NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — For a lot of people, November and December bring with them some fabulous family meals, and that means a kitchen full of food!
But how do you make room for everything? It all starts with a good strategy and planning ahead of time.
“About a week or two before a big holiday meal, I like to go through the fridge, stop buying new groceries, and try to use up things I already have," said Consumer Reports Home Editor, Paul Hope. "It’s also a good time to throw out anything that’s expired or purge things you know you’re not going to use before the end of the year.”
All that free shelf space comes in handy when Paul’s ready to cook.
“On the top shelf, you want to keep raw, ready-to-eat foods, things like prepped salads or desserts, anything you don’t want to come into contact with foods on the other shelves," Hope added.
The middle shelf is for dishes that are prepped, covered, and ready to be heated. Less perishable items like relishes and cranberry sauce go on the side shelves or in the door.
As for the future star of your holiday meal, Paul says it’s important to thaw your turkey, ham, or any other raw meats on the bottom shelf to prevent drippings from contaminating your prepared foods.
When it’s time to clear the table and pack up leftovers, instead of putting the whole dish in the fridge, Paul likes to separate food into smaller portions to help speed up cooling.
“To preserve freshness and quality of foods, you really want to keep things airtight, so use products dedicated to that, like freezer bags,” said Hope.
And if you won’t eat it within 3 to 4 days, skip the fridge and freeze it!!
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at jennifer.kraus@newschannel5.com.
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-Rebecca Schleicher
