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10 Fredericksburg Parent and Family • Winter 2019 WRITTEN BY DEBRA CAFFREY practical pantry Make Your Fridge The new year is a great fresh start for most of us to get organized and think about ways we can streamline our lives to function more efficiently. I'm not a huge New Year's Resolution kind of girl; rather, I have found that creating routine cleaning and organization goals for set periods (like writing down on my monthly schedule to dust the blinds and change the air filters) works best for me. For others, a pile-up of dis- organized stuff or unattended household projects is a great motivator to get in gear! Whatever your habits, the refrigerator may be a place on your to-do list of things in the home that may need a bit of a New Year's makeover. The fridge often becomes a victimized vortex of all your perishable purchases instead of an appliance that should be efficient and useful. And even when we keep it clean, placing items and food in inappropriate spots in the fridge can lead to waste and rot. Ultimately, you want your refrigerator to work for you—a tool that not only keeps things fresh but also aids in your success with meal planning, cooking and saving money. So let's get it in good shape! Start by taking every single thing out of your fridge, tossing whatever it super expired and/or disgusting. Wipe down all shelving using warm water and bleach, including all the cracks and crevices where dust, spills and food particles have settled. Once everything is nice and clean, use these guidelines to replace and store your items efficiently to ensure that nothing goes to waste again! THE DOOR: The fridge door is a few degrees warmer than the interior cabin. It's also subject to the most temperature instabilities due to how often it's constantly being open and shut. Therefore, never store your highly perishable items here like eggs, milk or other dairy. Store condi- ments like salad dressing, marinades, jams, jellies, bottled water and even juices here. UPPER SHELVES: The upper portion of your fridge has the most con- sistent temperature, but it's warmer than the lower shelving. Therefore, you may still want to avoid putting highly perishables there like milk, other dairy, and uncooked meats. This is a good place for things that won't spoil, like ready-to-eat food items, beverages, herbs and leftovers. LOWER SHELVES: This is the best place for foods that are very sus- ceptible to spoiling and harmful bacteria. You'll want to keep your raw meats, seafood, eggs and dairy here. Remember to place a "catch" con- tainer underneath raw meat packages in case of leaks. Nothing is worse than finding out that raw chicken juice has spilled all over the rest of your items! DELI/MEAT BIN: This drawer exists for a reason—it is often one of the coldest spots in the unit, making it perfect for what it was meant for: deli meats, cheeses and bacon. WORK for You Do not store perishable foods on the upper shelves. Besides item placement, it's important not to overcrowd your fridge so that air fl ow is e cient. DO store fruits and vegetables in separate bins. DO store raw meats and perishable items on the lower shelves. DO store condiments and dressings in the door.