The Storage Bag Trick for Organizing Your Fridge Better

Sheela Prakash
Sheela PrakashSenior Contributing Food Editor
Sheela is the Senior Contributing Food Editor at Kitchn and the author of Mediterranean Every Day: Simple, Inspired Recipes for Feel-Good Food. She received her master's degree from the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Italy and is also a Registered Dietitian.
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updated May 1, 2019
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I run a tight ship when it comes to my refrigerator. I can’t stand a messy fridge, so I spend a lot of time trying to prevent that. I find myself frequently pulling leftovers that have gotten pushed to the back of the fridge to the front so they won’t get forgotten about, and lining up various condiments. Beyond these steps, there is one tool I lean on daily to keep my fridge in the shape I like it: zip-top bags.

(Image credit: Joe Lingeman)

Why Zip-Top Storage Bags Help Organize Your Fridge

1. They don’t take up a ton of space.

While plastic and glass storage containers are all well and good, they take up quite a lot of space. Zip-top bags, however, hardly take up any space at all. I can fill them with everything from cut-up fruits and veggies to leftovers, and fit a whole lot more in the fridge than I would if I were using the other guys. I also love that bags can sit flat and be stacked. I usually opt for freezer zip-top bags in this case, as they are thicker, sturdier, and much less likely to leak than the regular kind.

Storing food in those sturdier bags also means it can quickly go from fridge to freezer when I decide mid-week I won’t be able to finish it all and want to extend its life.

Related: What’s the Difference Between Freezer and Regular Zip-Top Bags?

The Best Way to Keep Lemons Fresh for a Whole Month (Image credit: Faith Durand)

2. They are clear.

Here’s another obvious reason zip-top bags win. Many of my bowls and plastic containers are opaque. With bags, I can quickly see what I have to work with when I open my fridge and what needs to be used up before it goes bad. That’s one step closer to a well-oiled machine in my book.

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3. Some things prefer to be stored in bags.

There are a slew of items that are actually better off stored in zip-top bags. Lemons last a whole month when stored in them and salad greens stay fresher longer in them. Hard, woody herbs can also last for weeks kept in zip-top bags.

More on Storing These Foods

(Image credit: Joe Lingeman)

4. They’re not all that wasteful.

Before you worry that using zip-top storage bags instead of containers is wasteful, don’t fret. I wash and reuse my zip-top bags constantly. I currently have bags in my fridge that are on their fourth or fifth round.

Read more: The One Thing You Should Be Doing with Your Ziploc Bags

What are your tips and tricks for organizing your fridge?

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