You've been using your fridge all wrong and it's adding £1,000 to household bills – exact way to store food correctly
11/05/2024 12:09 PM
HOUSEHOLDS could save up £1,000 by better organising the contents of their fridge.
Unpacking after a grocery shop can be a huge chore, so it’s likely you’re paying little attention to where you’re placing items in the fridge.
But where you put your food in the fridge can make a big difference as to how long it lasts and can mean you end up throwing less away.
By cutting food waste, the average four-person household in the UK could save approximately £1,000 a year, according to the Waste and Resources Action Programme.
As well as this, organising your fridge can also help you to save on your energybills by helping it to run more efficiently.
And with bills rising by £149 a year for the average household, many households are looking for ways to save cash.
To help you save cash, experts at the home appliance brand Beko have share exactly which foods should be stored where in your fridge.
Beko’s Salah Sun said: “You will be surprised by how much you can reduce your food waste by storing food properly.
“From avoiding cross-contamination of products to rotating soon-to-expire food items to the front of the fridge, there's a lot you can do to help.”
Here’s what you need to know about the exact way to store food correctly to make your appliance more energy efficient and prevent food waste.
Top shelf
Typically the top shelf of your fridge is less cold than other compartments, so should be reserved for foods that don’t need to be kept too chilled and are ready to eat.
This could include foods such as deli meats, desserts and dips.
You could also store sweeter treats like trifles and desserts on the top shelf.
Middle Shelf
The middle shelf of your fridge is cooler than the top shelf but not as cold as the bottom shelf, making it the ideal place to store your dairy products.
Cheese, yoghurt, butter, eggs and milk should all be placed here.
Some fridge freezers even feature a dedicated dairy compartment.
This drawer is specially designed to keep these items fresh by maintaining an optimal temperature of 0 degrees Celsius, Beko said.
If you’ve still got some room on the middle shelves, this is where you should place your chilled drinks, which ideally should be placed near the centre.
Bottom shelf
As the coldest part of a fridge, food stored here has it’s freshness locked in, which helps prevent dripping and keeps bacteria at bay.
This makes it an ideal place to store fussier ingredients like raw meat, poultry and fish.
Meat items can be quite costly, so it’s well worth making sure they are stored properly.
Drawers
The drawers in your fridge are designed to increase humidity and alter airflow.
This creates ideal conditions for storing fruit and vegetables, but these two types of produce should be kept separate.
This is because certain fruits emit ethylene which can speed up the ripening of vegetables, causing them to decay prematurely.
Fruits, vegetables, salads and fresh herbs should all be stored in the drawers.
Door
The warmest part of the fridge is the door, which is also the most inconsistent area of the appliance in terms of temperature due to frequent openings and closings.
This is where you should store preserved food items that are less likely to spoil.
Condiments, jam, juice, soda drinks and water should all be kept here.
Hacks for Keeping Food Fresh in Your Fridge
IF you want your food to stay fresh, you'll need to try out this useful hacks...
- Herbs in Water: Store fresh herbs like parsley and coriander in a glass of water, then cover with a plastic bag to keep them fresh for weeks.
- Wrap Greens in Paper Towels: Wrap leafy greens in paper towels before placing them in a plastic bag. The towels absorb excess moisture, preventing wilting.
- Use Mason Jars: Store salads, chopped vegetables, and even leftovers in mason jars. They are airtight and keep food fresher for longer.
- Revive Stale Bread: Sprinkle a bit of water on stale bread and pop it in the oven for a few minutes to make it fresh again.
- Baking Soda for Odours: Place an open box of baking soda in your fridge to absorb odours and keep food tasting fresh.
- Freeze Herbs in Olive Oil: Chop herbs and freeze them in olive oil using an ice cube tray. This preserves their flavour and makes them easy to use.
- Keep Cheese Fresh: Wrap cheese in wax paper instead of plastic wrap. Wax paper allows the cheese to breathe, preventing it from becoming slimy.
- Store Avocados with Onions: Place a cut avocado in an airtight container with a slice of onion. The sulphur compounds in the onion slow down oxidation, keeping the avocado fresh.
- Use Vinegar Wash for Berries: Rinse berries in a mixture of water and vinegar (one cup of vinegar to three cups of water) before storing. This kills bacteria and mould spores, extending their shelf life.
- Egg Freshness Test: To check if eggs are still fresh, place them in a bowl of water. Fresh eggs will sink, while old ones will float.
Implement these clever hacks to maximise the freshness of your food and make the most of your groceries.
How else can I save money on energy bills?
There are plenty of other tips available to save money on energy.
For example, it is proven by the Energy Saving Trust that reducing the thermostat temperature by 1 degree can reduce your fuel bill by 10%.
Uswitch has previously explained that households could make potential savings of up to £127.70, by turning down the temperature of the thermostat just one degree.
Additionally, adding loft insulation to your home could save you up to £300 a year.
Setting up draught excluders around your home to block out any unwanted cool air is a cheap solution to slashing down your energy bills.
And keeping your fridge-freezer clean could save you £45 a year, because dust on the condenser coils can reduce the efficiency by as much as 25% according to Which?.
