I've had to start keeping various gluten-free flours in my refrigerator as they go rancid faster than standard wheat flour. It takes up most the bottom shelf of my refrigerator, unfortunately. I like to bake when I can, so I keep that stocked. The other refrigerator staples: Milk, oj, eggs, cheese, butter, Cholula & Tabasco sauces, mayo, mustard, and the Brita pitcher.

For us: hummus, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, decent salsa (I'm from Texas and it's made me very picky), condiments, sandwich supplies, some marinating in my homemade rub.

Sriacha
Sesame Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Miso
aWedge of Parm
Tortillas
Ketchup
Udon Noodles

Soy doesn't need to be in the fridge, does it?? I always keep mine stored in the cupboard.

It's the condiments. Why do we have so much? They take-up a significant amount of space !

I have a question about some of those things that are being listed... do they have to be stored in the fridge? Specifically: soy sauce, sesame oil, siracha?... I don't keep any of those things in the fridge and I haven't any any trouble. For Siracha, I use to keep it in the fridge but once when I needed more space, I closely looked at the label and didn't see anything that suggested it had to be stored in the fridge (whereas other hot sauces did).

soy sauce, fish sauce, mustard, butter, jam, bbq sauce, tomato paste, eggs

Cheese. Of multiple varieties. At all times.
Chalula hot sauce
chicken stock
baby carrots

those are the things that you can open my fridge and find on the emptiest days - the rest is a rotating melange of food groups

Ha! The soy sauce has sort of a debate on whether to refrigerate or not. I keep my big bottle in the fridge, but I also keep a smaller pot of it on the counter all the time and refill from the bottle when it gets low.

I always refrigerate more delicate oils, because they go rancid faster at room temperature.

eggs, butter, soymilk, hot sauce, cheese (cheddar, fresh mozz, feta, and goat usually) water pitcher, spinach, white wines, thawing veggie stock and whichever soup i pull out of the freezer.

those seem to be the staples always present.

produce, other than spinach, rotates. beans cooked the day prior tend to be frequent, too.

Cheese, mostly cheddar, feta, and always parmesan!
about six jars of jam--any idea what to do with all that jam?
various flours--chickpea, buckwheat, whole wheat pastry, etc.
baking powder
eggs
red and white miso paste
butter
two pitchers of cold water
cornmeal for polenta
tamarind paste
...and much more! I try to keep my fridge full to keep it running efficiently, so I have stuff in there that doesn't necessarily need to be refrigerated.

Brita Filter
Milk
Eggs
Condiments (Peanut butter, Rapsberry preseves, almond butter, ketchup, Locatelli cheese, salad dressing (homemade))
My asthma medicine
Brown Cow Vanilla Yogurt
Maple Syrup
Leftovers (right now, it's ratatouille and pumpkin quiche)
Lots of produce (spinach, greens, pepper, sage, parsley)

Eggs, unsweetened soymilk, chevre, goat gouda, soy yogurt, bacon, ginger beer, homemade jam, organic mustard, organic ketchup, organic mayo, maple syrup, butter, apples, lemons, curry paste, salsa, corn tortillas, gluten free wraps, tofutti sour cream, hummus, and a juice of some kind to put in smoothies.

Wow. I don't think I realized how much food I have in there until I listed it out!

I definitely keep sesame oil in the fridge, but not soy sauce or cholula, I think it dampens the flavor, as cold tends to do.

Stuff that is always in my fridge are :
organic 1% milk, eggs, fruit preserves, butter, sesame oil, tortillas, beer, 5 different kinds of cheese, at least one tupperware of leftovers.

Also these pics of gigantic fridges are making me totally jealous.

butter
milk
eggs
capers
yogurt
gouda aged 5 years
lemons
peanut butter
jam
siracha
mayo
mustard

Hmm,

Eggs, butter, cheese, yoghurt, and half & half. Leftovers. Some variety of green vegetable, replaced several times per week (the other veg rotate, but I can't get enough kale, spinach, bok choy, chard, etc.). 5 or 6 jars of homemade jams and preserves. Olives and pickles. Hoisin sauce, tamarind paste, sriracha, fish sauce, and 2-3 each of bbq sauce and salsa.

We also have a condiment problem. I keep telling my partner that we have to use up what we've got before we buy or open something new, but we are not good at this.

My fridge appears to contain 60% condiments, 20% beverages, 10% fresh food & 10% leftover or rotting items! OK, maybe there's more old stuff than that... but the condiments are definitely taking over the place.

And don't talk to me about my freezer(!)

Cilantro, Cheese, Bread Dough for 5 minute Bread, milk (cow and soy), chocolate syrup and a variety of greens thrown in for good measure.

I always have the following in my fridge:

Cheese- semi soft and Parmesan
Miso Paste
Siracha
Marmalade
Maple Syrup
Dijon Mustard
Eggs
Butter
Capers
Pickled Jalapeños
Adobo Sauce
Ginger Paste
Garlic Paste

A year ago I stopped storing Soy sauce in the fridge and it's stays just fine.

Brie, milk, eggs, butter (always about a pound of unsalted and half a pound of salted), olives, pickles, various salsas, various cold cuts, hot dogs, soy sauce, miso paste, tofu. And now thanks to my wonderful father-in-law from the SF Bay Area, a jar of sourdough starter! I must keep it alive!!

We always have a few cooking staples like eggs, butter, and especially milk. I'm a bit of a dairy fiend, so if we get down to only half a gallon of milk I get panicky.

We also usually have kosher dill pickles, red raspberry preserves, deli meat, several kinds of sliced/shredded cheese, apple sauce, and yogurt.

Your intro line about how it's "a fascinating anthropological thing to peek in someone's else's fridge" reminded me of the book which captivated me for the same reason.

Always in mine: tahini, parmesan, cheese for snacking (cheddar usually), carrots, rice vinegar, dijon mustard (many more condiments but fewer than I used to keep on hand), yeast, LF yogurt, white wine, arugula...

Always ketchup, mustard, mayo and pickles as well as speciality mustards and horseradish
Parmesan, Mozarella and Cheddar usually on hand
Lemon Juice
Jam, Syrup and various sauces
Caesar Dressing, Poppyseed Dressing, Vidalia Onion Dressing
Eggs
Milk

Fridge pet peeves:

coffee & tomato stored in the fridge.

This is the worst place for both of these items. Keep tomato out on the counter to avoid them going tasteless and mealy (they'll last a week ) and keep coffee in an opaque airtight container out at room temp to avoid stale coffee.

What's in my fridge: lots of veggies (greens, baby carrots, peeled garlic -i'm lazy-, onions, cucumbers, lemon, citrus, ripe peaches/other fruit). Usual condiments (ketchup,mustard, sesame oil, maple syrup, Siracha, opened containers of tahini). Preserves that are open. Milk (whole milk and lactaid 2%). Eggs. Butter (though often that's in the freezer) Brita. Beer. Ginger Ale (in case of illness more than for consumption). Parmesan Cheese. Greek Yogurt. Cartons of Egg Whites (I never know what to do with the yolks...)

Right now: homemade membrillo and half sour pickles! Plus, leftover butternut squash puree.

eggs, usually butter and milk, bread, my dad's homemade spiced peach jelly, beers, unfinished bottles of wine (there are not many of these, lol), leftovers, tomato paste in the tube, soy sauce, ketchup, mayo and mustard, giardinera and some pickles.

The following are in my fridge at all times:

butter
buttermilk
eggs
peanut butter
tahini
soy sauce
parmesan cheese
dijon mustard
greek yogurt
salsa

Whenever I'm out of any of those items, I always regret it!

eggs, soymilk, butter, yogurt, OJ, peanut butter, jelly, pureed chipotle, mayo, balsalmic vinagrette, capers

unsweetened soymilk
Brita filtered water pitcher
another jug of filtered water
the water bottle I drink out of
eggs
cheese
yogurt
tofu sandwich spread
peanut butter
raw grains/rice of various types
a large bag of carrots
a lot of produce
a clutter of condiments
Fancy Feast

Nearly all organic, except the Fancy Feast.

Argh, my previous post was supposed to display a link to the book, Hungry Planet.
http://www.powells.com/biblio/1-9781580088695-0

eggs
cheese (parm, cheddar, feta, blue, string, guyuere)
1/2 and 1/2
heavy cream
bacon
yogurt
baby carrots
cucumber
brocolli
romaine

Eggs, milk, pickles, cut up raw onions and peppers (SO loves to snack on them), rye bread, fruit (apples, oranges, grapes right now), sopressata, olives, and cheese.

It's so interesting to see how some people have fridges full of things I wouldn't have a clue how to cook with!

sliced cheeses, 2 or 3 kind
block cheeses - cheddar and parmesan
lunchmeat
jarred artichoke hearts
5 or 6 salad dressings
red and white cooking wines
salad greens and herbs (for us and bunny)
potatoes, garlic, onions
pot of homemade pinto beans
yogurt
homemade iced tea
too many condiments

Butter, cheese, yogurt--but never milk! (I love all milk-derived products, but despise milk itself.)

Peppers, onions. (I often start sauteing these even before I know what's for dinner. And garlic, too; however, I don't keep garlic in the fridge.)

5-6 other vegetables, depending on what's in season.

Salsa.

Jam.

Mustard.

Capers.

(And, um, beer.)

Eggs,
butter,
leftovers,
cheese (and lots of it-parm, goat, feta, swiss, and cheddar-I think I have manchego in there now too),
tortillas,
Brita filter,
New Belgian beer (currently Mothership Wit),
Diet Pepsi or Coke (no allegiance to either brand-whatever is on sale),
dried fruits, a host of condiments
and whatever fruits and veggies I picked up that week at the farmers market.

In no particular order:
beer (usually Two-Hearted Ale, by the case)
homemade yogurt
eggs
condiments (mustards, jellies, curry pastes, etc.)
milk
butter
partially-used can of cat food
soda water dispenser
apples
instant yeast
various homemade dessert sauces (to be thrown out 6 months later)
herbs drying
sourdough starter (possibly dead)
garlic
simple syrup (usually mint- or thyme-flavored, goes with anything)

It always feel far too cluttered, but I know where everything is, and things rarely get to "science project" state. Except for those random dessert sauces that I make and can never use up.

ABreadADay.com

some hard cheese
eggs
heavy cream
butter
olives

kimchi
fish sauce
half & half
cocktail onions
mayo
pomegranate molasses
lemons
garlic
maple syrup
miso
pickled ginger

Eggs, soy milk, plain yogurt, cheddar, jalapenos, condiments, butter, half and half and/or heavy cream, lemons, limes, chipotle peppers in adobo, hummus (generally homemade), green olives, water pitcher, Club Soda, bread (for the boy's lunches.), and fresh corn tortillas.

From top to bottom,

Mayo, ketchup, goose fat, mango chutney, marmalade, jams, chutney, hummus, cottage cheese, ham, olives, thai & indian curry pastes, lemon juice, pesto, mustard, butter, cheese, eggs, white flora (shortening), yoghurts, apples, potatoes, carrots, onions, celery, milk, apple juice, tonic water, half packet of cat food.

Let's see....butter, garlic, parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese, soy sauce, sriracha, pasta sauce, lemon juice, beer and white wine. I think that covers it.

Garlic, Ginger, Shallots, Green onions, Onions, Carrots, Potatoes, Butter, Ketchup, Mustard, Wine, Sake, Soy Sauce, Miso, Douban (Chinese version of miso, spicy!), Kim Chi, Curry paste.

I always have sesame seed and walnut oil, but I don't think they need to be in the fridge.

I'm amazed at how many people keep multiple types of cheese. My staple cheese is only what i use for my lunch sandwiches for work. I don't keep a lot more cheese around because I've cut back on a lot of dairy and if I had all that cheese now, I think I would gorge out on cheese, since it would be such a luxury to me to have it around. Or, it would go moldy, I'm not sure which.

Fun! I usually just keep the staples (like veggies and tofu) in the fridge and I'm kind of a plain jane eater.

I always, always have:
Soy Milk
Hummus
Garlic
Tofu
Red Onion
White Onion
Baby Spinach/Mesculine Greens
Cuke
Cottage Cheese
Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar (New Englander here!)
Ketchup
Honey Mustard

I always have milk, eggs, some butter (most of it is kept in the freezer), oj. i also have a ton of condiments- they take up so much space but they're all so fun. though i maybe should reign in my mustard habit. i have four open jars right now (all different kinds of course). also i make a lot of jam so there is always a lot of that. usually some beer and/or white wine. brita filter.

soy sauce
unsweetened cranberry concentrate
farmstead butter
parmigiano reggiano
mustard
tea

milk, eggs, butter, Dijon mustard, ketchup, yeast, Parmesan cheese, carrots, onions, garlic, ginger, water bottle, bottle o' Tanqueray, bottle o' Schweppes tonic, lemons, Major Grey's chutney, peanut butter (crunchy AND smooth), Hellman's mayo, garlic stuffed green olives, oil cured black olives, salt-cured anchovies, capers, horseradish

There's other stuff that comes and goes, but these are almost always there. If they aren't, life just falls apart!

cheese: always cheddar and parm or romano, probably something else just for snacking.
milk
like 5 kinds of mustard
pickles -homemade :)
a million jams and jellies
salad in the spinner which takes up a lot of space but it keeps so much better.
csa veggies-of-the-week
hummus
prosecco which is always left over from the easter beforehand. I really need to fix that.

several different cheeses
farm fresh eggs
butter
yogurt
bacon
milk
a few condiments
beer for the hubby
carrots, celery and seasonal veggies
fruit
nut butters
jam

the remainder of the food comes and goes with each trip to the market.

Here it is!
milk
water
fruit juice
chocolate
butter
eggs
mayo & mustard
yougurt
jam
parmesan & mozzarella
olives
beans
onions
potatoes
carrots
wine

I love having a full fridge!

beer (usually Stockyard Stout from TJ's)
cheeses (always parmesan, feta or gorgonzola, cheddar)
deli turkey for sandwiches
ketchup
mayo (always hellman's)
jams/jellies
mustards
lettuce
greek yogurt
onions
butter
milk
crushed garlic
cottage cheese
a jar of sun dried tomatoes

eggs
butter
anchovies
soy sauce
flour
garlic
lemons
lentils
almonds

Always:
eggs
tapatio and habanero hot sauce
pickled jalapenos
various cheeses (and always parm)
mustard
beer

eggs, butter, Earth Balance, whole milk, soymilk, 1% milk (!), Cholula hot sauce, Parmesan, Cheddar, and usually a third variety of cheese, mustard, walnut oil, ketchup, peanut butter, tahini, yeast, jams.

cheese
salted & unsalted butter
buttermilk
heavy cream
1/2 & 1/2
milk
sour cream
hoisin sauce
sesame oil
chili/garlic sauce
oyster sauce
mayo
ketchup
dijon, coarse, & yellow mustards
yeast
black bean sauce
various soy sauces
eggs

Top shelf- milk, grape juice-orange juice
Second shelf- pull drawer with Parmesan cheese and I buy
cheese mix & put in recycled Parmesan jars
cream cheese, sour cream, ricotta cheese
Third and last shelf- breads,field greens- lettuce-salad
greens tomatoes,

Top shelf of door- Jellies! way to many too! I don't even
eat jelly!
sliced and chopped onions in separate
jars (makes things easier)
butter in jars
second shelf of door- condiments-mustard, mayo, salad
dressings
third shelf of door- pickles, pickle relish, sauerkraut, olives

It is stuffed to capacity almost all the time, most of the above mentioned items, (except the exotics like goose fat).
Have a shelf devoted to fruits in brandy and my vin de noix experiments.

Always stocked:
Nonfat milk
OJ
Butter
Eggs
Diet Coke
Sourdough starter

A few years ago I took over a vegetable drawer to store flours and grains and it was a big improvement. I usually put them in plastic containers with a label on the lid so I know what's what from a top-down view. It's a much better use of space because I tend to shop for produce as I need and use it, so two drawers veg drawers is overkill and these items are bulky and eat up shelf space.

Kitchen Nook Cook - I'm like you with specific zones for particular types of foods. Makes it much easier to find things

Adorita - I keep sesame seeds and nut oils in the fridge too, it helps keep them from going rancid.

mayo,h20,nail polish,and whole wheat flour

Geez, you all have fridges the size of Rhode Island. Due to an acute lack of space, I can't even keep quite a few things that suggest you should refrigerate after opening. Mustard for instance, jams; they're preserves for pete's sake. Also from October to May we have what we call the beer annex - a box on the balcony. Since it rarely gets below freezing we use this area to store things that don't fit in the fridge and that aren't particularly temperature sensitive . Especially around Christmas.
What I always have in the fridge -
Cheese: selected from French, English, Italian, Dutch
Butter
Milk
Plain yogurt
eggs (strictly speaking you can keep these out of the fridge)
carrots and celery
berries in season or homemade applesauce
Fresh veg.
Leftovers
a jar of anchovies in olive oil
and a handful of annoying condiments that I do believe when they say refrigerate after opening (though I refuse to consume the whole bottle in one week!)

If our kitchen weren't so warm I could keep the cheese and butter out, but not having to wear four layers of clothes indoors in the winter is a vast improvement over the last kitchen we had.
My mother in law had a coolish pantry and a root cellar, lucky woman.

at least 3 kinds of cheese
at least 6 kinds of mustard
eggs
flour (I had a bug problem once and I will never invite that again.)
trader joe's fat-free half n half (it doesn't appear to be evil)
TJ's hummus (goes faster than water in my house)
butter
zucchini (and a variety of other veggies depending on the season)
my fridge is always full of other random condiments too -
miso, sriracha, extra potent tomato paste, capers, saurkraut - things you need but never really finish...

non-fat milk, free-range eggs, some kind of salad greens, some kind of fresh berries, feta and cheddar cheese, orange juice, brita pitcher, yogurt, grapes.