Here's What to Throw Out When Spring Cleaning Your Fridge

Peter Ardito

Spring is a time for starting fresh, and with that comes decluttering. Cleaning out your home can help you feel less stressed and more put together. However, there's one part of the home many of us either dread going through or forget about: the refrigerator.

Everyone's been there: Schedules get busy, and you find yourself just shoving new groceries in with the leftovers, and before you know it, your fridge is filled with questionable containers of mystery meats and various veggies of unknown origin.

While no one likes to think about what’s lurking behind this week’s fresh produce—or, worst of all, wondering what that smell is—tackling a fridge and freezer clean is essential to keeping your household not only organized, but also healthy by preventing foodborne illness.

If this project feels overwhelming, don’t fret! We spoke to a food safety specialist who has tips for getting your fridge cleared out and keeping it that way with easy, regular maintenance.

First step: Get rid of expired foods. While this seems obvious, you may be surprised to learn that not all store-bought foods have expiration dates, and not all the phrases on them mean the same thing.

“Manufacturers provide dating to help consumers and retailers decide when food is of the best quality," explains Meredith Carothers, food safety specialist for the USDA. «Except for infant formula, dates are not an indicator of the product’s safety and are not required by federal law.»

Below is a list Carothers provided of common labels you find on foods and their meanings to reference as you go through your spring cleaning.

If you haven’t been keeping your fridge and freezer as cleaned out as you should, this is a project you’re probably going to need to