Smart Stacking 101: How to store food in your fridge like a pro

Your fridge is so much more than a chilly storage unit where you put food that needs to stay cool. When used effectively, it can help keep your favourite drinks, meats and produce fresher longer, reducing the amount of food waste you produce in the long run. What’s more, not all areas in your fridge have the same temperature. That’s why it’s important to take the time to consider WHERE you’re putting things in your fridge.

Enter: Smart stacking.

This food-saving storage technique is one that even pro chefs like Jamie Oliver practice to reduce everyday food waste at home. Your fridge has multiple compartments and shelves that each serve a purpose and have different temperature zones. This means if you hope to keep your food fresh long enough to use it, then you need to store it in the right spot.

So how do you know where to put what? Read on the to get the full breakdown on how to use smart stacking to store food in your fridge like a pro.

Your guide to smart stacking your fridge

Top shelf

This is where you want to put foods that are ready to eat like deli meats and packaged foods, or items that have already been cooked such as leftovers and ready meals. All of these should be covered or kept in hermetically sealed containers to prevent cross-contamination.

Middle shelf

The middle shelf is the perfect place to store your eggs and dairy since it’s not too cold nor too warm. Keep your yogurt, cheese, butter, cow milk and any milk alternative on this shelf so they stay fresher, longer.

Bottom shelf

This is the coldest part of your fridge. Here, you’ll want to store your raw meat, poultry, and fish in sealed containers to prevent them from touching or dripping onto other foods. If your meat is already cooked, place it on the top shelf away from your raw meats to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.

Fridge door

This the warmest spot in your fridge since it’s constantly being exposed to warm air every time you open it. The fridge door is best suited for foods with natural preservatives like condiments, sauces, pickled foods, fruit juices, jams, your favourite soda, etc.

There’s a common misconception that milk and eggs should be stored in your fridge door, when in truth, these items are best stored on the middle shelf. If you keep your milk and eggs in your door, they’re more likely to go bad, resulting in food waste.

Fridge drawers

Also known as crispers, these drawers are specially designed to keep your fruits and veggies fresh and crisp. Use the high-humidity drawer to store delicate herbs, salads and veggies that are more likely to wilt (we’re looking at you, spinach!), and the low humidity drawer for any fruits that rot quickly like apples, melons, pears, avocados, and stone fruits.

And there you have it! Keep this handy guide close by so you can smart stack like a pro the next time you come home from a grocery run.