5 Ways to Organize Your Refrigerator for Weekly Meal Prep
Organization is key when it comes to having a Meal Prep fridge, but what’s the best way to get and keep it organized? With so much food to store, it can be overwhelming, but the good news is that it doesn’t have to be another chore to keep up with. With a few simple organizing tips, your fridge won’t only function well for meal prepping, but it’ll look great too.
Here are 5 ways you can create your dream meal prep fridge
Take inventory, make a plan + buy only what you need for the week. One day a week (I like Saturday mornings), spend a few minutes setting up the next week for success. Take inventory of what you have, toss expired or spoiled items, and plan your meals for the following week. Buying only the items you need for the week will cut down on overcrowding + overspending on food that spoils.
Use clear containers to group ‘like’ items together. Clear containers allow you to see everything you have and create grab‘n-go options for kids and adults. Using containers that are all the same (or similar) shape maximizes the usable space in a refrigerator. Ex: rectangle and square containers. And take advantage of vertical space by using stackable pullout drawer bins. Bonus Tip - Use labels or removable markers to easily label each container with what’s inside or put the name of the family member it belongs to.
Prep food. No, I don’t mean spend all day Sunday cooking every.single.meal for that week. Instead, take 30 minutes after grocery shopping to wash, chop, and bag or store fruits + veggies. You will be amazed at how much less space chopped food takes up in your fridge.
Create zones. When you have dedicated zones, you can locate food types quickly. This is especially important for kids. Create a bin or section on a shelf that all little humans know is their spot for healthy snacks. Here are placement suggestions for meal prep + cooking ingredients.
Meat, poultry + seafood (raw): bottom shelf to prevent cross-contamination
Meat, poultry + seafood (cooked): top shelf
Veggies + fruit: lower crisper drawer, pullout drawer bins or sealed containers on shelves
Dairy: if possible, store on middle shelf instead of the door (warmest area of most refrigerators)
Condiments: refrigerator door
Leftovers + drinks: top shelf
5. Don’t forget about the freezer. Use deep containers to group ‘like’ items (meat, poultry, breakfast, dessert, veggies, etc.) so you can maximize storage. One day a week, move items from the refrigerator that are close to expiring into the freezer if you don’t plan on using them soon.
Bonus Tip: If you are a leftover-eating family, leave space in your newly organized fridge for a place to temporarily store (1-2 days) air-tight containers. Using the same shaped containers will help cut down on wasted space.
Kitchen Products We Recommend
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Don’t have time to organize on your own? No worries because we can help! Contact us today to learn how we can get your kitchen and fridge organized and systemized so your family can save time while also eating well.
