Learn to pack your refrigerator to keep ingredients fresh and how long your food should be kept to avoid food poisoning.
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Some ingredients just have to be bought regularly
You can’t stock up too far in advance on fresh foods such as fresh meat and fish, or fruit and vegetables, as they will deteriorate and lose their nutrients. Your best friend here is your fridge. With clever planning, you can prolong the life of fresh foods so that you can buy them with your main groceries just once a week. A well-organized fridge is essential to fuss-free cooking. When you unpack your weekly grocery load, it’s worth taking the time to position items in your fridge according to where they will keep best and how often you need access to them. Also keep your countertops organized with these tips to keep them clutter-free.
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Dairy Products
Milk is a frequently used item, so your instinct is to store it in a convenient place. But, it’s better to store it in a cold place. On the bottom shelf in the back is the best. If you buy multiple gallons of milk at a time, arrange it so that cartons with the earliest use-by dates are reached first. By the way, stop believing these common myths about dairy.
Butter and/or margarine should also be stored by date. It’s best to keep them on the door of your fridge. They don’t need to be kept that cold, so it’s a perfect and easily accessible spot.
Cheeses need to be stored in the warmest part of the fridge—at the top, in a door shelf if you have room. Keep them covered in a plastic container or wrapped in greaseproof paper or foil – avoid cling film as it encourages a damp surface, and chemicals in the film may transfer to the cheese.
Cream (or crème fraîche, sour cream) and yogurts should be kept covered and used by the use-by date. Keep them in a visible spot with the expiration date showing.
Eggs should be kept in their boxes near to the top of the fridge or in the egg holders in the door. Similar to milk, store eggs in date order.
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