How to organise your fridge like a pro

In commercial kitchens there are strict rules on what goes where inside a fridge and how different foods should be packaged. So why does no one ever tell you how to pack your fridge at home – surely it’s just as important that you don’t accidentally poison yourself when you’re eating in as it is when you’re eating out?

Here are a few tips I’ve picked up from people who work in commercial kitchens about how you can arrange your fridge safely.

Layout - Accidentally spilling food is one of the major hazards when loading or unloading food which is why fridge layout is important. Always think “what happens if this drips onto the shelf below?” So it’s no disaster if raw meat drips onto raw poultry because the poultry will be getting cooked before its eaten, but what about if it drips onto salad or cheese? A standard layout is to have dairy products on the top shelf, cooked foods below them, unwashed salads below them (as particles of dirt could fall off), raw meats below them and raw poultry on the bottom.

Packaging – Another step that professional kitchens have to take to stop accidental cross contamination is proper food packaging. Rather than keeping food in its original packaging transfer it to a reusable, sealed container like a Tupperware box. If you want to save time when cooking you can even prepare it before storage.

Stock rotation – When you buy something new make sure you put it behind or under your old food. This means that when you reach for it you will use the old one first.

Many thanks to Matt Pounds and Ben Preston for their input. Between them they have been variously cleaning, staffing and managing kitchens for nearly 20 years and know everything that it is worth knowing about food hygiene.