Travelling this summer? How to come home to a fresh fridge
Simple steps to stop fruit, vegetables and fridge odours getting out of hand while you are away from your UAE home.
For many UAE families, summer means a few weeks away. Flights are booked, the house is locked, the AC is set to a gentle hold, and then you come back to a fridge that smells odd and a fruit bowl that has given up.
A little preparation before you leave makes a big difference. Here is how to plan your kitchen for time away, whether it is a long weekend or the whole school holiday.
Start with what you have
About a week before you travel, slow down the grocery shopping and start cooking from the fridge. The aim is to leave with as little fresh produce as possible.
- Eat the most delicate items first: berries, leafy greens, herbs and soft fruit.
- Freeze what you will not finish. Ripe bananas, chopped fruit, bread and cooked meals all freeze well.
- Give away anything you cannot use to a neighbour, colleague or your building's staff.
- Throw out anything already past its best, so it does not spoil the rest of the fridge.
- Wipe down shelves and drawers so you leave a clean surface behind.
Do not leave fruit sitting out
A fruit bowl left on the counter in a closed house is asking for trouble. Ripening fruits such as bananas and apples give off ethylene, a natural gas that speeds up ripening in everything around them. Moisture builds up between pieces, and mould can follow. Either eat it, freeze it or move hardier fruit into the fridge before you go.
Keep the fridge air clean while you are away
Even a nearly empty fridge can develop smells when the door stays shut for weeks. Opened jars, sauces and the odd forgotten container are usually to blame. Seal everything tightly and check the back of each shelf.
This is where a fridge air purifier helps. Shelfy uses a photocatalytic filter to eliminate up to 99% of bacteria and reduce fridge odours by up to 80%, and it helps fruit and vegetables stay fresh up to twice as long. Before a trip, you can switch it to its low-energy Eco mode through the app, so it keeps working quietly while you are away. The filter is washable, so a quick rinse when you get home has it ready for the next round.
For a cupboard, pantry or shoe cabinet that stays shut while you travel, a Deo works without any power at all, breaking down odours rather than covering them.
Coming home
When you land, you will probably want something simple to eat. A small stock of frozen meals and a clean, fresh-smelling fridge mean you can settle back in without an immediate supermarket run.
Add Shelfy to your pre-travel checklist and you can come home to a fridge that is ready when you are.
