Cleaning out the refrigerator and freezer.
As I have been cooking so much more, the fridge and freezer are getting a workout. There are more containers of leftovers, and more packages of food. I like to clean the whole thing out monthly to ensure there is less food wasted, and that we can see everything.
Here is my process:
Pull everything out and put it on the counter. (This is my method of cleaning most things, if you do not take it all out you will never ‘see’ what you have and make great purging decisions.)
Clean the shelves with a non-abrasive/non-toxic cleaner. I prefer ‘Tough & Tender’ from Melaluca. (Their products are safe around food, around people, and do a great job of cleaning!) I sometimes need to pull out the shelves to scrub a tough spot. I also pull out the drawers and wash them with dish soap, and air dry them.
I wipe down every container to ensure it is clean. Then reorganize it as I put it back into the fridge. For example, on the door-I have one shelf for salad dressings, one shelf for mustards, and vinegars…you get the idea. I do the same with shelves: One shelf for dairy products-sour cream, parmesan cheese, bleu cheese..etc.
As I wipe down everything down I look at expiration dates, signs of spoilage, and decide if we will eat it in the future.
I have a garbage bag nearby, so I am fearless in discarding what I know should be thrown out. (I also try to do this job the day before our garbage pick up, so these are not sitting rotting in our cans for a week.)
I love order, so I put things in with the labels facing out so I can find everything easily.
When the inside is done, I wipe down the outside, and throughly clean the doors.
I also have my grocery list nearby, so I can write down anything I find we need.
I find that with monthly clean out, I can keep my fridge cleaner, and there is definitely less food wasted.
My tidied up fridge door.