Whether you’re a carnivore, pescatarian, vegetarian or vegan, the stunning array of food we now eat has made knowing exactly how and where to keep it all in the fridge an art in itself.
Not to worry! We answer your most pressing questions about how to smartly and safely store food, making sure it’s kept fresher for longer and maintains the best taste and temperature.
Which food should be stored in the fridge?
Having a clear idea of the foods that need to be kept in your fridge is the first step to saving that all-important space.
Let’s start with eggs: do they or don’t they need to be stored in the fridge? It’s up to you, but they can last longer when refrigerated.
Of course, foods that can be easily contaminated, like meat and fish, do need to be kept in the fridge. But vegetables like tomatoes and onions can be stored in the cupboard. Because fruits like avocados, apples, bananas, lemons and berries can change taste and texture inside the fridge, think about how quickly you plan to eat them and whether they need refrigerating.
And in case you were wondering, don’t worry about bread. Keep that in the bread bin.
What temperature should my fridge be set to?
The million-dollar question! To keep your food fresh and safe to eat, we recommend you set the temperature of your fridge to 4°C, or slightly below. Too warm, and meat and fish will contaminate. Too cold, and you’ll freeze your fruit and veg, leaving it inedible.
Which food goes where?
Storing everything in the right place in your fridge is important from a food safety angle.
Meat and fish need to be kept on the bottom shelf where any juices won’t spill onto other foods. Dairy products, like milk and cheese, can be stored on the middle shelves, while vegetables will stay fresher for longer in the most humid part of the fridge like veggie drawers. Fruit, on the other hand, needs lower humidity.
The best spot for any ready-to-eat food is the top shelf (which conveniently keeps it away from hungry little hands too). And the fridge door is the perfect place for your tomato sauce, mayonnaise, mustard and other condiments.
How should I store food in the fridge?
Knowing where to keep certain food is one thing, but having an understanding of how to store it is another trick worth learning. A well-organised fridge allows cool air to circulate more evenly, which keeps food fresher. It’ll also make your life easier when taking things out to cook.
While fruit and vegetables can be kept fresh in the built-in drawer, you might want to think about storing meat, fish, dairy and even leftovers in see-through containers. If you can, avoid stacking containers on top of each other – you’ll struggle to get things out when you need them.
How do I minimise food waste?
First and foremost, try not to buy too much. It’s easy to overestimate how much food you actually need, but it’s also a simple problem to solve. Next time you’re about to do the food shop, take a look in your fridge first and note down specifically what you need for the week ahead. It’s not rocket science and could make a big difference.
When it comes to minimising food waste, the sooner groceries are refrigerated, the better.
LG’s improved InstaView refrigerator has LINEAR Cooling and DoorCooling features which create optimal conditions to keep food fresher for longer. It also uses the power of light to improve health and hygiene. Its UVnano technology harnesses ultraviolet LED light to disinfect the water dispenser outlets once every hour (or you can do it manually at any time) to remove bacteria from the fridge.
How do I store food in the freezer?
Navigating your way around a packed freezer drawer can be a nightmare. Stuffing everything back in once you’ve finally found what you’re looking for isn’t much fun either. So organisation here is key.
Try packing food into storage containers or even old takeaway tubs that you can label. And when freezing meat, fish, sauces and even soups, keep everything in Ziplock bags to save space. You can then flatten these when defrosting, which will help food thaw out quicker.
With a firm grasp of these basics, you should be in a better position to master the art of fridge food storage once and for all!
