November 15 - Clean out your refrigerator day

November 15 is "clean out your refrigerator day."

Now is a great time of your to clean out your refrigerator to make room for leftovers and extras from holiday meals. Here are some tips to help you do that.

• Check the use by and sell by dates. Things that are past the use by date can be thrown away. If there is a sell by date, that just means you should purchase it before that date and it is still good quality and safe to eat, so refer to a food storage chart.
• Use a food storage chart. MU Extension has one available online at http://extension.missouri.edu/p/N358.
• After purchase, eggs will last about 3-5 weeks; most meats (hamburger, etc) are 1-2 days; lunch meat, bacon, and hot dogs are 2 weeks unopened and 1 week once opened.
• Leftovers are good for a few days. Make sure you heat to steaming (165 degrees F) before serving.
• If you can’t remember when you purchased something, it should probably be thrown away.
• Keep your refrigerator at 40 degrees F or lower and freezer at 0 degrees F or lower.
• Clean any spills with hot, soapy water.
• Trays, crispers, and shelves can then be rinsed with a sanitizing solution (one tablespoon of bleach to one gallon of water).
• Doors and gaskets can be washed with hot soapy water and baking soda then rinsed with sanitizing solution.
• Make sure to leave the door open or let the surfaces dry completely. Bacteria love moisture.
• For tough odors, wipe with a mixture of equal parts vinegar and water. The acid also helps with mildew.
• Other options for odors include: fresh coffee grounds or baking soda in a large open container, rolled newspapers, or a cotton ball soaked in vanilla.
• To make things easier the next time, consider dating items. A piece of masking tape on a package or container can be quick and easy.
• After cleaning out the fridge, it would also be a good idea to clean out the icemaker in your freezer. This can be full of bacteria from people reaching in with their hands. Empty, clean out with the sanitizing solution, dry, and put back into place.
• Don’t forget to clean the outside and the top of the refrigerator as well. It is probably well overdue.
• Stay on top of cleaning out your refrigerator and it won’t seem like such a huge job all at once.

This article was also posted online in the Greenfield Vedette.