Keeping the refrigerator clean and organized helps reduce food waste by keeping track of leftovers, preventing unnecessary purchases, and storing food properly. Accomplishing this task can be daunting. If you ask the wee one here, she will tell us, “That’s easy. You eat all the food and what you don’t eat, give it to the doggy!” If only life were that simple.

The first thing to do is gather cleaning supplies. Hot water, baking soda, and vinegar, along with a clean, sturdy sponge or dishwashing cloth, a toothbrush, and a drying cloth is all you need. Commercial cleaners are unnecessary. Next, so to not waste electricity, turn off the refrigerator. Working quickly, remove everything from the refrigerator.

Save throwing out expired food for the last step because you want to get the refrigerator turned back on and restocked without great delay. Remove removable racks, bins, and trays. Moisten stubborn spills with a bit of water and vinegar. Let that sit and commence wiping both sides of all racks. If necessary, soak trays or bins, Wash them thoroughly and let drain or towel dry.

For cleaning, not all trays and racks can be removed, but here a toothbrush works well. Don’t forget the hinges, door gaskets, and the bottom front interior edge of the refrigerator and door.

Now the fun of putting everything back! Note that an overfilled refrigerator makes it hard to see what you have. Under-filled won’t chill efficiently. If the latter is the case, stock the refrigerator with a few filled bottles of water.

The warmest areas of the refrigerator are inside the door and the top shelf. Eggs and milk ideally should be stored on the middle shelf. Avoid storing either on the door—store meats toward the bottom of the fridge. Add a paper towel or washable cloth under meats to prevent cross-contamination from dripping.

When storing cutup fruits and vegetables, use sealable glass containers. Remember, pre-prepared foods spoil more quickly. Remember to add expiration dates on the container! To catch drips and prevent cross-contamination, add a paper towel or washable cloth under meat.

Organize the rest based on eating habits. Now that it’s clean, turn the refrigerator back on! Done frequently, this whole process should take about 30 minutes.

It costs as much for what you throw away as it does for what you eat. Buy what you’ll eat, and eat what you buy. A 2020 study by Zach Conrad, Asst. Prof of Kinesiology and Health Sciences (William and Mary) suggests “the average American consumer spends $1300 per year on food that ends up being wasted”.

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