Do you find yourself running to the grocery store almost daily for a last-minute ingredient for dinner, only to find that exact item buried in the depths of your fridge a few days later? Are you on a first-name basis with your local supermarket staff because you frequent the store way too often? Well, you’re not alone. There are all kinds of reasons for this, like the fridge is too small, the produce went bad, etc. However, perhaps the real rationale behind this madness is because that giant icebox sitting in the middle of your kitchen is simply... Unorganized. Why is this the one area of your life that is so often neglected? Did you know that hashtags like #fridgeorganization and #fridgegoals are incredibly popular? If you need some inspo take a quick peek, and I promise the pictures will leave you in awe!
The kitchen is one of the main hubs of your home, a place to gather with friends and family, a place to create, and a place to nourish our bodies and souls. Here at OHi, we love the fridge! The fridge is the heart of the kitchen, the place where we find fresh, nutritious food to make this magic happen! By finding a method to organize and stock the fridge, we are setting ourselves up for success when it comes to easily preparing a nutrient-dense meal and choosing healthy options for on the go!
First things first, we need to start with a clean slate. This means, put on your work gloves (cause who knows what you may find in there), and begin to take inventory and toss out expired items. You’re going to want to pull everything out of your fridge so you can, literally, clean out the inside and start fresh. Grab a cooler, and put all perishable items inside as you clean - you don’t need to discard everything! Once you have wiped down all the shelves and drawers, you can line the shelves with refrigerator mats (refrigerator mats - Amazon.com). These are an excellent way to avoid extra work when a food item leaks or something spills (as will inevitably happen), and prevent the leak/spill from trickling down to the other shelves and items in its path. All you will need to do is remove the mat, clean it, and put it back in! It is that simple!
It is also quite easy for our fridge to become cluttered with excess packaging that is not only very unappealing, but overwhelming. All of that packaging usually means produce isn’t washed or ready to eat (always an intimidating task when you’re hungry), causing you to reach for a bag of chips rather than fruits or veggies. Also, all of those packages just don’t seem to stack nicely or fit well on the shelves, and lead to problems like finding 3 week-old, moldy strawberries crammed behind a few condiment bottles (so this is where that funky smell has been coming from for the last week). Alas, there are ways to eliminate these problems!
- Ditch the plastic containers that many foods come in and purchase some clear storage bins. These will fit much better, allow you to see what is in each container, and make your fridge look a little more worthy of those “fridge goal” hashtags I was speaking of earlier.
- Store similar items together in the bins. For instance: condiments in one container, salad dressings in another, etc. This way you can easily grab them when needed without having to remove the entire contents of your fridge to get to that awkward jar of pickles way in the back.
- Know what requires refrigeration and what doesn’t. Most potatoes can live in a cupboard, or on your counter, for weeks without going bad, freeing up some room in your refrigerator.
- Refrain from grouping certain produce items together. Did you know its best to keep onions away from potatoes, and apples and bananas are to be kept separate from other produce? These foods emit a gas that can cause other fruits and veggies to ripen more quickly.
- Keep all of the healthy, nutrient-dense snacks front and center. Fresh fruits and veggies (washed and ready to consume), hummus, nuts and seeds, and of course OHi Wholesome Bars will be so much easier to see, and grab for a healthy snack!
Now, opening the doors of your fridge will put a smile on your face, save you time and energy when you’re creating your next meal, and help you to choose healthier snack options that will, undoubtedly, leave you vibing high and feeling your best!