Dee Sargeant
If 2026 has arrived with big intentions and a smaller bank balance, a fridge freezer reset might be the most practical “new year, new me” you do all month. Too Good To Go is urging households to get ruthless about how food is stored at home—because the soggy spinach in the crisper drawer and the mystery tubs in the freezer aren’t just tragic, they’re expensive.
And it’s not always about buying less. Often, it’s about storing better. From vegetables forgotten at the back of the fridge to bananas ripening all at once, small tweaks can stretch freshness, reduce waste, and make your food budget behave itself after Christmas.
The simple food storage resets worth doing this week
A reset doesn’t need a spreadsheet and a label maker the size of a suitcase. Start with a few high-impact habits.
- Crunchier veg, longer: Vegetables like carrots, celery and cucumber stay fresher when chopped and stored in an airtight jar of cold water in the fridge. Changing the water every day or so helps keep their crunch and can even revive veg that has softened.
- Bananas: stop the group sprint to mush: Bananas ripen quickly when left in a bunch. Separating them and wrapping each stem individually with reusable baking parchment helps slow the ripening process and prevents several bananas from overripening at once.
- Herbs: freeze them before they die dramatic deaths: Fresh herbs last much longer when frozen. Chopped herbs can be frozen in olive oil using an ice tray for easy cooking portions, or frozen with lemon rind and water for extra flavour.
These are the sort of small switches you barely notice—until you realise you’re not binning food you genuinely meant to eat.
How to store vegetables so they last longer
Most veg doesn’t need a miracle. It needs the right conditions and a bit of separation from the wrong neighbours.
- Potatoes: keep them in a cool, dark and dry place, away from onions and bananas which can speed up spoilage.
- Tomatoes: store them stem-side down to help them last longer.
- Spinach: wrap it in a paper towel to absorb excess moisture (moisture is the silent killer here).
- Mushrooms: store them unwashed in a paper towel and paper bag to prevent dampness.
If you do nothing else, do this: stop letting moisture and overcrowding turn your vegetables into a science project.
How to organise your fridge properly (so it actually does its job)
A fridge isn’t a cold cupboard where food goes to be forgotten. It has zones, and they matter—especially if you want that fridge freezer setup working for you rather than against you.
- Top shelf (warmest): yoghurts, cheese, cooked foods and packaged items
- Bottom shelf (coldest): raw meat, fish and seafood
- Lower drawers: fruit and vegetables (designed to help slow ripening)
- Door shelves: eggs, sauces, jams and drinks
Two rules that pay off fast:
- Don’t overfill it. Cold air needs to circulate. A stuffed fridge is a warm fridge pretending.
- Put the soonest-to-expire food at the front. Make “use me first” the easiest choice.
Tips to make the most of your freezer (and avoid freezer burn regret)
The freezer is where good intentions go to hibernate. But used properly, it’s the best tool in the house for stretching meals and stopping waste—especially after a big family dinner.
- Freeze in the portion sizes you’ll actually use later, whether it’s meal prep for yourself or leftovers.
- Mark the freezing dates and do not refreeze those that have already been thawed.
- Keep your freezer at a temperature of minus 18 degrees.
- Check in on what’s in there. Leave food too long and you’ll end up with freezer burn and a strong sense of personal failure.
A quick monthly scan—what’s in there, what needs using, what can become dinner—turns the freezer from a graveyard into a plan.
The bottom line for 2026
A fridge freezer reset isn’t glamorous, but it’s effective. In a year when many households want to spend smarter and waste less, it’s one of the easiest wins going: better storage, fewer forgotten ingredients, and more meals made from what you already have.
FAQs
How often should I do a fridge freezer reset?
A quick check weekly and a proper reset monthly usually keeps waste down and meals easier.
What’s the best temperature for a freezer?
Keep your freezer at minus 18 degrees to store food safely and reduce quality loss over time.
Which shelf should raw meat go on?
Use the bottom shelf (coldest area) to reduce risk and prevent drips from contaminating other foods.
How can I stop bananas From ripening too fast?
Separate them and wrap each stem individually with reusable baking parchment to slow ripening.
