HOW TO... organise your fridge freezer
No one wants to risk storing their turkey in the garage before Christmas, so follow our backto-basics guide to make space for the big day
• Run an inventory check of everything in the freezer. Different types of food have varying periods of shelf-life and how long they can stay in the freezer. As a general rule, throw out anything that’s been frozen for over a year.
• Label food containers or freezer bags with what’s inside and the date it was frozen. Permanent markers are great for this, but you can also write a label and tuck it inside the container or freezer bag, as it won’t stick in cold temperatures.
• If there’s a build-up of ice you’ll need to defrost the freezer as ice acts an insulator, making it work harder to keep the food cold. Put your remaining frozen food in a cool box with some freezer blocks, then it switch off. Take out all the drawers and set aside. Set newspaper around the freezer and put dry towels inside to soak up as much water as possible.
• Wash the drawers in hot soapy water and once the freezer has defrosted, wipe it with a cloth and antibacterial spray. Dry the freezer as much as possible with towels, then switch it back on.
It may take several hours before it reaches the right temperature to put your frozen food back in. If any food has defrosted in the meantime, then don’t refreeze it.
• Sort through the food in your fridge, throwing out anything that has spoiled. Wash fridge dividers with hot soapy water and wipe the fridge with antibacterial spray – pay extra attention to any drip trays. Make a meal plan to use up leftover food. Vegetables can be used to make soups or stir fries.