Good fridge management
We all have a fridge at home – it's an indispensible part of the kitchen and so much a part of the furniture that we tend not to pay it much attention. But often, out of habit, we don't use it properly. Here are a few tips to help you get more from your fridge.
26 K 4.4/5 (21 reviews)
Last modified on: April 19th 2011
Good fridge management
Temperature
We often place too much trust in the temperature inside our fridges, saying, “It's cold enough” , but this is something that should be checked at least once with a thermometer.The correct temperature inside a fridge should be around 6°C (43°F), in any case, never above 8°C (50°F), otherwise food will not keep so well, or not keep at all. Adjust the thermostat to produce this temperature and modify it according to the season, as the fridge needs to be colder in summer than in winter.
The temperature inside a fridge is not even. It is colder near the top (where the cold is created) than at the bottom. So put at the top everything which needs to be kept really cold, such as dairy products, and at the bottom things like fruit and vegetables that don't need to be kept as cold.
Hygiene
A fridge should always be kept very clean as it is in contact with all our fresh food, so it needs to be cleaned thoroughly on a regular basis (every few months). This means: unplug it, empty it completely and clean the inside with a sponge and detergent.When you come back from shopping, don't put all the food wrappers straight in the fridge, as they are not always very clean and slow down the cooling process. It is better to “undress” everything before putting it the fridge: take yoghurts out of their cardboard, unwrap fruit, etc.
Similarly, don't put dirty vegetables, such as carrots and mushrooms straight in the fridge, but wash and prepare them first.
A few things to avoid
- Putting something in the fridge to cool it down: this will start the fridge motor, and consumes energy needlessly. It is better to allow things to cool to room temperature, and only then put them in the fridge.
- Leaving the door open between getting 2 or more items out: the fridge starts to warm up rapidly once the door is open, and only cools slowly when it is closed again. You should reduce to a minimum the time the door is left open.
- Putting a dish in the fridge without covering it: smells can be transferred from one food to another and your dish could take on a very odd smell, or pass its smell on to something else, or both.
Better kept out of the fridge
- Eggs: there's no need, they keep quite well at room temperature.
- Tomatoes: they lose all their flavour.
- Strawberries: they lose their flavour when cold, but will regain it on returning to room temperature.
- Naturally matured cheeses: they lose their flavour but will regain it on returning to room temperature
- Oil: may well turn solid.
- Vinegar: keeps well at room temperature.
In the fridge, but beware of…
- Fruit or vegetables in a sealed or knotted plastic bag: they will soon create a humid atmosphere and will rot very quickly. It is better to open the bag, or take them out.
- Herbs: There's no need to stand the stems in water on the windowsill, it doesn't help. It's better to wrap the stems in damp absorbant paper then put them in the fridge in a plastic bag.
Lasts posts
Travel cakes
You may have come across the term "travel cakes" ("gateaux de voyage" in french) for certain pastries, so let's take a look at what they're all about.January 27th 20252,350
The aromatic power of sugar
In the kitchen, sugar doesn't just sweeten, it also has an exceptional ability to capture flavors. Combined with aromatic ingredients, such as citrus zest, it acts as a veritable sponge for aromas. By taking the time to let the sugar soak up the flavors, you can transform your desserts, making...December 25th 20242,7175
The little trap of thick cream
When you need to add cream to a recipe, you might be wondering: thick (heavy) cream or liquid cream? In most cases, there's no big difference: you can use either. But there is one exception, and that's when the cream needs to be cooked, for a sauce for example, and here the difference between...December 13th 20243,1965
Sauce and salad: When and how to mix them?
When dressing a salad, there's a kind of golden rule: add the dressing very shortly before serving, especially if your salad contains crunchy elements such as croutons or fresh vegetables, which will retain their crunchiness or crispiness. But, as is often the case in the kitchen, there are...November 29th 20243,3345
No need to boil gelatin
Gelatin is a magical ingredient for making light, creamy, structured desserts, yet it's often misused in the kitchen. A common mistake in some recipes is the idea that it needs to be boiled for it to work properly, but this is a mistake indeed: gelatin melts at a much lower temperature, around...November 21th 20243,2865
Other pages you may also like
Well-cooked meat
Have you ever noticed that if you like your meat well done, it invites strange looks? For instance, in a restaurant, when asked “How would you like that cooked?” If you reply, “Well done,” it is almost as if you are swearing….May 21th 201130 K 14.4
The painter, the restaurant owners and the opera singer
You might well have noticed that there are recipes involving names that have been so overused (often for any old thing) that they have almost become common nouns.September 25th 201218 K4.4
From website to blog
Hello everyone, Today I'm inaugurating the cooking-ez.com "blog". The idea is to have a space for discussion open to everone, but not necessarily linked to a particular recipe or page. I hope the posts will be sufficiently interesting that you'll enjoy reading and discussing them. The...January 1st 201117 K3.9
Should I believe my oven?
Can you really trust your oven? This is an important question as we are always tempted to take the temperature indicated as gospel truth and, unfortunately, this is rarely very precise. .July 4th 201129 K4.6
Too much sweet and savoury
There is a food trend which is creeping in everywhere in France right now: mixing sweet with savoury. In some restaurants, it is becoming difficult to order a classic dish, like “roast veal” for instance, without being served fruits in the garnish or honey/conserves/syrup in the sauce or cooked...November 3rd 201124 K4.5
Post a comment or question
Follow this page
If you are interested in this page, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the page is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.