remember: warm air rises

First of all remember that warm air rises so the top of your refrigerator is always going to be warmer than the bottom.

store meat in the coldest section

The shelf right above the crisper drawers is the coldest part of the refrigerator so it’s the best place for anything that needs colder temperatures, like meat or chicken.

Safety tip: To avoid potential cross-contamination from juices dripping on to other foods, place uncooked meat or poultry in tightly sealed plastic bags or containers. And, if your fridge’s design permits, store meat and poultry below all other foods. If you’re not planning to cook raw meat or chicken within a day or two, freeze it.

keep fruits and veggies crisp

The crisper drawers are where you want to keep your vegetables and fruits.

place eggs and milk in the back

And the door is where you definitely do NOT want to put your dairy. It’s the first place warm room air hits when you open the refrigerator, so don’t put milk, eggs or other dairy products here. Butter is usually here but make sure your milk and eggs are in the back of the refrigerator where temperatures are more consistent.

keep leftovers together

Put all your leftovers in one section so you know where they are. That way you won’t forget about something hidden in the back somewhere until it’s no longer edible.

Tip: Rotate your containers, putting the oldest leftovers up front and the newest in back.