Simply moving food in the refrigerator can dramatically change your eating habits. Studies have shown that we are drawn to what we see and what is easily accessible.

Nutrition specialists, nutritionists, and psychologists have developed recommendations for the optimal location of products in the refrigerator, which contributes to a healthy diet. Here’s how it should look.

Top shelf: light fresh snack

A shelf at eye level should be the main source of nutrition. Place transparent containers with washed, dried, and chopped fresh vegetables. You can also send washed and chopped pineapple and melon there.

They will be the first thing that will catch your eye when you open the refrigerator. Be careful with berries, they quickly deteriorate – wash them immediately before use. Add a couple of hard-boiled eggs to the shelf – a source of protein. Try to eat everything from this shelf in 2-3 days. And fill it again.

Second shelf: snack on the go

On this shelf, the number one place is given to organic yogurt and homemade cottage cheese – a healthy source of protein and calcium. Next, we put hummus and nut paste, which provide the body with proteins and healthy fatty acids, and slices of vegetables and fruits.

If salt is not contraindicated for you, put a jar of pickled cucumbers there, in small quantities, they are very conducive to digestion. Nuts, especially almonds rich in calcium and omega-3 fatty acids walnuts, can be stored in the refrigerator for months.

Middle shelf: more than cold snacks

Do not buy snacks in the store, they have a lot of salt and nitrates, give preference to cooked meat and cheese. Thinly slice the remaining baked turkey or chicken. They can be added to a salad or to a sandwich, they are an excellent source of protein.

As for cheese, cubes of parmesan, or spicy cheddar shade well snacks, a small amount of feta or goat cheese will give satiety to any salad or turn tomato slices into a delicious treat.

Lower left shelf: drinks

Replace soda and energy (even without sugar) with jugs of water. For taste, you can throw a slice of lemon, cucumber, or a leaf of mint in them. Natural juices: orange, grapefruit, cranberry, and pomegranate are useful, but high-calorie – dilute them with water in a 1: 1 ratio.

And keep in mind that finished juices in packages can contain only a small amount of the juice itself. On the same shelf at hand should be organic skimmed or low-fat milk. You can drink it, and add it to cereal or porridge.

The lower shelf on the right: all for dinner

In the center should be fresh herbs – a source of antioxidants. They will catch your eye and you will use them more often. Put back ready brown rice or pasta from durum wheat for a day or two at the back – if you don’t have enough time, you will have ready-to-eat, fiber-rich foods at hand. Leave the unfinished soup or sauce there.

If you are not used to controlling the portion size, arrange everything in advance in portioned packets. Eggs need a cool temperature, so send them deep into the bottom shelf directly in the carton box. Marinated fish or meat should also be stored on one of these shelves in the refrigerator.

Lower drawers: vegetable warehouse

For salads and healthy dishes, keep a supply of dark leafy greens: spinach, kale, romano, cola, and red lettuce. Carrots, green beans, bell peppers, and cruciferous vegetables should also be stored here. Most fruits produce ethylene gas that accelerates ripening, so keep them separate from vegetables. Autumn is a time of plenty. Enrich your diet with pears, citrus fruits, persimmons, pomegranates, and apples.

Fridge door: spices, sauces, seasonings

Put the good on eye level. Soup is quickly made from miso paste, salsa is an excellent sauce. Place jams, marinades, sauces, and something you would not like to abuse (ketchup, mayonnaise) on the lower shelves of the door.

Ready salad dressings contain a lot of harmful substances, so do the dressing yourself and store it in the door. For example, a recipe for provencal dressing: combine olive oil with vinegar in a 2: 1 ratio, add salt, pepper, garlic, oregano, or thyme.

Freezer: long-running stocks

Put fresh vegetables and fruits on the top shelf for freezing – this way you will always have vitamins and smoothie ingredients at hand. If your bread constantly deteriorates, cut off the quantity you need, and freeze the remaining piece.

When preparing soup, sauce, pasta, rice – cook a little more than necessary, distribute the leftovers in portioned containers and freeze. On a separate shelf should be a fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids (such as salmon), chicken, pork, or beef.