ShopPerishable foods such as meat, sausage or fish are best stored on the glass shelf right above the vegetable crisper. Dairy products like yoghurt or crème fraiche go in the middle section of the refrigerator. People mistakenly put milk quite often on the inside refrigerator door, although it is actually too warm there. Milk belongs with the other dairy products on the middle shelves. Store foods that only need light refrigeration on the top, on the warmest shelf and on the inside door. These include cheese, butter, jam, eggs, opened jars, drinks, mustard, ketchup, etc.
Cold-sensitive fruits and vegetables
Not all foods belong in the refrigerator. There are some varieties of fruits and vegetables that suffer chilling injury if temperatures are too low. Brown spots then form inside and out as well as watery, glassy patches. At the very worst, these foods will change their taste. That is why tropical fruits, such as pineapples, papayas and bananas, as well as oranges, lemons and vegetables with a high water content, like cucumbers and bell peppers, should not be stored in the refrigerator. The same goes for bread, cooking oil and canned foods.
And not all types of fruits and vegetables are compatible with each other. Some emit a lot of ethylene, a ripening hormone, and others are particularly ethylene-sensitive and spoil prematurely. Apples, for example, emit especially large amounts of ethylene and should not under any circumstances be kept together with cabbage or kiwis. However, if you want your unripe bananas to ripen faster, store them next to apples.
More refrigerator tips
In general you should make sure that you don’t pack the refrigerator full of food. If there is no space between the items, air cannot circulate properly and will not cool optimally. And don’t forget to defrost the freezer compartment every now and then. It is also good hygiene to clean the refrigerator twice a week using a vinegar-based cleaner.