The Kitchn Cure Day 2: Clear Out the Refrigerator

Cambria Bold
Cambria Bold
Cambria Bold is the Executive Editor of Cubby, and one of Apartment Therapy Media’s first full-time editors from way back when. She was The Kitchn's founding Design and Lifestyle Editor as well as Managing Editor of Re-Nest, Apartment Therapy’s late '00s green living site. She now thinks a lot about design, kids, and designy kids' things. She lives with her two daughters and their father in St. Paul, MN.
updated May 12, 2022
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The Kitchn Cure Day 2: Tuesday, August 12
Assignment: Clear out the refrigerator. (See all the assignments so far here.)
Sign Up: Sign up here for The Kitchn Cure

How did Day 1 of The Kitchn Cure go for you? We started off light, but now the real work begins. Today is the first day of our two-day refrigerator task! Instead of tackling both a fridge clearing and deep clean in one day, we’re splitting the project into two parts. Today you’ll simply go through your fridge and toss anything that’s old or expired, and tomorrow you’ll spray, scrub, and deep clean the whole thing.

That doesn’t sound so bad, does it? We’ve also got a few posts to help you decide what to keep and what to toss.

(Image credit: Gina Eykemans)

Today’s Assignment (estimated time: 30 minutes)

  1. Take a “Before” photo of your fridge: Don’t be shy. If I can admit to my bag lady ways, then you can share the state of your fridge. You’ll be even more impressed with the results of your hard work later if you can remind yourself where you started. Post the photo to your Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, or Facebook account, and use the hashtag #kitchncure. You can also use the hashtag #freakyfridge or #longlostleftovers, but hey, that’s up to you. (Kidding!)
  2. Take everything out of the fridge: Unload everything in the fridge onto the countertop.
  3. Toss anything old, smelly, or unrecognizable: If you come across food that’s moldy, smells funky, or you can’t remember what it is, compost it or toss it in the trash.
  4. But don’t toss everything! There are a few food items that seem like trash, but they’re actually still usable. Keep foods like overly ripe bananas, cheese rinds, and stale bread to use for banana bread, soup stock, and croutons. Throw them in a plastic bag and freeze till you’re ready to use. See these two helpful posts from Christine on the topic → 10 Foods You Shouldn’t Throw Away and A Guide to Help Demystify Food Expiration Dates
  5. Consider your condiments: Condiments last a long time, but even they have a shelf life. Check this list to see if your condiment is past its prime → How Long Can You Keep Opened Condiments?
  6. Load all the good stuff back in your fridge: Don’t worry about wiping down your condiment jars or organizing your fridge just yet. Tomorrow you’ll empty the fridge again to give it a deep clean, and you’ll wipe down and organize everything then!
(Image credit: The Kitchn)

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