Fridge Organisation

Fridge organisation and meal planning….lets get to it!

Fridge Type:

Our fridge is a Samsung French four door, allowing us to fit and organise almost every awkwardly shaped item in there with ease. The bottom doors however, are separated into two units; the door on the left is a freezer and the door on the right has it’s own temperature control setting which gives us the option to use it as a fridge or freezer. This is the main reason I chose to buy this fridge because I love the versatility. 

Here is the fridge listing original layout.

Containers:

Everything is kept in clear, BPA free plastic or glass containers and organised accordingly. I have added the links to what I could find below however I have owned some of these items for years and they don’t seem to be available.

Unfortunately the wire baskets I use in my freezer are no longer available. I got them from Kmart years ago from a clearance table and they were 50c each. Apparently they came in a set of drawers that was damaged.

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Look for good sales because these get pricy. I picked up all of my Decor Real Seal Glass containers from Harris Scarfe for half price. Then, I purchased my OXO Greensavers at Peter’s of Kensington. They sell out super quick there because they are significantly cheaper than general retail so they may not always have stock.

Meal planning and grocery shopping:

We plan our meals for one weeks worth of meals and grocery shopping, so I make sure the proteins and vegetables we need to prepare are readily available. Using a chalk pen, I label each container with its content as well as expiry date so we can keep track of freshness. Because I buy our produce with minimal packaging in mind, proteins are put straight into my containers by the butcher.

Our meal plans account for 5 dinners at four servings each as we take leftovers to eat for lunch. Our typical grocery budget for the week is $100. The other two nights of the week we are usually out and about and either eating out, getting takeaway or entertaining so whatever we eat on those occasions comes out of our luxury budget and a separate shop to account for bulk quantities. Cooking all of a sudden becomes very different when you’re trying to feed 15 people as opposed to 2.

FAQ:

Where is the chocolate and junk?

In the pantry. We like it melty, not rock hard.

Where do you keep sauces and condiments?

Sauces, condiments, dips, dairy, butter, and all those other staples are on the doors of the fridge.

Do your herbs last longer in jugs of water?

We eat SO many herbs, I literally put it on everything so them lasting for a while is not something I have ever considered. Both my mum and mum in law store their herbs like this so I have just always done it.

How long does your cheese last in your containers?

I buy big blocks of cheese and grate my own straight into the glass containers. This works out cheaper and apparently they cover store bought grated cheese in saw dust to stop it from sticking (??? source unavailable because someone told me that on Facebook one time haha) but I prefer the taste of freshly grated anyway). I do a weeks worth of grating at a time.

What’s with all the garlic?

You can buy a large bag of already peeled garlic from Drakes for $6. We eat A LOT of garlic. Like A LOT haha

Do you chop all pre chop your veg and how long do they last?

No, I don’t meal prep. The most I’d do is cut something up or marinade something in the morning if I know I have a long day at work or something.

Where do you store leftovers?

We hardly ever have left overs as they’re packed as our lunch for the next day but if there is something that’s left over, it usually just goes in a glass container and replaces a container that was full to make that meal in the first place.

Do you get much food wastage? Have you ever thrown away food?

We have minimal wastage because we only shop for a week at a time but if life sometimes happens and if whatever reason we weren’t able to be home for a week or something, our dog gets a feast. Plus our in laws have chickens haha.

What do you use to clean your fridge?

My multipurpose cleaning spray and a microfibre cloth. You can find all of my cleaning product recipes here.

Do you pre wash your fresh produce before putting it away?

I normally don’t and just wash things as I use them but with the current pandemic, I have been soaking all my fruit and veg in a apple cider vinegar wash before putting them away. I have noticed that it hasn’t impacted their freshness so I may continue to do that when this is all over because it is really convenient knowing everything in your fridge is clean and ready to go.

Do you have a list of meals you pick from when you meal plan?

No, it’s all in my head and based on whatever we crave like eating haha