Jiaying Zhao, a behavioral scientist at the University of British Columbia, suggests that the standard refrigerator organization system has flaws. The most perishable items are placed at the back of the bottom shelf, making it more likely to be forgotten until it’s too late. This leads to food waste, contributing to 8 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. To address this, Zhao suggests rearranging the food so that the most perishable items are most visible. This can be achieved by placing fruits, vegetables, and herbs in the refrigerator doors, and hiding durable foods in the drawers. This visual reminder helps to remember to eat these items before they go bad. Zhao also suggests using “first in, first out” (FIFO) storage strategies, keeping the oldest items in the fridge front and center, and storing the newest food in the back. This strategy helps prevent a moldy mess from collecting in the back of shelves or the bottom of drawers. The goal is to reduce food waste and save money on groceries.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2023/11/21/food-waste-fridge-feng-shui/