Here’s a stat that’ll make you wince: UK households throw away 6.4 million tonnes of food every year. A lot of it goes off before anyone gets around to eating it.
But knowing how to store your food properly can help you make the most of what’s in your kitchen 👇
🧊 How to organise your fridge to keep food fresh longer
Most of us just open the door and shove things in, but a quick reorganise can add days to your food’s life.
Bottom shelf = raw meat and fish. It’s the oldest spot, and nothing drips on your leftovers.
Middle shelves = dairy and cooked food.
Top shelves = drinks and anything that just needs to be chilled/
Door = condiments only. It’s the warmest part of the fridge – don’t put milk there.
❌ Stop putting these in the fridge
It’s counterintuitive, but the cold ruins their texture or flavour – keep these at room temperature instead:
Tomatoes, potatoes, whole onions, garlic, bananas, and bread.
❄️ What can you freeze? (More than you think)
Bread, cheese, milk, fresh herbs – you can freeze almost anything. Make sure you’re making the most of yours.
And here’s the bit people often get wrong: the FSA says you can freeze food right up to (and including) its use by date. So if you’re not going to eat it in time – freeze it, don’t bin it.
Read our guide on how to freeze food properly here.
📅 Use by vs best before: What’s the difference?
This one is responsible for a huge amount of unnecessary waste. Here’s the difference:
Use by = safety. Don’t eat it after this date – but you can freeze it before this date.
Best before = quality. After this date it might not be at peak deliciousness, but many foods are still fine after this date. Check by looking, smelling and tasting
💡 4 food storage tips worth knowing
1️⃣ Wrap cheese in baking parchment, not cling film – cheese needs to breathe, and plastic makes it sweat and go off faster
2️⃣ Don’t wash berries until you’re about to eat them – moisture attracts mould
3️⃣ Treat soft herbs like flowers – stand them in a glass of water in the fridge and they’ll last days longer
4️⃣ Never leave food in an opened tin – transfer it to a sealed container to refrigerate. The tin can start affecting the food once it’s open.
🥦 Got food you can’t use in time? Share it on Olio
Sometimes your eyes are bigger than your fridge. You overbuy, life gets busy, or you’re away for the weekend and there’s uneaten food in your fridge.
That’s exactly what Olio is for. List what you can’t use and someone nearby will snap it up – usually within minutes. Go on – your surplus butternut squash deserves better than the bin.