Putting the fridge away properly - what belongs where?
After shopping, just quickly put the food away and simply put it in the fridge where there is room - who hasn't done that? But watch out: To keep your food fresh for as long as possible, it is important to put the fridge in the right place and to put every food in the fridge in its right place.
Putting the fridge in the right place - this is how it works
There are different temperature zones in the refrigerator. This is because the air in the refrigerator circulates. Cold air goes down, while warm air goes up.
For some foods, particularly cold temperatures just above freezing point are ideal. Others like it a little warmer at around 8°C. We explain in detail how to put your fridge in the right place and how to keep food fresh for longer when stored properly. Our tips will also help you keep your fridge tidy and tidy.
- the vegetable bin
As the name suggests, the vegetable compartment, i.e. the lower drawers of the refrigerator, is the ideal place for most vegetables. But also leaf salads, fresh herbs and some fruits, for example apricots, cherries or grapes find their right place here. The glass plate above the vegetable compartment protects the contents from too cold temperatures. - the lower shelf
At the very bottom, on the glass plate above the vegetable compartment, it is coldest in the refrigerator. This is the ideal place for all perishable foods, meat, fish and sausages. This place is also ideal for gently defrosting frozen foods. - the middle compartment
Milk and dairy products belong in the middle shelf of the refrigerator. When you put away your fridge, put cream, yoghurt, curd, cream cheese and co. in the middle of the fridge. This is also the ideal place for delicatessen products. - the top shelf
The top of the building is the warmest for refrigerator conditions, so there are opened jams and marmalades, but also cheese. If there are leftovers of cooked food, these should also be kept on the top shelf. - the refrigerator door
In the refrigerator door is the best place for drinks, such as opened juices, wine or water. In the upper part of the fridge door there is an extra compartment for eggs and butter. In the shelves of the refrigerator door there are also open glasses of horseradish, olives or preserves, as well as dressings, ketchup or mustard, and tubes of tartar sauce or tomato paste.
That is why you should never store milk in the fridge door!
Almost everyone makes this mistake when putting milk in the fridge: opened or fresh milk should not be stored in the bottle holder in the fridge door for a longer shelf life, as the temperature is too high here at around 9°C. In the middle of the refrigerator, the sensitive food is much better stored at about 5°C. Tip: UHT milk is heated to a particularly high temperature and therefore does not go bad too quickly in the refrigerator door.
This does not belong in the fridge
These foods are sensitive to cold and should therefore not be stored in the refrigerator. Make sure that the following fruits and vegetables are kept outside, as the sensitive foods will spoil more quickly and lose their taste:
Tips on how to put food in the fridge properly
Spaces products with a longer expiry date to the rear and those that expire earlier to the front.
Do not place the refrigerator too full. This consumes unnecessary energy and you lose track of your food more quickly.
Never put food in the fridge while it is hot, but let it cool down completely beforehand.
Take care to pack all products correctly. This means not keeping anything open, but placing all food in its original packaging, in plastic tins, covered with a plate or foil, in the refrigerator. Wrap fresh herbs and some vegetables such as chard, radishes, asparagus or spinach in a damp cloth to keep them fresh longer.