One of my (many) resolutions in 2015 is to keep a tidier, healthier, more inviting refrigerator. I came to this resolution a few 
days after Christmas, when I cracked the ‘fridge and encountered such goodies as a week-old spiral-cut ham, mayonnaise that expired in August, an empty produce drawer (save for a bruised apple and an old garlic clove), and a half-consumed Shirley Temple I don’t remember making for any of my children. We were venturing into post-college apartment territory. I’m usually better than this, but I wanted to talk to HHK advisory board member and mom Dana White, R.D., about how I can really raise my ‘fridge game. The goal: to make it easier and more inviting for everyone in the family to grab or prepare healthy food.
According to White, there are three words to think about when making over your ‘fridge: fresh, simple, and safe. Here’s some step-by-step advice for making that happen:
Step 1: Clean out and Check Temps-Toss expired items
-Make sure your ‘fridge and freezer are cold enough to keep food safe and as fresh as possible. Your fridge should be set to 40 degrees or just below, and your freezer should be set to 0 or just below. If your unit doesn’t have an internal thermometer, invest in a freestanding appliance thermometer, like this one by Taylor (Amazon, $6), that you can tuck into the back of the top shelf.
-Separate meat from other foods. These 14.5 inch x 8 inch shallow trays made by Interdesign (Amazon, $16 each) are great for this.
-Assign each condiment a door-shelf space. White uses one shelf for savory condiments (salsa, mustard, etc.) and another for sweet condiments (maple syrup, jam, etc.) If all it takes is a single glance to check to see if you need jam before heading to the supermarket, you’ll be a lot less likely to wind up with six jars of Smuckers (a waste of space and money).
Step 2: Revamp Your Grocery List-Buy freezer-safe bags for storing food in the ‘fridge and the freezer—they really are thicker and better
-When it comes to prepackaged perishables—yogurt, etc.—choose items with short ingredient lists, which makes them less likely to contain artificial colors and additives our kids really don’t need. “A good rule of thumb: avoid anything that comes in neon colors and features cartoon characters,” says White.
-Buy lots of produce your kids like and will eat. If life is crazy and it isn’t cost-prohibitive, you can purchase pre-sliced veggies spears and fruit chunks. Otherwise, carve out 15 minutes when you get home to cut up fruits and veggies into easy-to-pack and grab portions. These small, rectangular, stackable Gladware containers (Amazon, $3 for five) are a great size for displaying a week’s worth of a particular kind of produce in your ‘fridge.
Step 3: Consider preparing one ‘fridge staple yourself per week-Choose one prepackaged refrigerator staple—like spaghetti sauce, salad dressing, or soup—every week or so, and try to make a homemade version on your own. Food Network and Tasty Kitchen have great, simple, rated recipes for these items and almost anything else you can think of. Don’t stress about it, but set a goal for yourself and give it a try. Homemade versions of foods almost always contain less preservatives and more nutrients than pre-prepared ones. “Ask yourself, can I make my own without stressing myself out or breaking the bank?” says White. “If so, do it as much as possible. Everyone in the house will be healthier for it.”
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