With a variety of main shelves, crisper drawers, and side shelves built into the door, a refrigerator offers plenty of flexibility when it comes to keeping your food fresh and organized. It’s much more important than you may think to put certain products in the right place in your fridge, as some storage mistakes could ruin your food. However, you may want to think twice before putting your groceries wherever you think they fit best (and the right place may actually not even be in the fridge at all). And for the easy-to-access top shelf, what foods should get this coveted spot?
A general rule of thumb is to keep food that doesn’t need to be cooked or reheated on the top shelf. This is to avoid cross-contamination with uncooked products in the fridge, since these items themselves will not be cooked, and any harmful bacteria that have spread from other foods won’t be killed off before eating.
How to properly store food on the top shelf
While throwing groceries into the fridge after a long shop may seem like a mindless task, it is actually incredibly vital to avoid putting certain items on the top shelf. Products like raw meat could drip liquid containing bacteria that could spread to other items below it if not stored on the bottom shelf. It is important to keep leftovers and pre-packaged items at the top, as well as perishables like ready-to-eat dairy products and fresh produce. Top shelf items should also be kept in an airtight container for the best chance at steering clear of contamination.
The top shelf is not the coldest part of the fridge (the bottom shelf is), but it is cold enough to safely store fruits, vegetables, beverages, and dairy. This is another reason you don’t want raw meat and fish on the top shelf, as colder temperatures are more ideal for storing these items. If you find that you don’t have enough room in your fridge to properly place everything on the correct shelf, here is an easy way to clear space in your fridge.
