Where Is The Coldest Part Of A Fridge (And What Should Be Stored There)?

A goal of mine is to hop on the fridgescaping trend that seems to be taking the U.S. by storm. I don't know about you, but when I open my fridge, there's chaos on every shelf and compartment; making me feel unorganized and uninspired to make a dish. My forever goal is to keep things tidy, but it's challenging to follow through on it at times. But when I hear about good food storage tips which help me utilize my kitchen components better, I inch closer and closer to my goal. In this case, it's all about the temperature of the refrigerator and which items would be best in which area.

A fridge has two areas with the coldest temperature: the bottom shelf and the back of the refrigerator. We know heat rises, so the opposite is also true, meaning cold air is lowest to the ground; resulting in the bottom being your coldest point. And because cold air escapes every time you open the fridge door, the back of the fridge is the coldest as well. You might be thinking back to a time when certain food items didn't do so well in these areas, either because your fridge is too cold altogether or those foods were stored in the wrong spot. All that to say, certain foods should be stored in particular places. Here's why.

To begin your fridge organization journey, you have to determine which food items are best kept in which parts of the fridge. This will not only prevent you from becoming overwhelmed but also decrease the risk of food cross-contamination. Speaking of cross-contamination, let's start with the bottom shelf. If you have any protein or seafood, plan on storing them on this shelf. This will also ensure they don't drip on any other food items in case any juices sneak out of the packaging.

Onward and upward, the middle shelf should be dedicated to dairy products. Finally, ready-to-eat foods, like leftovers or salads, are best for the top shelf. When planning what to store in the back or front of the fridge, look at expiration dates and place foods in order of what will go bad the quickest. There you have it! These simple tips will help you utilize your fridge to its fullest potential and prevent cross-contamination that can lead to illness.