GROCERY prices are soaring and households could be wasting even more cash by storing their chilled food in the wrong place.
Unpacking after a grocery shop can be a huge chore, so it likely you’re paying little attention to where you’re placing items in the fridge.
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But where you put your food can make a big difference to how long it lasts, says Simon Exton, a food storage expert at Ao.com.
Households waste of a total of £13.8 million worth of edible food every year, according to the EcoExperts.
This works out at £491 for every household in the UK.
Simon Exton said: “Good fridge organisation not only looks nice, but it also helps ensure you can see what you have and avoid food going out of date.”
Below, we outline where you should be storing your food to help you make sure you’re not wasting unnecessary cash at the supermarket.
The top shelves
It’s best to store food that doesn’t need cooking on the top part of the fridge, Simon says.
This includes things like sausage rolls or pre-made sandwiches.
Simon added: “Leftovers should also be stored here, and it’s a good idea to put the date the food was cooked on her so you can use it before it spoils.”
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Lower and middle shelves
The lower and middle shelves are the ideal place to store dairy items, such as milk, cheese, yogurt and butter, according to Simon.
It’s better to pop these items in this spot because they might become too hard and difficult to spread if they are stored at the bottom – the coldest part of the fridge.
The bottom shelves
The coldest parts of the fridge are the bottom shelves.
Simon says this is the perfect place to put raw meat and fish, as long as it is wrapped to avoid cross-contamination.
Simon said: “It is essential that raw and cooked food is kept separately, and raw food should be kept as far down as possible on your shelves to avoid anything dripping on on cooked food and contaminating it.”
Anything you have ready to go for a summer BBQ, should also live lower down in the fridge.
Fruit and veg drawers
It might sound obvious, but your fridge drawers are the perfect place for fruit and veg.
This is because they will be kept the freshest where they are covered.
“This will also prevent these items from getting frozen to the back of the fridge,” Simon added.
“These delicate foods may freeze and go off if they are put there.
“It’s also important to note that not all fruit and veg should go in the fridge.
“Items like bananas and avocados can cause other fruits to go off.”
Fridge doors
It goes without saying that you shouldn’t leave the fridge door open more than necessary – but of course, it has to be opened every now and again.
Because of this, shelves in the fridge door are the warmest area and will experience temperature fluctuations.
Simon says it is therefore best to put items such as condiments, jams or juices in the doors because they have natural preservatives.
“Once opened, these items should immediately be stored in the fridge to avoid them going off,” Simon added.
Meanwhile, we explain several other mistakes you could be making when using your fridge which may also be adding to your bills.
Plus, we spoke to one savvy organiser who has saved £3,000 by organising the food in her fridge freezer.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected]
