refrigerator, always play it safe and don’t eat anything you’re unsure about.
Don’t overpack your refrigerator, either. Cool air must circulate to keep food from spoiling prematurely. If you constantly run out of space in your fridge, consider upgrading to a larger model.
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