Load the fridge properly
Everyone is talking about the climate crisis, and since Greta Thunberg at the latest, many young people have had a rethink. Small steps are often enough to make a big impact. Did you know, for example, that you can save a lot of electricity if you load your fridge properly - and that the food will stay fresh longer?
A refrigerator has several temperature zones. It is warmer at the top and cooler at the bottom. And in the fresh compartment for fruit and vegetables, which is usually in the bottom part of the refrigerator, the temperature is higher again. Therefore, it makes sense to put groceries in the correct refrigerator compartment depending on their cooling needs. The top compartment (7-10 degrees) includes jams, pickles, sauces and foods that are not so easily perishable. In the middle compartment you keep dairy products such as curd cheese, yoghurt, cream, milk and eggs or dressings. Perishable foods such as meat, fish and sausages belong in the lower compartment (4-5 degrees). Lettuce, fruit and vegetables belong in the vegetable compartment. In the door compartments there is space for mustard, ketchup, opened jars, butter and margarine. What many do not know: milk should not be stored here because the temperature is too high.
What doesn't go in the fridge?
Some fruits and vegetables are sensitive to cold and should not be stored in the refrigerator. These include the fruits pineapple, avocado, bananas (turn brown), pomegranate, mango, citrus fruits and the following vegetables: cucumbers, potatoes, garlic and onions, aubergines, tomatoes, zucchini. So that no food spoils, you should pay attention to clarity in the refrigerator. This is the only way you can keep a close eye on the best-before date. In general, the refrigerator should not be filled too full, otherwise air cannot circulate and the food is not optimally cooled.
Store cheese properly
How about the cheese now? It should be stored on the top shelf because that's where the flavors are best preserved. Cheese doesn't like extremes, so it shouldn't be stored too cold or too warm. Always bear in mind that cheese will continue to ripen unless it is stored too cold (below 4 degrees Celsius), because then it loses its aroma.
It is important that the cheese can breathe, otherwise it will dry out. Therefore, air-permeable packaging, as is the case with cheese paper, is ideal. If you absolutely must use cling film, just cover the cut surface with it so the cheese can breathe through the rind. A cheese dome that is permeable to air is ideal. This also prevents the cheese from picking up the smell of other strong-smelling foods. By the way, cheese should only be frozen in an emergency, as it loses its taste.
Store cheese sustainably, keyword #ZeroWaste
A great alternative to cling film, aluminum foil and the like are beeswax wraps. You can easily make them yourself using melted wax, cotton or linen towels, and some vegetable or coconut oil. They are easily washable and reusable! They are breathable and even have an antiseptic effect. They protect your cheese like a natural protective cover and keep it fresh for a long time. A tip: always use the same cloth for cheese, as it absorbs the aroma.
really enjoy cheese
Last but not least, a tip for enjoying cheese: Take the cheese out of the fridge about 30 minutes before eating (this does not apply to cream cheese, however). The aroma unfolds from a temperature of approx. 16 degrees Celsius. If cheese is served too cold, it cannot develop its full cheese aroma. We wish you a good appetite and enjoy the cheese!
