A Full House and Full Fridge for the Holidays – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

When the holiday season starts, it’s all too easy to pile up groceries and let your fridge take over. Between what’s already in it and all the extra ingredients for a holiday meal, a thawing turkey or ham and then the leftovers, it’s a recipe for disaster! Consumer Reports shows you how to keep your groceries safe and organize your refrigerator for the holidays.

Right before the big day, adjust your shelves to match the groceries you need to store.

The top shelf should be used to store ready-to-eat foods, things like prepared salads and desserts, and anything else that you don’t want food to come into contact with on the other shelves.

The middle shelf is your prepared food area, essentially any food that is cooked, covered, and ready to be reheated.

Place a thawing turkey or ham or other raw meat on the bottom rail. This will prevent them from dripping or getting into your food that has already been cooked.

Keep the less perishable items like relishes and cranberry sauce for the side shelves.

What about all the inevitable leftovers? Consumer Reports has a strategy for this too. Break up the leftovers into meal-sized portions and store them in flat, covered containers. And plan to freeze anything you won’t eat in three to four days.

To keep the freshness and quality of the food you want to keep things really airtight. Use special products such as freezer bags.

Consumer Reports says if you’re running out of refrigerator space, use a cooler for final storage. In very cold areas, having a cool box outside of your home can help keep perishable goods fresh. Use it for drinks in warmer climates to leave more space in the refrigerator for other holiday dishes.

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A Full House and Full Fridge for the Holidays