Do you ever look on Instagram and see those beautiful refrigerators and think to yourself about the moldy container of take out that has been hanging out in the back of your fridge? I used to have a mess of a fridge and once I finally took control of how to manage it I will be honest it has been life-changing (Am I officially an adult when I start to feel that way?!)
I start off with large bins that have carb counts on the front. It makes it easy to mix and match for putting together snacks and meals on those very busy days with a hangry toddler!
These bins will only go so far if you don’t have everything organized within the containers. Here is how I break down the full organziation adnd why!
There are so many benefits to keeping everything in order and helps for those grab and go moments you need for those constant highs and lows that come with Type 1 kiddos. I love the visually I can see everything which means as a family we are able to eat and drink more of what’s in there and there is less waste. I also love never having to play what’s that smell when I open the fridge since everything is easy to clean and we all know where everything is! Plus we save time and money, which is such a valuable resource as a parent.
Let’s start from the very beginning and talk about how to wash and organize your fridge from top to bottom.
First, take everything out of your fridge. I mean everything: vegetable drawers, condiments, shelves, everything!
Next, throw out expired foods and foods that you won’t eat. Make sure to put together a pile of unopened food that you are also able to donate!
After that trash binge take some time and wash all the shelves with warm soapy water and get the stains, stickiness and all kinds of fun off those neglected parts.
With everything out of the fridge pay attention to the air sources of your fridge and where you would like your shelves to handle all the goodies you are about to stock it full of!
As you put things back start with the condiments and make sure to put like items together. After those doors are stocked with all those goodies start to put together groups of items that will go on the main shelves
Since we all know Type 1 families don’t have butter containers but insulin compartments I make sure everything else is Type 1 friendly with an easy to navigate fridge. I love to have labeled containers to keep us organized: we make sure to keep a meat, cheese, zero carb and 10+ carbs bins stocked and ready to go so when those moments come that we need to grab something quick we are always prepared. It also helps keep our fridge organized, as we don’t need to tear anything apart to get to what we need.
One thing that is always a life saver- glass containers! You use what you see so we make sure items are organized and prepped in these beautiful containers. They make cleaning up a breeze, are stackable and you are able to put things that need to be eaten front and center! I also make sure that snacks that are easy to grab are portioned out and in baggies. It may seem like quite a task but it’s totally worth it! I aim to clean out the fridge and restock the bags once a week to save time and give Ella healthier options instead of those lunch snack packs!
What helps you keep things organized and easy for your Type 1 family?
Type 1 Kid Type A Mom 