Ew! What is That?
The holidays will be upon us soon. With it comes lots of food preparation and refrigerated leftovers. Begin the season right by cleaning out the refrigerator and establishing new habits.
Gather Products – trash can and trash bag, cleaning gloves, roll of paper towels, bleach, an all-purpose cleaner, and a bucket. Mix cleaner and water in bucket and mix 1 part bleach to 4 parts water in a spray bottle.
Trash the Obvious – anything that is unidentifiable, smells bad, has an expired date, or you just can’t remember how long it’s been in there. Since you’re “starting fresh,” empty all storage containers and any bottle or jar that is nearly empty. When in doubt, throw it out!
Clean One Shelf/Drawer at a Time – Remove everything from the shelf. Wash the shelf with the all-purpose cleaner. Spray some bleach water on the shelf and wipe dry with a clean paper towel. The shelves and drawers are easier to clean if they can be removed from the refrigerator. Don’t forget the sides and bottom, as well. Clean the appliance as if your life depended on it!
Group – After the refrigerator is sparkling clean, return food products. Group like foods together and designate an area in the refrigerator for each group.
Leftovers – Going forward, designate one shelf for leftovers. Use clear, square, stackable storage containers. Label the top of the storage container. Using masking tape and a Sharpie pen, note the date and what the item is, so it’ll be easier to identify.
Plan Meals Differently – At the conclusion of a meal, start preparing the next night’s meal. If there is left-over meat or vegetables, use it for the following night’s meal. Or, consider freezing leftovers immediately. Label the container with the date and contents, and use it in a future meal. Again, denote a space in the freezer for leftovers. Another option: alternate cooking and eating leftovers every other night. This will cut down cooking time and having to toss unused leftovers.
Maintaining Order – Before each shopping trip, take a few minutes to restore order in the refrigerator. Return items to their proper shelves and look at the labels of the stored leftovers. Continually purge items and wipe up any spills or crumbs. By doing so, your refrigerator will stay clean and organized.
Happy Holidays!
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