Did you open your fridge to find your food has gone bad?
You might be thinking that your GE fridge needs to be repaired, but after checking you find that it’s perfectly fine. So what could the problem be? Well, often the biggest problem with most appliances comes from improper use. In this case, the problem is likely not because of an issue with your fridge, but rather from not storing your food properly. Improper storage is the most common cause of food going bad.
If you find that you do need a repair, give Repair Care a call. We can determine exactly what the problem is, and get it fixed for you before dinner! Here are some tips to keeping your food, and your GE fridge, fresh longer.
Dairy
Dairy can be tricky to store properly, as there are a lot of different types, and they each have different storage requirements. Keep hard cheeses in the original wrapping until you need to use them; once the package has been opened, you can wrap it up with saran wrap to keep it fresh.
Leave liquid dairy, such as milk, cream, sour cream, yogurt and cottage cheese, in the original packaging. When you go to use them, take a little bit out and put them in a separate container. Don’t return any unused dairy to the original container. Instead, cover the used dairy with plastic wrap, or place in a separate storage container; this will keep the dairy still in the original packaging fresh.
Meat, Poultry, and Fish
You need to keep all of your fresh meat, poultry, and fish in their original wrapping. Before meat is cooked, it is more likely to pick up harmful bacteria that can make you incredibly sick. Keep your meat and similar foods in their packaging to decrease the risk of them making contact with bacteria.
Most often they come in a wrapped styrofoam tray, but if they don’t, either wrap them securely in a plastic storage bag, or place them on a plate to catch their drippings and secure tightly with saran wrap to keep bacteria out. This will also help keep any bacteria already on the meat in, so that it won’t be transferred to other food.
Fruits and Vegetables
While washing your produce is a good idea, don’t wash your fruit and vegetables prior to putting them in the fridge. The dampness left over can actually make them mold and rot faster. Instead, wash them right before use. Fruits and vegetables give off different gases that can cause other ones to deteriorate faster, so apples should be stored together, and separately from oranges, carrots, and whatever else you have in your fridge.
Some fruits and vegetables are more likely to dry out faster than others. These include apples, pears, apricots, plums, blueberries, strawberries, corn, tomatoes, corn, and green beans. To keep them fresh longer, store them in unsealed plastic bags; this maintains moisture, but also allows air to circulate.
Leftover Food
Any leftover food needs to be stored in leakproof, airtight containers. Some bacteria can survive through the cooking process and continue to grow if left at room temperature long enough; put your leftover food into the fridge immediately after your done eating to avoid this. Food can last up to 2 hours after being cooked before the bacteria can begin to germinate. If you own a newer GE refrigerator, you shouldn’t have to wait for the food to completely cool down before storing it; the fridge should be able to handle the heat and adjust itself accordingly.
You should remove leftover food in cans into plastic storage containers; when a can is opened, it can transfer residual metal on the rim to other food in your fridge ,giving it a metallic taste. Just like with produce, different types of leftover food shouldn’t be stored together. For example, don’t put cooked vegetables with meat, but instead separate them into different containers. You should also make sure that you don’t fill your fridge too much. The air inside needs to be able to circulate to keep the food at a safe temperature, which it can’t do if the fridge is too full.
All Food
You need to make sure that you use up all of the food in your fridge by their “best before” date. While your GE fridge will keep your food fresh longer, food is still going to go bad eventually. Using the food and getting it out of the fridge before the expiry date will ensure that it doesn’t rot in your fridge, which can leave bad smells and affect the other food in your fridge. It will also clear up room in your fridge so that it has room to properly circulate air. Try keeping the food that is going to expire sooner near the front of the fridge so that you’ll see it and remember to use it.
Does your GE fridge need a repair? Give Repair Care a call for quick and hassle-free repairs! For repairs in the Toronto area call 1-888-501-9702 today!