What’s in Erin’s Fridge?

I have Mother Nature to thank for the relatively clean and organized state of my fridge these days. In August it got a thorough scrub after we lost power for 26 hours during Hurricane Irene. And then we recently had Crazy October Snowstorm 2011 that knocked out our power for almost a day. With a small child in the house and a baby on board, my tolerance for food that may be bad is zilch. Luckily we lost power with a pre-grocery-day fridge rather than a recently stocked one.

So what’s in my fridge? Let’s dissect row by row.

Top row: We’ve got light sour cream, cottage cheese. A sippy cup and whole-milk yogurt for the kiddo. Stacks of Greek yogurt. And my can’t-live-without-it Coffee-mate fat-free hazelnut creamer. Yes, I know there are healthier options for my coffee, but it makes my mornings brighter.

Middle row: We’ve got a bag of lettuce, caramel dip for apples (’tis the season and my hubby couldn’t resist!), eggs, half an onion, leftover rice, a bag of baby carrots, cranberry juice and a gallon each of skim milk (for the big kids) and whole milk (for the kiddo). A couple of beers hiding (not for me). In the drawer, I’ve got tons of cheese: string cheese, Laughing Cow, provolone, romano, parmesan and even Kraft American. Wow, that’s a lot of cheese, but I swear they last forever.

Bottom row: Leftover chicken and rice dish (leftovers are the BEST for lunches), my hubby’s Coke Zero—which usually doesn’t get a spot in the fridge—tofu, strawberries and mandarin oranges. In the crisper we’ve got broccoli, lemons, grapefruit, Brussels sprouts, probably an onion and usually asparagus. Also, a pug.

Now for the Door O’ Condiments.

Like Jenn, I’ve got a lot going on here, but this is actually mild compared to our pre-Irene fridge. From top to bottom: Butter in the butter slot, some light mayo, A-1, barbecue sauce, minced garlic, pickles. Then I’ve got some leftover marinara that is probably growing mold, Caesar dressing, tartar and hot sauces, jellies, various mustards. Prunes and raisins, soy sauce, sriracha sauce. My husband likes beverages so we’ve got too-sweet V-8 Splash that neither of us is drinking, OJ and flavored water. I’ve also got at least two jars of jalapenos at all times and pepperoncinis. I’m obsessed with green pickled items, especially during pregnancy.

The freezer.

It’s quite bare and sad at the moment, and it’s quite the combo of healthy and not-so-healthy. I’ve always got frozen fruits and veggies out the wazoo—great for smoothies and to always have veggies on hand. Usually the door is packed with frozen fruit and veggies, too, but we didn’t go totally crazy restocking. I’ve got lean ground beef and chicken cutlets, but then we’ve also got fish sticks and a Newman’s Own pepperoni pizza. All things in moderation, right?

And there you have it! My fridge. What’s always in your fridge? —Erin