Keeping a home fridge organized is always challenging. You can try to imagine how chaotic it can get when trying to organize a commercial fridge. It will be challenging if you have a commercial kitchen with staff accessing the refrigerator. It is important that you have an efficient system that maintains order and sanity in the kitchen. The organization system should also include your commercial freezer. 

There are different ways you could organize the commercial freezers or fridges. How the items are stocked will depend on the frequency of usage. You should also ensure you’re following the right safety guidelines. Here are some guidelines that you can follow to have an efficient kitchen if you own a restaurant.

Storing Meat

Meats should be stored on the lower shelves. It will be easier to clean spills if the meat is stored in the lower shelves. This kind of storage will also help to prevent cross-contamination which can ruin other foods in the fridge. The meat juices can drip down to other foods if they are stored in the higher shelves. This has the potential of spreading harmful bacteria to your customers if they eat the food that is contaminated.

Leaving Spaces between Items

It is recommended that you leave spaces between items so that the cold air in the commercial fridge can effectively circulate. You will be tempted to pack things in stacks if there is limited space. There should be three to six inches between the walls for the products to get the best refrigeration. The efficient circulation of air in a commercial fridge will prevent hot air and even cooling throughout the unit.

Keeping Food off the Fridge Floor

This is to prevent water and other juices sipping into your food which can lead to contamination. It should be noted that this is a health code requirement but not everyone in the kitchen might be aware of this fact. It is easy to forget rule when the kitchen is busy and you can’t seem to find the appropriate storage for the food.  If there is a shortage of storage, you can always consider temporary freezer storage rental options. This problem can be properly addressed if there is adequate shelving. It is important to ensure that the staffs understand all the rules to prevent pest infestation and contamination.

Delicate Produce Should Be Stored Away From the Fans

The fans in a commercial fridge are designed to facilitate the circulation of air in the unit. This could potentially damage delicate produce. Fresh greens and berries are particularly vulnerable. There is a high likelihood that food will experience a burn if it is stored close to the fan.

Label Everything

Labelling will improve the general organization in the commercial fridge or freezer. Mistakes can happen but it is always good to have a reminder. Labelling will help someone who is not familiar with the system in place to find things easily in the fridge. You will immediately know when something is out of place. The staff should also be made aware of the labelling before anything goes into the fridge. The label should include details of the day the product was made or received. There should be stickers and pens to make labelling easier.

Why Organization is Crucial:

Getting high-quality food is not cheap. In order to maintain the integrity of the purchases, there is a need for a good organization so that the food that is bought doesn’t go to waste.

You will also avoid health code violations as you’re following the stipulated guidelines in storing food. Your restaurant could be heavily fined and even shut down if the food is not stored properly.

The organization will also help in the efficient utilization of space. This will maintain the quality of food even if it stored for a long time.

The cleaning process will be easy because the shelves are properly organized. Everything is properly labelled and can be put back in place once the cleaning is done.

It is easy to order and restock when there is a system in place. You will see the items that are lacking and don’t have to look for different cases in other places.

Before you can think about upgrading your commercial fridge, you should first analyze if space is being utilized well. A poorly organized fridge could cost you money in the long run as the system will have to work harder to cool the food.