Fridge Organization Tips to Eat Healthy

You know it’s time adopt some good fridge organization practices when you open the refrigerator door and stare into it blankly. What looks good? If it’s crowded with boxes of leftovers, long-expired dairy products and mushy veggies in the bottom drawer, it can be hard to find something worth eating.

If your fridge looks like it’s ready for a Hazmat team, you could be sabotaging your efforts to eat healthy even if good food is in there somewhere. But a few simple fridge organization steps can get you back on track.

Organize Like Foods Together

If you want the CliffsNotes, success is all about making what’s healthy easiest to see and grab first, says Professional Organizer Maureen Guzman of Katy Home Organizer. She has tricks for overcoming our understandable human instinct to quickly close the door on a mess.

“Focus on a small area first, like a drawer or shelf. Set a timer for 5 minutes and see how much gets done. The anticipation often quickly transforms into momentum,”; she says.

She recommends setting up zones in the refrigerator to make it fast and easy to get on track and to find stuff:

• Divide shelves into two or three categories from left to right, not front to back.
• Use clear shoe-size plastic bins that use the depth of the fridge to maximize space.
• Use “produce”; and other drawers for whatever items make sense for you.
• Use inserts to subdivide large shallow drawers.
• Use doors for large drink containers and condiments to avoid cluttering the shelves.

Both Maureen and Vicki recommend using clear plastic bins to store food in the fridge to see what you have. “You can straddle a wire shelf over them so you use more vertical space for stacking. Then they just pull out like a drawer,” says Maureen who also advises removing items from their packaging so they line up neatly. They can be labeled with expiration dates.

Most importantly, Maureen cautions, “don’t overstuff! Too many groceries in the fridge make it difficult to see what you have. If you can’t see it, you won’t eat it!”

Want to try your hand at growing vegetables at home so you always have fresh options on hand? We’ve got you covered.

Reduce Food Waste

“Zones help you keep track of what’s available,” says Maureen. “You can then rotate groceries as new items are brought in and bring the older food to the front to be eaten first.”

This helps cut back on food spoiling and going to waste.

It’s so common for produce to go in the drawers at the bottom of the fridge where it is easily forgotten. Put them higher where they can be seen.” Maureen says.

Store vegetables like celery, cilantro or green onions on a shelf vertically in a tall cup with a bit of water, like for a fresh cut flower. You also want to store Cucumber, zucchini, tomatoes, lemons and other small fruits in clear plastic bins on a shelf.

Simcha Peretz,  integrative nutrition health coach and founder of Joyful Nest Home Organizing,  stores fruits and vegetables on a paper towel in a clear container, a practice she says can extend their shelf life for up to two weeks. She also uses strips of chalk tape to keep labels up to date. “When you add something to the bin, having a chalk label makes it easy to always know what’s on hand, she says.”

Simcha also recommends periodically wiping down condensation from containers to help keep things fresh.

Be sure to check out our other kitchen organization tips for a clutter-free kitchen beyond the fridge.

Be Mindful of What’s on Hand

“Food arrangement is key to success when trying to eat healthy and lose weight, ” says Vicki Ibaugh of Personalized Health Coaching. You want to place healthy foods right at eye level.”

Vicki also recommends cleaning and cutting up produce right when it comes in the house, then putting it in easy-to-see, portion-sized containers for grab and go. “More than 40% of what we do every day is based on habit. When it’s right there and you don’t have to decide what to eat, then you are likely to make a healthy choice.”

Keep foods you want to avoid out of the house. But if they must be there for other family members, “store them hidden away! If you can’t see them, you are less likely to pick them!” She says some of her clients keep separate refrigerators or storage areas for that reason.

Preparation is Key

Taking the time to meal prep might seem like an adjustment, but it’s a commitment that will pay off in the long run. “Meal prepping is key to healthy eating, as well as staying organized and making the most of the ingredients you have on hand,” says Simcha.

As soon as you get home from the store, wash your fruits and put them in glass containers near the front of the fridge so you can grab them whenever you need a snack. Simcha uses a water/vinegar mix on vegetables for a quick antibacterial rinse.

To maximize your ingredients and cut down on waste, Simcha also recommends buying slightly less than you think you’ll need to be sure you actually use everything in your fridge before things go bad. Take stock of the proteins and veggies in your fridge and freezer at the beginning of the week, whip up some batch meals, and save the rest for easy reheating. If you have meals you don’t plan on eating in 3-4 days, invest in some freezer-friendly containers.

Want more tips on meal prep success? Check out our blog.

Get Family Onboard

For maximum success, eating healthy should be a family affair.

“Get them involved in shopping and meal planning so they’ll feel involved,” says Simcha. She notes she overhauled her family’s diet several years ago and now having fresh fruit and healthy snacks on hand is second nature.

Choose simple grab and go items like pre-cut veggies, sandwiches, hummus, and fruit so it’s easy for kids to grab a snack or lunch between playtime. Simcha likes creating kid-friendly concoctions by making fruit smoothies with what’s on hand and freezing them, adding a touch of vanilla or maple syrup for sweetness (which she prefers to honey because it’s not as thick).

Maureen says once you find an arrangement that works for you and your family, stick with it. “Consistency makes meal time easier. You know where to find things and when you need more.”

You might even eat healthier and lose some weight in the process!

Laura Bolt contributed to this report