Practical tips and tricks for your fridge!

After each purchase do you end up playing Tetris with food in your fridge? Does your food spoil quickly? Does your fridge use too much electricity? We will tell you how to manage all the little problems with your fridge.

Keep fruit and vegetables fresh for longer

Many people have the same problem with their fruit and vegetables spoiling too quickly in the refrigerator. They go mouldy, become mushy or shrivel after a short time. This is because fruit and vegetables produce the gas called ethylene which drives the ageing process. Excessive humidity can also be the reason for rapid mould growth. Therefore, we recommend that you use special refrigerator tins for fruit and vegetables. They guarantee optimal air circulation which in turn regulates humidity. They also remove ethylene from the air with a filter, thus slowing down the ripening process.

Foods that do not belong in the refrigerator

Now you know how to keep fruit and vegetables in the refrigerator fresh for longer. But beware: not every food belongs in the fridge! Some can go off faster when cooked. So, you should store the following foods differently:

  • Potatoes should only be refrigerated if you like them mealy-sweet. Otherwise, potatoes prefer dark and cool conditions, e.g. in the cellar.
  • Bread dries out in the refrigerator, so it is better to store it in a bread box.
  • Garlic and onions go mouldy in the fridge faster than at room temperature.
  • Tomatoes lose their flavour when cooled.
  • Lemons belong in the fruit bowl at room temperature.
  • Bananas do not like the cold either, they get brown spots in the refrigerator.
  • Coffee should not be kept in the refrigerator either because it quickly absorbs odours and loses its taste.
  • Honey crystallises in the refrigerator.
  • It is better to keep oils in the cupboard; here they do not become rancid so quickly.

Save electricity even with the oldest refrigerator

Do you not want to buy a new, more efficient refrigerator, but still want to save electricity with your old one? With these simple tricks, the electricity bill will be a little smaller:

  1. Do not place your fridge next to heat sources such as the washing machine, dishwasher, stove or radiator. Also, the sun should not shine on the fridge if possible. The warmer the environment, the more electricity is needed to cool the food inside.
  2. To reduce electricity consumption, you should also make sure you clean regularly. Dust the cooling bar and the ventilation grille, defrost the fridge regularly if it freezes and check the door seals for cleanliness and, if necessary, for signs of wear.
  3. Check if the fridge is set too cold: a temperature of 7 degrees is sufficient to keep your food cool.

Some order solves your problems

Order not only looks nice but solves the other problems in your refrigerator. You can keep track of your food, when it expires and what food you’ll need to buy soon – it’s the only way to prevent food waste. You can save electricity with an organised fridge, because the door doesn’t stay open forever through looking for food, meaning enough air can circulate between the different products. These tips can help you keep order:

  • Use refrigerator boxes to divide your fridge into more compartments.
  • Pay attention to the coolest zones in your fridge and sort food accordingly.
  • Put new products behind older ones so that you don’t forget the ones with an expiration date in the back corner of your fridge.

 

Our 5-step plan shows you in detail how to design your fridge and how to keep an overview of your refrigerated food.