I hate having too much food in the fridge.

[Bella444]

This has become more evident since I have been on furlough but having a lot of food in the fridge actually stresses me out. I feel a genuine sense of relief when it gets emptier.

It's only my DH and I so we don't have the big amounts that a larger family might. I do the shopping so I know what I'm buying and I plan out our menu for the week. What's wrong with me? I've started shopping every couple of days now (which I know isn't ideal) so I don't have lots of food around.

NB definitely no eating disorders here. Also -before anyone tells me how lucky I am - I am fully aware of this after a period of homelessness when I was younger. I know the value of being able to have access to food.

I get stressed if there is so much food in the fridge that I can't easily find or reach an item I need because there are 12 things in front of it. But I love knowing that the fridge contains enough fresh food that we can eat healthy home-prepared meals for at least the next week using what is in there.

I do also hate finding tubs of mouldy something at the back of the fridge which was left in there too long.

When we got our kitchen re-fitted a couple of years ago we upsized the fridge, and I got DH to agree with me that we would not increase the amount of stuff we typically had in the fridge when it was smaller - we would keep the same amount of stuff, but more spread out.

This works well, the fridge isn't crowded and it is easy to find what I need. Also because there's no need to hide things behind other things so much, it's easier to not forget about the 2 tbsps of leftover something that needs finishing up, and easier to see at a glance whether we already have something so I don't need to buy any more, which means there tends to be less stuff going to waste too.

So maybe achieving that "emptier" status by having a bigger fridge would help you too?

I really thought i was the only one! Absolute pet hate is a full fridge, i can never organise mine right, just a mess inside..i blame the manufacturers design

I'm sure the families fighting for food bank vouchers will be really sympathetic to this "problem".

I can't comment on the stress, but if that's how you feel then embrace it, I say. Shopping for day 3 days instead of a week means you can carry what you need so you can walk (maybe), you get to totally avoid the hour plus trip to the supermarket at the weekend and instead have x3 15 min trips, you've got more scope to think on your feet and get what you fancy, less food waste when you forget something lurking in the back of the fridge, and maybe more scope to visit several local shops rather than giving your hard earned money to the man. Sounds better for the environment, the local economy and your purse strings.

Oh my I could have written exactly the same thing! I love an empty fridge. Just little. My husband messaged earlier asking if there space in the fridge.. i said no.

Ok. I'm not feeling so "strange" now. I used to hoard any food I could get when I first got a permanent home so maybe, 20 years later, I'm just going the other way.

I'm the exact opposite! An empty fridge gives me massive anxiety. After a big shop I feel so happy and will constantly open up the fridge and just stare at all the lovely food. I have young dc and money is always tight so that may have something to do with it.

If we have too much food in the fridge I will often find out of date stuff that hasn't even been opened but has been forgotten about under piles of other stuff, so I'm with you, I prefer it emptier.

OMG, OP, are you me? I feel suffocated by having extra food in and is one of the reasons I never normally bulk buy.

It was really freaking me out when I had 6 cans of chopped tomatoes instead of my normal 2 or 3, at the height of lockdown, for example.

Not sure what to say really. If you’re shielding then you’ll need to stock your fridge up.
If you don’t like it filled then maybe don’t buy as much and go shopping more frequently.
You’ve actually said that you go shopping every couple of days and it’s just for the two of you, so why is your fridge full?
Are you actually eating what you buy? Or are you buying stuff just in case?

I'm the opposite, I really liked seeing the photos of peoples full Xmas fridges

@1Morewineplease (love the name) no, I have started now doing mini shops instead of a big one once a week.

The reality is that it makes no difference as I buy the same amount of food in total!

OP I'm the same and I can't explain why, but having very full fridge/freezer/cupboards makes me feel uncomfortable. I don't like them empty but I feel more comfortable when things are used up and space appears again.

I used to love a packed full fridge. Our new fridge is integrated and higher up as a result, which means the top shelf involves using a step if I want to reach the very back. Next shelf down requires tip toes. When it's full I find myself having to take stuff out just to find what I need. It's irritating!

I want a smart fridge (and freezer. And larder.) that automatically logs what items you have, and how much, use by dates etc. That's stores the information on an app. Maybe also gives you a reminder about things you're running low on. Or about to expire.

My fridge is too full of jars of ...stuff.

I feel like this too. And actually feel a bit sick when I see all the food in bags after a big shop. I also feel this way about lots of possessions and clutter though so think it's an extension of this.

I'm sure the families fighting for food bank vouchers will be really sympathetic to this "problem

Would you prefer people crying into their dinner every time they eat just because others might be struggling ?

I love a full fridge. I resent eating stuff when I’ve just been shopping! Madness I know.
Didn’t have much when we were kids I suppose that’s why.

Nooo! I'm the other way, used to shop daily so no full fridge but since lockdown I've done a weekly shop. I love it on a Thursday evening when it's packed to the gunnels, start feeling sad by Tuesday when there is loads of space.

I felt this during lockdown when forced to do big shops. Thought it was just me

Sounds like an anxiety disorder or something. An overcrowded fridge is a practical nuisance, getting stuff out becomes a pain in the arse, but to be getting stressed about it goes beyond that.

I'm the same and I've been thinking this for couple weeks now and how I hate having a full fridge. I do a food shop every Friday so it's full up, love it again by about Wednesday when it starts getting empty

Where did you get this from @tobee???

I am the same. I think for me the stress is that I will forget something is there and then not find it before it has gone off. Cannot stand wasting food.

The best feeling is after a big holiday, like Christmas, when you have had bowls and plates of leftovers hogging your fridge space and you start finishing of dish after dish and your fridge just becomes emptier and emptier. A real highlight is if you think of something to cook that will include most of those leftovers and that all gets eaten in one day. Pure bliss!