November 14 is National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day

green | November 14th, 2009 - 12:06 PM

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If you do actually use this day to clean out and organize your refrigerator you will be one big step ahead of the game when it comes to finding space in the refrigerator to store the leftovers from your Thanksgiving meal.

It will also give you more room in the refrigerator to place foods that you can prepare ahead of time so that you aren’t scrambling at the last minute to prepare everything in one day.

So why is it important to clean out our refrigerators? The answer may be obvious-safety and health come to mind. It’s true–food is only as healthy as the nutrients it contains (Vitamins B, C, and potassium are most susceptible) so it is important to store foods properly and to keep the refrigerator clean to minimize exposure to bacteria. Improperly stored foods can become rancid or oxidize, making them more dangerous; others lose flavor and texture.

Before you grab your gloves (I clean with gloves, just in case stored items have spawned over time) take a look at these refrigerator facts:

  • The ideal refrigerator temperature is between 34 and 40 degrees.
  • Ideally you should clean your refrigerator once a month-or immediately—when spills occur.
  • Despite what you may have heard in the past, food experts say that fresh poultry, homemade dips, ground meat, and gravy should be stored in your refrigerator for no more than two days.
  • Do NOT store food in the refrigerator wrapped in paper bags. Instead, cover foods with foil, or in airtight containers or plastic bags.
  • Foods, which can be stored in your refrigerator for about a month, include: raw eggs and cheese.
  • If you tend to store a lot of leftovers in your refrigerator it is a good idea to label the containers with the contents and date-so you aren’t left guessing what that green and orange blob is hiding behind the milk container

Instructions:

  • The process of cleaning out the refrigerator will go more smoothly if you approach the task in a systematic way. Start with the door of your refrigerator. Toss out all of the partially used bottles of sauces, dressings, and other condiments with expired expiration dates. If you have something there that you know you’ll never use again simply because you didn’t like it the last time you used it then by all means throw it away.
  • Do the drawers in your refrigerator next. Remove everything in the drawer. Wash the drawer and put back only what is appropriate for that section of the refrigerator. Seal any packages that have been left open if the food inside is still fresh. Once again throw out anything that is out of date. If vegetables are wilted, turning brown, or anything but fresh you definitely should toss them out.
  • Clean out the remainder of the refrigerator, one shelf at a time. Wipe off the shelf once you have removed everything. When you put items back, put them in the appropriate place.

It’s good that there is a day dedicated to cleaning out the refrigerator. It’s also good that is comes right before the holiday season when we tend to cook more and have more food to store in the refrigerator. However, giving your refrigerator a quick cleaning each week and a more thorough cleaning once a month will help prevent foods from having to be thrown out due to them getting pushed to the back and forgotten about until it’s too late to salvage them.

Happy National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day!

Thanks to eHow: How to prepare your refrigerator for Thanksgiving

Families.com: Happy National Clean Our Your Refrigerator Day

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