Tips for Keeping Your Commercial Refrigerator Organized

If you work in a commercial kitchen, it probably grieves you to stop and think about the amount of wasted food that's thrown away each day because it was left to spoil. While this can sometimes be an unavoidable eventuality, there are steps you can take to reduce the amount of waste that occurs in your kitchen - starting with the refrigerator.

Whether you have a reach-in commercial refrigerator or a walk in cooler, a little organization goes a long way. Make sure you designate separate spaces for produce, meats and dairy items. If your kitchen is in the habit of saving recently prepared leftovers so that they can be served the following day, make sure there is a separate spot for these items, too - preferably by the front of the refrigerator, or by the entrance of the walk in. When items are visible, they're less likely to be forgotten.

When loading items into the refrigerator, make sure that newer items are placed in the back, and those with impending expiration dates are in the front so they're used up in time. Appoint one day each week for cleaning out old items.

By keeping up with your inventory on a regular basis, you can dramatically reduce the amount of waste that goes into the garbage bin each night.