The Simple Fridge Reset That Could Save Irish Families €700 a Year

You do the big shop. You unload the bags, cram everything in, and close the fridge door with more force than is strictly necessary. Then Wednesday arrives and you’re standing there, staring into the abyss, convinced there’s nothing to eat. Sound familiar? You’re not alone.

New research shows that 71% of Irish households waste food every week, costing nearly €700 per year. With grocery bills already feeling punishing, that’s a figure that stings. But according to professional organiser Hazel Burton, the problem isn’t usually how much we’re buying. It’s how we’re storing it.

“Most people think they have a shopping problem,” she says, “but in reality, they have a storage problem. When every inch of space is used effectively, food is easier to see, and when stored correctly, it will last longer. It’s easier to plan meals, avoid overbuying, and ultimately save both time and money.”

The Sunday Reset That Changes Everything

Hazel’s approach centres on a simple weekly ritual: the Sunday fridge reset. It doesn’t take long and the payoff lasts all week. Here’s how she breaks it down:

• Empty the fridge completely so you can see exactly what you have and catch anything that’s past its best.

• Group like with like — ready-to-eat food, batch-cooked meals, dairy, raw meat, fruit and veg, condiments and drinks.

• Check expiry dates and remove anything that’s no longer usable.

• Clean shelves and drawers with warm soapy water or a gentle spray.

• Return items by zone, following food safety principles: top shelf for ready-to-eat foods, middle shelves for leftovers and dairy, bottom shelf for raw meat and fish, drawers for fruit and veg, door for condiments, drinks and eggs.

• Create a “use me next” section at the front for anything that needs eating soon.

• Repeat every Sunday to stay on top of it.

It’s the kind of system that sounds almost too straightforward until you realise you’ve been finding furry strawberries behind a block of cheese for the past three years running.

Hazel Burton

Does Your Fridge Have Room to Work With?

Organisation habits will only take you so far if the fridge itself is working against you. Hazel points out that when upgrading appliances, choosing models designed with capacity in mind can make a real difference to how smoothly things run at home.

Built-in XL options like the Bosch KIN96NSE0G offer up to 11% more storage than standard models without requiring any changes to existing cabinetry. For households that are really pushing the limits of their current fridge, XXL models like the Bosch KBN96NSE1G take it further again, offering up to 45% more capacity. To put that in perspective: that’s roughly the equivalent of fitting in an entire extra weekly shop.

The Bosch KBN96ADD0 fridge-freezer fits right into modern living.

“A larger, more flexible fridge is a game changer,” Hazel says. “It allows you to store more fresh food, leftovers and batch-cooked meals, which makes everyday life run more smoothly. It supports a healthier, more organised routine for the whole family.”

Getting the Kids Involved (Yes, Really)

One thing Hazel is passionate about is bringing children into the fridge system as they get older. Clearly defined zones and snacks that are easy to reach at their level aren’t just convenient — they help build independence and better habits around food.

“When children can see what’s available and access it themselves, it helps them take responsibility for their choices,” she explains. “It also opens up conversations around food waste and healthy eating, which benefit the whole household long term.”

And if it means less of “Mam, what’s for a snack?” shouted from two rooms away, it’s worth the fifteen minutes on Sunday afternoon to sort it out.

For more information on Bosch XL and XXL cooling appliances, visit bosch-home.ie or book a free product consultation at the Home of Innovation showroom in Dublin 12.

*Research carried out by iReach on behalf of the Home of Innovation, 2025.