Spring Fridge Clean Out (How we keep)!

I thought this might be timely for anyone Spring Cleaning their fridge (which I highly recommend). This week our family has been observing Passover. Since this more of a cleaning/organization post than anything else, I won't go into too many details. It is important to know, however, that due the ban on leavened products during Passover, many Jewish people take extra care in cleaning out their refrigerators before the holiday. There are variations in what people do from completely emptying fridges and cupboards, (donating the contents to charity) and replacing everything with new Passover foods to, well, nothing at all. I, for one, am somewhere in the middle. I love the ritual of it all. As a side benefit, I LURV getting rid of everything at least once per year. It feels good y'all!!!

Several weeks before the holiday, I began planning our meals to use up our food (except for our of stock of grass-fed local meat from our cow share). The last meal this year was meatloaf made with breadcrumbs I made from frozen rolls and topped with sauce that was made from the ends of Thai chili sauce, pomegranate molases, and steak sauce. It was actually delicious. You get the point--you have to get creative at the end.

When the fridge was good and ready to be cleaned, I removed everything and scrubbed it down. We are clean people, I swear!! My cleaning woman and I both clean the fridge through the year, but somehow it still accumulates little crumbs, smudges, and sticky spots despite the routine work. I am shocked every year at how bad it is when totally empty.

Because there could still be a few crumbs left after the big scrub, I also like to line the shelves at this point. That isn't a religious law, but its my ritual. I was so excited because I learned that there was an actual product for this--it rhymes with sridge foaster. I learned about it through a trusted organization blog and saw it for sale on a favorite website. I bought them, but am utterly disappointed. I haven't returned them because I had to break it to "fit" my fridge which it still didn't do. Even if they did work, it is nothing but cardboard with a cute print. So, back to my usually routine.....

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Make a template of your shelves and drawers with white butcher paper and then trace it onto the back of wrapping paper. Make sure that your print faces the side you want if there is a "right" side. You will likely need several as most fridges have multiple types of drawers and shelves. Cut it out.

Cut a similar size piece of contact paper--its okay if it isn't a perfect fit because you can trim later.

Add a piece of double-sided tape at two opposing corners. Place them on the desired drawers and load in whatever fashion makes sense to you! The result is a wipe-able guard for a fraction of the price of the product I bought!

I admit the leftovers at the top,jarred gefilte fish, and hot dogs are not beautiful but they are just a part of this holiday!

Happy Passover Spring Cleaning Everybody!