What goes on top shelf of fridge

Help & Advice What should be stored where in a fridge – and why?

Did you know? The types of food you store in a fridge and where you place them can impact the hygiene and freshness of both your food and your fridge.

How to organise your fridge correctly isn’t exactly common knowledge. So, in this article, we’ll take you through fridge organisation 101. This includes what to and what not to store in your fridge, plus the best way to organise the food in your fridge by shelf.

What items you shouldn’t be storing in the fridge

Here are some big no-nos that still make it into fridges across the country.

• Bread: A fridge speeds up the staling process for bread, cutting its longevity. It’s much wiser to place it in a breadbin.
• Avocados: It’s tricky enough to get avocados to optimum ripeness, so don’t complicate things by putting them in the fridge – this will simply hinder the process.
• Tomatoes: Storing tomatoes at a cold temperature can actually degrade their taste.
• Onions: Fridges are really not the best place for onions, as the lack of circulation can cause them to go off – plus, cut onions can be smelly. They are much better suited to cool, dry and dark storage.
• Cucumbers, courgettes, celery: For vegetables with a high water content, a fridge environment can accelerate their decay in a big way.

What items should be kept in the fridge

Wise up on what you should be keeping in your fridge.

• Meats, fish and dairy items: For safety reasons, dairy, meat and fish should always be kept in the fridge to stop them spoiling.
• Eggs: A contentious issue, especially since eggs are sold out of the fridge – but actually, eggs will stay fresher for longer in a cold environment.
• Grapes, berries and apples: Yes, they look pretty in a fruit bowl, though if you want to boost their lifespan, these fruits are best kept in the fridge.
• Jam, mustard, chutney: Mould can form in opened jars, so they are best kept in the fridge once you’ve cracked into them.
• Most vegetables and ready-to-eat foods: Often, the packet will state if an item can be refrigerated. Unless stated differently on the packaging, most foods can be stored in the fridge to keep them crisp and edible for longer.

Where should things go in the fridge?
So, now you’ve brushed up on what belongs in a fridge and what doesn’t. Finally, we’ll explore what foods should go where – and why.

• Doors: The doors are ideal storage for drink bottles, opened and unopened, along with condiments such as jams, chutneys and pickles. That’s because doors tend to be warmer than other parts of the fridge, and so should be home to foods that are less likely to spoil.
• Top Shelf: Ready-to-eat foods, such as leftovers, ready meals, deli cooked meats, and sandwiches, should go on the upper shelves so they are the furthest away from the bacteria of the raw foods on the lower shelves.
• Middle Shelf: Next, dairy and eggs should go in the middle shelf. This is to keep them apart from cooked foods and also raw meats.
• Bottom Shelf: Always place raw meats and fish onto bottom shelves so they don’t touch other food types. Even if they are well-sealed, if they were to leak, their juice could dribble onto produce on the shelves below – so always keep them on the very bottom shelf. And as always, keep cooked and raw meats far apart, preferably on different shelves.
• Salad Drawer: The clue is in the name. This draw at the bottom is dedicated to salad items, all of which should be kept wrapped up for protection and to preserve their freshness. Always remember to wash salad items before use. Ripening fruits can emit gases that cause veggies to prematurely decay, so either store fruits in a fruit bowl or on upper shelves.

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