There’s something oddly satisfying about peeking into someone’s fridge. I realize this sounds a bit creepy, lol, but it’s totally true.
Today, I’m sharing a peek inside my fridge via video. In this fridge video tour, I share how to stock real food in my fridge, how to organize real food in your fridge, how I store fruits and vegetables and leftovers, and my favorite food storage containers.
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Watch My Fridge Tour Video
How to Organize Your Fridge
Having a plan for how to use food (a meal plan) along with organized food spaces, sets me up for weekly real food success. Doing these things does require forming the weekly habit of planning and organizing.
As Rory Vaden says in his book Take the Stairs, “Winning is a habit.” If we want to “win” at a real food lifestyle, we have to create habits that will help us do so. I would argue that these habits also simplify life in the long-term.
When your fridge is organized, you can clearly see what’s inside which means you’re more likely to actually use the food in your fridge. When you’ve taken the time to organize your fridge and store your food properly, you’re less likely to end up throwing away half your veggies at the end of the week.
How you organize your fridge may look different than how I organize my fridge. Find a “system” that works for you. Try a few different systems if you want to.
For me, grouping like things as much as possible is helpful. I talk about this concept in the video. Is this system always perfect? Is my fridge always perfectly grouped and organized? No and no.
The goal isn’t perfection, and I certainly don’t feel bad when things get messy or put back in places they “shouldn’t be.” The goal is to simply create a space where we can easily find ingredients and food. Because when food is visible and appealing (not rotting), we’re more likely to use our ingredients and enjoy a real food lifestyle.
I wrote a post about how I clean and organize my fridge. Read it here.
How to Store Fresh Fruits & Veggies
In the video, I talk about storing carrots and celery, radishes, strawberries, greens, green onions, turmeric and ginger, and herbs.
Produce Storage Tricks
There are some fruits and veggies not pictured in the video because they are stored on my counter. This includes: avocados (once ripe, they go in the fridge produce drawer), bananas, tomatoes, onions, potatoes, garlic, fresh basil, and any hard squash (i.e. butternut squash, acorn squash, etc.).
Don’t let it rot!
FREE PRODUCE GUIDE
21 Storage Hacks to Keep Your Produce Fresh
The Best Fridge Storage Containers
I’ve gone through my share of food storage containers over the years. I’ve settled on a few brands that I love and work very well for me. I talk about these containers in the video:
- Ball Mason Jars (with plastic white lids): I purchase my jars at Target. I find the wide-mouth jars work best for food storage. The metal lids are awful for storage. Trust me, buy the plastic lids! You can find the plastic lids on Amazon or at Target.
- OXO Produce Keepers: I use the boxes for storing greens. I prefer the medium-size box. You can also find these at Target.
- Snap Ware or OXO (Snap Ware-Like) Containers: You can also find these containers at Target, sold individually. These come in small and large.
- Pyrex: I have the 3-cup size and a 6-cup container (perfect for large berries or soup). You can find these on Amazon in a set or individually from Target (3 cup size and 6 cup size). I have 6 3-cup containers and 1 6-cup container.
I love these containers because you can see through the containers which means food is visible. Everything mentioned is glass, except the OXO containers.
More Produce Hacks
Hello. Love the site. What do you have in your pantry? I am just starting to get into the real food life and my pantry is mostly processed foods. Soups, meal kits and such. What dry, no refrigerated items do you recommend we keep in out pantries?
Hey Rick, I’m so happy to hear that. Here’s my pantry video and a list of everything I keep stocked: https://livesimply.me/simplify-real-food-with-a-capsule-pantry-printable/
What kind of fridge are you using and why? I have one that hides a lot of food and have trouble getting down on the bottom shelf.
It’s a KitchenAid counter depth so it’s a bit shorter than most, depth wise.
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/kitchenaid-23-8-cu-ft-french-door-counter-depth-refrigerator-printshield-stainless/5508007.p?acampID=0&cmp=RMX&irclickid=wkj2z%3Ax3QxyLTzJ07OwzdzZ-UkExT3zUE2QEUA0&irgwc=1&loc=Narrativ&mpid=376373&ref=198&skuId=5508007
LS Team
Hi Kristin! I’m wondering if you have any storage tips to make cucumbers last a little longer, either for the regular or the smaller sized bunches? Thanks!
Hi Kristin –
Hope you and your family are doing well 🙂
I LOVE your Real Food Fridge Tour video – thank you for all of your great prep and storage tips!
Questions –
Do you peel your ginger and turmeric before chopping and placing in water? Or, do you just chop them with the skin on for storing, and if so, do you wash the outer skins before storing?
How do you recommend storing precut baby carrots that come in a bag – do you rinse and then store in a glass container filled with water?
Have you tried the OXO Herb Keepers for storing cilantro, parsley, mint…. or do you prefer the mason jar and bag method best?
Thank you in advanced for any recommendations.
I was wondering if I should wash lettuce and greens before putting in oxo greensaver?
Hey Sarah, I don’t recommend it. I recommend using a salad spinner throughout the week to quickly and easily wash as many greens as needed in the moment.
I love your blog. The quality of your pictures is amazing. And you look beautiful kristin. I loved the storage tips you shared in this post.
Thank you, Dimple. I’m so glad you’re finding the blog the helpful.