Your refrigerator might not be the only part of your life splitting at the seams. Festive gluttony is a trap we all fall into. Over-indulging is soon joined by those other dangerous “overs” including over-spending, over-gifting, over-catering and finally, overthinking.
The best way to fight the lethargy and “over”- ness of the last couple of months, is to take back control, one step at a time.
The kitchen is often the central heartbeat of a house. During festivities, it can be where the magic happens. This is where the very fuel of your parties comes from. And the shining queen of any kitchen is usually – The Refrigerator. This magical implement offers up cool and refreshing treats even on the hottest days of summer.
For how integral they are to our households and way of life, we tend to put our refrigerators through a lot of abuse.
Although artificial refrigeration dates back as far as the 1700s, the first commercial refrigerator for domestic use came onto the scene in 1913.
Since then the fridge and all it allows us to do has become an irreplaceable part of the modern home. Nowadays we don’t even think twice about milk that lasts, butter that doesn’t go rancid, fruits and vegetables that stay crisp, and the ability to plan your life around a steady supply of fresh food, without having to go to the shops every single day.
Regardless, there are ways in which we can improve not only the function but also the lifetime of this ultra-important appliance.
We dare you to think about your fridge at home. Can you list all the items in it, and do you know how they fit into your meal planning for the family over the next couple of weeks?
Unplug the fridge and take a good hard look at what’s inside:
Once the entire fridge has been cleaned and sanitised, move on to the contents:
A refrigerator works by circulating cooled air through itself. Therefore, a fridge that’s completely empty will have to work harder to remain cold. Consequently, a fridge that’s too full can lead to uneven airflow and cold distribution. Ideally, every shelf and drawer should have something in it, and the items should have a bit of space between them, for proper airflow.
If you live alone or don’t have the need for a fully stocked fridge, try placing a container of clean water on some shelves to simulate a fuller fridge.
The door compartments experience the most fluctuations in temperature and should not be used to store dairy or other foodstuffs with a short shelf life.
Keep the door for jars of condiments, preserves, pickles and vinegar-based dressings or marinades.
Dedicate one shelf for all raw meat products and ensure that nothing else you plan on eating uncooked is stored there.
The crisper drawer is best for green vegetables and fruit like berries, apples, and pears.
Bananas, tomatoes and red peppers should, ideally, not be kept in the refrigerator but rather in a pantry.
Don’t keep onions in your fridge – they’ll release unpleasant gasses and give your fridge a funky smell.
Rotate your food and ensure that the products that are about to expire are in front to use them first.
We often get carried away when we do grocery shopping, having lofty ideals of a 12-fruit-smoothie being our new favourite breakfast.
Be honest with yourself, buy only what your family needs and try to curb food waste by making plans to use leftovers or have ingredients that make a repeat appearance in a couple of meals each week. Don’t let clutter creep into your fridge and we guarantee your fridge will take its rightful place as ruler of the kitchen once more!
Johannesburg
Pretoria
Cape Town
Durban
Vaal Triangle
Bloemfontein
Johannesburg
Pretoria
Cape Town
Durban
Vaal Triangle
Bloemfontein
