Andrea Heinrich Settles the Score on the Fridge-vs-Pantry Debate

The age-old debate on whether tomato sauce goes in the pantry, or the fridge has been dividing housemates, friends and families for generations. Finally, there’s a definitive answer with Westinghouse partnering with mum and food-lover Andrea Heinrich, whose foodie family has the final word on what goes where.

Andrea is here to tell us we’ve been getting it all wrong when it comes to where we’re storing our food, something that may ruffle more than a few feathers, particularly when it comes to the controversial condiments like Vegemite and peanut butter.

In the fridge …

When it comes to chocolate (a non-negotiable for Andrea’s partner) it must be stored in the fridge. Ditto for eggs, jam, lemons (perfect for a drinks garnish when served cold) and, most controversially, peanut butter!

“I’d used to have it in the cupboard, and it all separated,” explains Andrea, “then I read on the label that it is recommended to store the jar in the fridge. Ever since then I have been a convert - it stays together!”

Another condiment that’s jumped ship from Andrea’s pantry to her fridge is soy sauce - for a very practical reason. “I put all my Asian condiments on one shelf together,” says Andrea, “sweet chilli, kecap manis, fish sauce, hoisin and of course, soy sauce.” If you find that your fridge configuration isn’t right for you, the 680L French Door Fridge WQE6870BA offers fully flexible and adjustable shelves to adapt to what your family needs.

Surprisingly, potatoes and onions also get a run in Andrea’s fridge - despite the fact that growing up, her parents kept them in the pantry - and the Westinghouse 680L French Door Fridge WQE6870BA makes it foolproof with its FreshSeal™ Easy Glide Crispers. With automatic humidity control, it gives you the flexibility to look after your fruit and vegetables the right way.

In the pantry …

Andrea follows the three-day rule with things like bread and tortillas - fresh in the pantry at first, then into the freezer to live out its days as toast on day 3. And while peanut butter might be a firm fridge favourite, its cousins Vegemite and honey prefer the more temperate climate of Andrea’s pantry.

“I love Vegemite but not in big doses. I like to keep it out so it’s super soft and I don’t scrape too much on my toast. Finish it off with a piece of cheese, and voila!”

Hack your fridge-freshness

To make the most of your fridge storage, Andrea has a few tried and tested tips. Firstly, store specific beauty products in the fridge to boost their benefits. Things like under-eye patches, face masks and aloe vera can all be stored in the fridge for an extra soothing experience.

“My ultimate fridge hack comes from my mum - she stores fresh herbs in the fridge by popping them into a glass of water like a bunch of flowers with a plastic bag over the top, secured with a rubber band. Doing means the herbs will stay fresher for an extra 3 days - win.”

So, fridge or pantry for Andrea?