6 tips for a cleaner fridge and less food waste

TreeHugger.com   •  food   •  kitchen   •  organic waste   •  waste reduction   •  what

you can do   •  2019.11.22 Friday 11:06

The refrigerator is a magical box; a modern convenience that allows us to keep food
fresh much longer than we would be able to otherwise. But it is also a master of
deceit that can easily swallow up the abundance of foods we feed it, turning them
into alien life forms and things that look like they belong on the forest floor.

This is especially true in the era of the ginormous fridge (and one of the reasons we
advocate for smaller refrigerators around here). Big box shopping doesn’t help,
either.

What can you do? 

1. Putting the wrong produce in the fridge

Not all produce wants to be in the refrigerator. Keep tomatoes, melons, potatoes,
garlic, citrus, and onions out – the fridge can affect their taste and texture. Only put
bananas, nectarines, pears, peaches, and avocados in the fridge if they are
threatening to become over ripe. (The peel on bananas will turn black in the fridge,
but the flesh will be ok.) In the meantime, apples look good in a bowl on the counter,
but they prefer the fridge.

2. Washing produce incorrectly before you store it

Many people swear by doing weekly meal prep and washing all the produce as soon
as they get home from the market. This can make using up your vegetables easier –
but if they are not thoroughly dried, the residual moisture can lead to bacterial
growth, mold, and the dreaded slime. It can also help, if you wash some produces
only before using them up.

3. Letting your greens become slimy

Much like herbs, greens can become slimy. One trick is to throw a paper towel in the
bag with them to help absorb moisture. Once it is damp, remove it and let it air dry
so you can use it in the next batch. (We don’t use paper towels at my house, but I
have had luck using small absorbent dishtowels.)

4. Putting new food in front

The oldest food should always take center stage. When you get home from the
market, take the old food out, put the new food in back, and then replace the old
food in the front.

You can even create a box like this:

You can follow the shops "First in First out" rule, and in addition to that, make soon to go
items more visible. Image source: Inhabitat.com

5. Hiding the leftovers

You know what doesn’t get eaten? Little bits of leftovers that are hiding in covered
dishes or packets of aluminum foil in the back of the fridge. Invest in a good set of
see-through glass storage containers that allow your leftovers to plea for your
attention.

6. Not having a "scraps" container

A little leftover onion here, a half a carrot there – it is easy to toss disparate prepped
leftover bits nonchalantly into the fridge … or trash. If you keep a storage container
or bag in your produce drawer, you always have a place for them to gather. It can
work as a wonderful secret stash when throwing a meal together; the bits can go into
soups, sauces, beans, omelets, pasta dishes, even the glorious leftovers tart. Check
the container regularly to make sure nothing is going south; and if things start to go
sad or limp, make a beautiful vegetable stock with it all.

For more tips see the original article on TreeHugger.com!