When it comes to storing foods in the fridge, each shelf and compartment is designed for specific items.
Salah Sun, Head of Product Management at Beko UK – a leading manufacturer of fridge freezers and other large home appliances – said: “You will be surprised by how much you can reduce your food waste by storing food properly.”
An estimated 9.5 million tonnes of food is thrown away in the UK each year, according to Business Waste.
This means not only is food going off sooner than it needs to be, but people are literally throwing their money in the bin.
To help prolong the shelf life of meat, fruits, vegetables and dairy, you need to store them correctly.
What goes where in your fridge
Top shelf
The top shelf of a fridge is less cold than other compartment, which make it the ideal spot for read-to-eat foods and foods that don’t need to be chilled.
Store these foods here:
Middle shelf
Cooler than the top shelf but not as cold as the bottom shelf, this is the perfect place to store dairy.
Store these foods here:
- Cheese
- Yoghurt
- Butter
- Eggs
- Milk
Fridge door
While storing milk on the middle shelf of the fridge may seem unusual, placing it in the fridge door is a big no-no.
The fridge door is the warmest part of the fridge and any products there experience temperature fluctuations as people open and shut the fridge.
The fridge door is where you should store preserved food items that are less likely to spoil.
Store these foods here:
- Condiments
- Jam
- Juice
- Soda drinks and water
Bottom shelf
As the coldest part of a fridge, this is where you should place any raw food.
Store these foods here:
Drawers
Also known as crispers, the drawers in your fridge are designed to increase humidity and alter airflow; this created ideal conditions for storing fruit and vegetables.
Store these foods here:
- Fruit
- Vegetables
- Salads
- Fresh herbs
Salah Sun at Beko UK added: “We recommend that a fridge’s ideal temperature is between 3C and 5C.”
