How to Clean Your Fridge in 30 Minutes or Less

By : Jodie Shield | 0 Comments | On : November 11, 2016 | Category : Adults, Seniors, Teens

November 15^th is Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day!

By: Jodie Shield, RDN

When was the last time you cleaned out your refrigerator? No more excuses. It’s time to get rid of those U.S.O.s – unidentified shriveled objects! November 15^th is Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day. Perfect timing, too. Every year it takes place the third Friday of the month, just in time to stock up for your Thanksgiving feast. As one of the original spokespersons for Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day, I wanted to pass along five easy tips to help you get the job done in thirty minutes or less.

1. Empty the fridge. Take everything out at once and place it on a nearby clean counter top. Sort into two food piles: keep and not sure.
2. When in doubt, throw it out. Check expiration dates and toss old foods. Also, discard opened jars or containers that you know you’ll never use. Not sure how long foods will last in the fridge? Get the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ free app Is My Food Safe?
3. Wash away germs. Use hot, soapy water to scrub and disinfect the inside walls of the fridge, the shelves, the bins, and all along the door.
4. Wipe and restock. Make it a point to wash items going back in in the fridge, especially the lids and outsides of sticky jars.
5. Think outside the box. Vacuum coils behind the fridge, if your model has them. Also, sweep away dust bunnies and crumbs on the floor underneath the fridge.

For more tips about setting up a kitchen on a budget, check out my 10 Must-Have Cooking Tools, 10 Must-Have Cooking Utensils, and 15 Ingredients Every Kitchen Needs. Also, my FREE app Eat Healthy Homemade Meals, has over 100 easy, healthy comfort food recipes! Download the FREE app at iTunes or Goggle Play.