I’m intrigued by the sections of cookbooks where authors go through the items they keep in their pantry and refrigerator. The space in any refrigerator is premium but if you look at people who cook for a living, their fridges are usually relatively empty. As it turns out, you can get a lot out of a little when you stock up (and organize) more flavorful ingredients.
I realized that the way I organize my own refrigerator can help me cook out of the cuff more than I did. I’ve gone through a few different refrigerator organization systems and I’ve had some success recently. It’s not necessarily the prettiest, but it’s functional first. Since I started using this method of organizing the fridge, I’ve found that grocery shopping is a lot easier, too.
Today I share my refrigerator organization system with you. I hope you find some of the insights useful throughout!
Top shelf
This is where I stock up on ingredients that add flavor to all sorts of recipes, including horseradish, miso, mustard, roasted red peppers, olives, etc. for the long term, anywhere from a few months to a year (with the exception of eggs, which are also stored here).
Second shelf
This shelf is primarily a place for foods that I will handle faster and/or perish more easily. This usually includes things like a batch of beans, yogurt, cream cheese, a tub of hummus, and lots of lemons and limes.
Third shelf
This shelf is usually a place for leftovers I’ve cooked recently (or takeout leftovers). I will often reuse these in later dishes, such as adding roasted vegetables to an omelet or leftover soba noodles to a salad.
Bottom drawer
I keep takeaways for the kids, like cheese sticks, in a drawer. In another place, I store meat dishes like bacon, pancetta, and chicken. In the bottom drawer of the refrigerator, I put vegetables. I usually wash vegetables as soon as I get home from the store, line a plastic container with paper towels, and store the vegetables in the container until I’m ready to cook with them. I find this process extends their lifespan quite a bit.
Side shelf
On the side shelves, I stock my purchase of condiments like hot sauce, mayo, mustard, and ketchup. I also like to store my herbs here in glass jars with water. Finally, we keep orange juice and any cream or milk on these shelves.
This is what helps me get the most out of this fridge organization system.
1. To keep our refrigerators organized, I note that spend half an hour or so every weekend sorting through what we have. I take out things that have expired and stock up on things we will use up soon. I also sweep away any accumulated dirt or debris.
2. I have a few products I use to keep things separate and organizedconsists of:
3. In terms of store leftovers or prepared ingredients, we mainly use glass jars and plastic take-away containers. I use masking tape and a Sharpie to update most things, which makes it a lot easier to scan and delete things as needed.
4. For inspiration on how to make the most of what I have in my fridge and pantry, I especially love these cookbooks.
- Year of the modern kitchen by Anna Jones – This is about cooking with the seasons and making delicious, simple recipes.
- One: Pot, Pan, Planet by Anna Jones – This includes very useful tips to be more resourceful in the kitchen. There’s also a section for different recipes with common ingredients, which is helpful for cooking things up quickly.
- The Art of Pantry by Claire Thomson – This is organized by section of your pantry with recipes to match different staple ingredients.
- Recipes without recipes by Sam Sifton – This book is a handy guide to impromptu cooking (my favorite kind).
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Kate is currently learning to play the ukulele, leaving her husband, children and dogs desperate. Follow her on Instagram at @witanddelight_.
