How I Organize My Fridge & Pantry as a Future Dietitian
We all have our unique approach to household organization. From color coordination and alphabetization to folding techniques and organized chaos, we’re all established in our ways. However, how we manage our fridge and pantry space can significantly impact the freshness and longevity of our food. Adapting to new methods may seem difficult, but by this post's end, you may reconsider your approach. Explore the following tips for happier and healthier food.
Why it’s important:
Food waste is not only a global concern, but also something we can address right at home. According to Recycle Track Systems, 2.5 billion tons of food are lost or wasted each year—equating to 325 pounds of waste per person. Soak this in for a minute. Beyond the environmental impact, this waste also represents a huge loss of resources like water, energy, and labor. While restaurants and other institutions contribute to food waste, households are actually the largest source, accounting for 40–50% of all food waste. The choices we make in our kitchens matter, too. Simple habits—like properly storing food in the fridge, understanding labels such as “best by,” “best before,” “use by,” “sell by,” and using leftovers creatively—can make a big difference. Being intentional about how we handle food not only reduces waste and saves money but also lessens the environmental impact.
How to organize your refrigerator:
The high-humidity drawer:
The high-humidity drawer in your fridge preserves the moisture in your produce and prevents wilting. This drawer is reserved for leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, berries, bell peppers, asparagus, green beans, and herbs. If you have herbs with woody stems such as rosemary, thyme, or sage, place them on a slightly damp paper towel, roll them up loosely, and store them in a plastic bag in the high-humidity drawer.
The low-humidity drawer:
The low-humidity drawer in your fridge often has a tab to partially vent it, allowing ethylene gas from your produce to escape. Ethylene is a gas released by some fruits and vegetables that causes produce to ripen faster. Some fruits and vegetables are more sensitive to ethylene gas than others, resulting in quicker spoilage. Perhaps this is why you frequently find yourself buying produce only to discard it a few days later. This drawer is made for most fruits, such as apples, grapes, pomegranates, melons, pears, mangoes, peaches, and avocados.
The refrigerator shelf:
The refrigerator shelves are where most of your other perishables are stored. Each fridge is different and has varying numbers of shelves and space, but a good rule of thumb is to store ready-to-eat foods on the top shelf, dairy products on the middle shelf, and raw proteins on the bottom shelf. Always place raw poultry, red meat, and seafood on the bottom shelf to prevent juices from leaking onto other items. There’s nothing worse than cross-contaminated food!
Secondly, nuts and seeds are best stored on your refrigerator shelves (or in the freezer). I know… weird, right? Nuts and seeds have a delicate fat content and can go rancid when left in the pantry. Nuts and seeds are rich sources of healthy unsaturated fatty acids, making them vulnerable to degradation when exposed to heat, oxygen, and light. This exposure leads to a bitter taste and compromised digestibility. Refrigeration prolongs their freshness, as they can last around 3-4 months in a cool, dark pantry but extend to 6 months or more in the fridge and even longer in the freezer. By storing them in colder environments, the deterioration process slows, maintaining their quality. However, if you anticipate using them promptly or within a short timeframe, storing them in a cool, dark spot on your counter or pantry shelf is okay without risking their integrity.
How to organize your counter and pantry:
The counter:
Tomatoes, potatoes, garlic, onions, and shallots are all foods that thrive on the counter away from direct heat sources. These items don’t need to be stored in the fridge because the fridge's chilliness that preserves so much of our produce actually damages these guys. If left in the fridge, the starch in potatoes will turn into sugar, resulting in a strange, off-putting sweetness when cooked. Onions wilt and soften, and tomatoes become soft and mealy.
The pantry:
The contents of a pantry are pretty straightforward, although, I want to highlight the significance of storing spices in this area. In many households, spices are traditionally kept in a cabinet above the stove or on a nearby counter in a spice rack for easy access. However, spices are sensitive to heat, and when exposed, deteriorate, develop off-flavors, and lose their potency.
Achieving perfect organization isn’t always feasible due to constraints such as space limitations and, let’s be honest, forgetfulness. However, implementing a few suggested changes, such as arranging items according to temperature zones or using proper storing techniques, can help extend the shelf life of your food and maintain its quality. Even small changes like these can reduce food waste and support a more sustainable household, making both your fridge and the planet a little healthier.
