How to use your fridge more efficiently

Fridges are something that not a single kitchen can go without, yet many of us don’t use them to their full potential.

As a result, food doesn’t get stored properly and tends to expire long before what its lifespan could have been.

We’ve come up with the Respect Food campaign which is all about saving food and not letting it add to the already-harmful effects of food wastage. Our award-winning fridges, equipped with technologies such as FullFresh+, and Customfresh+ are specially made to be efficient and help your food stay fresher for longer. Find out more here.

Get the most out of your fridge by checking out these 7 ways to use your fridge more efficiently.

1. Keep used food at the front
Keep opened foods or foods that are close to expiring at the front of your fridge shelves, in front of newer items. By doing this, you’ll use them up before starting on sealed food. There’s nothing like a visual reminder, and this is no exception!

2. Temperature
Small temperature changes can have huge effects on the shelf life of your food. Milk, for example, is stored best at 4°C. Keeping your fridge below 5°C helps keep your food cool, fresh, and bursting with flavour.

3. Non-perishables
Foods that are less perishable such as condiments respond better to fluctuations in temperature, so put these in your fridge doors. They’ll get the brunt of any temperature changes whenever you open and close your fridge door without changing in taste or texture.

4. Space
Whilst overstocking your fridge means that you won’t be able to empty it without giving some food away to landfills, it also disrupts the circulation of cold air in your fridge. On the other hand, keeping your fridge almost empty of products also leads to uneven temperatures circulating. Keep a balance in your fridge by filling it just enough.

5. Readily consumable foods
Dairy products, ready meals, cooked meats and foods that have been prepared beforehand belong on the bottom shelf. These shelves have the lowest temperature. Packaged foods, drinks and other less perishable foods can be stored in middle or top shelves, where the temperature will be consistent. You should always make sure that you are storing the food in airtight containers.

6. Raw foods
Raw meat and fish should always be kept at the bottom of your fridge where temperatures are lowest, to prevent them from contaminating the rest of your food as they are highly perishable. Keep them sealed and free of leaks.

7. Produce
Fruit and vegetables also belong on the bottom drawers of your fridge. You should always keep these drawers separate from all other types of food and make sure that the produce is wrapped accordingly with paper towels or paper bags.

With food waste being as big of an issue as it is right now, we need to do everything we can to help reduce it. Grundig’s technologies are specially designed to help keep food waste at bay. CustomFresh+, FullFresh+, and FullFresh+0°C can help keep your meat, fish and dairy fresher for up to 3 times longer, whilst technologies such as VitaminCare Zone, SuperFresh and HerbFresh+ all help extend the life of your fruit, vegetables and herbs drastically. Developing these habits to use efficient appliances will go a long way in making sure that your food lasts as long as designed to.

Sources:
https://www.highspeedtraining.co.uk/hub/fridge-shelves-storing-food/
http://www.foodrepublic.com/2012/07/26/where-food-goes-in-the-fridge/
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/storing-food-safely