Fridge Essentials:  

These are items that typically need to be kept in the fridge to be preserved, here is a list of some helpful food-cupboard items and some top tips: 

 

Milk/Plant based milk – For cooking, cereal tea/coffee. Most UK supermarkets stock soy milk, almond milk, oat milk, and more! 

*TOP TIP* - There’s always long-life options of milks in supermarkets – you can store them in the cupboard until you need to open and use them. 

Butter – This also has many uses, including baking, cooking or just adding onto sandwiches and toast. Dairy-free alternatives are also accessible. 

Eggs – Another good ingredient for baking. There are also multiple ways to cook eggs: Scrambled, Fried, Poached! 

Yogurt – A really useful lunch and breakfast item, coming in different sizes and flavours to customise to your preferences. 

Cheese – An absolute staple and can be bought as a block, sliced, or grated – saving you lots of time. Most supermarkets also stock dairy-free options. 

Potatoes – Often added to a variety of dishes (jacket potato, curries, stews, etc…) and a very satiating carb – they go a long way! 

Onions – Either red or white. Very useful to have for adding into pasta sauces, curries, wraps, or other meal and contain lots of flavour. 

Garlic – Similar to onions these add lots of flavour to your meals. You can either purchase, peel, and cut the garlic yourself, or some shops sell pre-chopped garlic, garlic granules, or garlic paste – depending on how much time you want to commit to cooking. 

Tofu – A great vegetarian alternative to meat or scrambled eggs – and goes particularly well with Asian recipes. There are lots of tutorials on how to cook Tofu online! 

Meat/Fish/Quorn/Meat alternative – Some form of meat or fish is often used in meals. Ensuring you always have some in the fridge is a good idea. If you are unsure on how to properly cook meat, consider buying a meat thermometer, follow an online recipe – or don’t be afraid to cut into the meat to check! 

Ketchup/BBQ sauce/Mayonnaise – or your preferred condiment! These can greatly improve a meal but are often forgotten. Consider sharing some with flatmates to use it up quicker. 

Top Tips: 

Repackage to save space – if you can, consider purchasing some Tupperware or bags to store food, as the packaging that food comes in often takes up a lot of space. For example, transfer grapes from a large rectangular container into a sealable snack bag. 

Watch out for power cuts – if your flat/block is ever hit with a power cut – try your best to avoid opening the fridge (or freezer). This will let the cold air out! 

Shared Fridge food hygiene – In an ideal world, you would have a fridge to yourself, vegetables would go in the drawer, meats at the bottom, etc… but at university you may have to share a fridge with others, limiting your space. When sharing a fridge, avoid ready-to-eat food being cross-contaminated by raw meat and fish on the same shelf, by not storing opened packets of meat, fish or shellfish. Instead put the food in separate containers. Use sealed or waterproof containers to avoid leakages and limit the spread of harmful bacteria. 
You should also avoid putting open tin cans in the fridge as the food inside may experience bacterial growth and develop a metallic taste. Follow manufacturers instructions or place the contents in an appropriate storage container before refrigerating. 

Use containers to avoid cross contamination - As you may only have one shelf to yourself in a fridge, plastic containers can help keep food sealed, separate, and safe.