This is a funny thread since I'm at my mom's house and her frigs (2!!) and freezers are stuffed with crazy, outdated items (and her pantry, good lord). So far, I'm thrown away stuff which is easy to grab: 2 containers of Philly whipped cream cheese from 2005 (yes, 2005), a container of pimento cheese from June, some moldy cheese, moldy zucchini/summer squash (but I shouldn't pick on this, it was the only bad produce and my step dad was in the hospital the week prior to my arrival), a bottle of eggnog (the liquor kind in a bottle) with huge floating PIECES, a box of miniature ice cream sandwiches with horrible freezer burn (bad me for trying one!!) and a few other things I can't recall off the top of my head.
Personally, I shop for the week and only buy things I intend to eat that week (I plan out every meal/snack). I plan to eat leftovers, so nearly everything I buy every week gets eaten. I do "collect" salad dressings and jelly, but every week on Sunday I clean out the frig of anything that I don't plan to eat and make room for the new groceries before I shop. I HATE wasting food, so I usually don't waste many things. I HATE moldy food, so I generally eat/pitch before it gets to that point.
Last edited by Glory87; 12-01-2008 at 12:51 AM.
Reason: still can't spell
Ewwww, chunks. I threw out some mayo from 2007. I don't eat a lot of mayo, and the jar was shoved to the back. Guess that indicates how long it's been since I've scrubbed. Sigh.
I also cleaned out my spice rack just before Thanksgiving and threw out some spices from 1995!
Oh spices are one thing I'm very particular about. I buy my spices in bulk and I replace them once a year. The nice thing about buying in bulk is that I can buy quantities that I know I'll use, so I don't really wind up throwing out that much. But they lose their potency and flavor over time and so after 9-12 months I just pitch what's left and start fresh. In fact it's almost time for my next order!
Well, let me preface that to say my housekeepers do clean it twice a month (scrub it). Often then throw away things that are still perfectly good (what is wrong with saving half a red pepper when I only use 2-3 thin strips at each breakfast?). There are times when I'll recognize that something is going bad and will throw it out before they get to it, though.
My fridge conked out on me this weekend ...so it's completely empty and scrubbed down. Waiting to be repaired tomorrow! Thankfully we had been on vacation and there wasn't much in it. It actually felt pretty good to competely clear it out. Now I'll have a fresh start with condiments and whatnot.
Actually, this is the ONLY thing I'm organized on somewhat. I do my grocery shopping every two weeks or so and when I do, I clean out my fridge, throw out all the uneaten leftovers and old juice, etc. and wash down all the shelves, so my fridge is always pretty good. Or at least never gets too out of hand.
I clean mine once a month, but I employ tactics to keep it clean and keep my food from spoiling in the mean time.
I wipe jars and containers before they go in the fridge - eliminating sticky rings under condiments and leftover containers.
Our leftovers go in one area. They are put away in single serve portions and with a label of what day they went in. This makes it very simple for my husband to grab his lunch in the morning. Whatever doesn't get eaten within two days gets moved to the freezer.
veggies are prepped when I bring them home from the store and I buy produce 2-3 times a week to cut down on waste. Salad gets washed and put into a spinner, peppers get washed and some cut for snacks and the others put into "green bags".
Milk and other beverages usually don't last long in this house - I don't usually have to throw anything like that out.
I would probably have the hardest time with condiments which is why I go through them once a month when I wash the shelves and drawers in the fridge.
I usually like to clean, like wash out everything everything before i go shopping for groceries, which is generally twice a month. It is much easier that way rather than scrubbing a years worth of junk. I will admit though since we have moved into our new house, which was a year ago ..i have only deep cleaned my fridge twice!!!!!!! yikes. I clean it out every week though, checking dates wise.
Please don't take this as being nit picky but what do you mean? I go through and check dates once a month but if you mean like taking stuff out and scrubing out the drawers and everything um.....(cough cough) a year.
hahah-----totally agree---- i only empty and scrub where it looks grimy or something spilt---oh and right now it looks bad--- now that you've all mentioned it i'm going home to clean out that little sucker --- its been driving me nuts looking at it anyway--- lol--- i also have to admit i put a pumpkin pie in the fridge but apparently those things are supposed to be kept frozen since it wasn't baked yet and it leaked all over the top shelf
---oh but i dont think i'm too bad about it i go in and toss stuff every week or two--- leftovers go after about 2 or 3 days and then the veggies and fruit are what get cleaned out every week or two or whenever i see something going bad in there --- i have the see thru plastic crispers so they stare at me when i open the fridge lol--- right now i have tomatoes i need to sort thru and shop up for freezing since they're starting to go bad
Last edited by princess2323; 12-01-2008 at 03:45 PM.
...so it's completely empty and scrubbed down. Waiting to be repaired tomorrow! Thankfully we had been on vacation and there wasn't much in it. It actually felt pretty good to competely clear it out. Now I'll have a fresh start with condiments and whatnot. 
