In a nutshell, we refrigerate food so that we don’t get sick. The FDA explains that the main goal is to protect people from sickness-causing microorganisms (for example, Salmonella, E. coli O157:H7, and C. botulinum). Chilling food slows down the growth rate of bacteria, reducing the chances of us getting ill.
A good rule of thumb to keep in mind is that you should never let easily perishable food items like meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, or produce sit at room temperature for longer than 2 hours (or 1 hour when it’s really hot). The same applies to take-out foods and leftovers.
The FDA recommends that you keep your fridge temperature at or below 40 degrees F (4 degrees C) and your freezer at 0 degrees F (-18 degrees C).
Generally speaking, if you haven’t properly refrigerated something, it’s safest to throw it out.
Meanwhile, if a food item looks or smells sus, throw it out immediately. One sign of spoilage is mold, which can grow even in refrigerated foods. While mold isn’t a major health threat, it’s still better to be safe and throw the food out.
Something else to keep in mind is that food can make you sick even if it doesn’t look, smell, or taste spoiled.
“That’s because foodborne illnesses are caused by pathogenic bacteria, which are different from the spoilage bacteria that make foods ‘go bad.’ Many pathogenic organisms are present in raw or undercooked meat, poultry, seafood, milk, and eggs; unclean water; and on fruits and vegetables. Keeping these foods properly chilled will slow the growth of bacteria,” the FDA explains.
The FDA also warns that bacteria can multiply very quickly in foods that you leave to marinate at room temperature. What’s more, you should never reuse marinating liquid as a sauce, unless you rapidly boil it first.
As a rule of thumb, you should regularly clean and clean out your fridge and immediately wipe any spills to reduce bacteria growth.
In the meantime, keep your food covered and stored, and always check expiration and ‘use by’ dates.
Furthermore, the University of Minnesota suggests that you store raw meat, poultry, and seafood on the bottom shelf of your fridge, in pans. That way, their juices won’t drip on your other food items.
Meanwhile, you should refrigerate prepared food and leftovers within 2 hours of cooking. “Divide leftovers into small, shallow containers for quick cooling in the refrigerator. Cover when food is cooled.” In the meantime, do your best not to overload your fridge. You have to allow cool air to circulate to keep your food safe for consumption.
During an earlier interview with Dillon Shipper, the Founder and Chief Executive Fridge of ‘Dude Fridges,’ Bored Panda learned all about the inspiration behind the project, its popularity, and what a classic ‘dude fridge’ looks like.
“The concept was born from the ridiculous fridges my friends kept, which never failed to crack us up. I thought it would be fun to start a space where people could submit their fridges for others to rate and judge,” the creator said.
“What started as a lighthearted idea quickly went viral, and the community has grown beyond anything I could have imagined! As the page gained more followers, I started incorporating memes—something I’ve always loved and grew up following. Meme culture shaped my sense of humor, so I figured I could be good at creating and curating them,” Dillon explained to us earlier.
"The growth has also been really validating—seeing how much people engage with and relate to the content confirms that this niche humor is more universal than I initially realized. It’s a reminder that even the smallest, seemingly mundane aspects of life, like the contents of a fridge, can spark creativity, connection, and a lot of laughs. It’s been a mix of excitement and gratitude to see the community grow and evolve.”
