11 Food Storage Tips India Needs for Humid Weather

5. Zone your refrigerator by temperature

A fridge isn’t a flat cold box—different shelves run at slightly different temperatures and humidity levels. Commercial guidance puts refrigerators in a 32–40°F range for safety; within that, put raw proteins on the bottom shelf to stop drips, dairy in the middle where temperature is steady, and ready-to-eat foods at the top. Use the crisper drawers for produce, and learn whether your drawers have humidity settings; produce often benefits from higher humidity, while cheese and cooked food prefer a drier section. In humid weather, avoid overpacking the fridge. Overcrowding reduces air circulation and creates warm pockets where bacteria can grow. For Indian households, keep tempered items like rotis and idlis in breathable containers briefly, but move perishable leftovers into the fridge within two hours. If your refrigerator has a quick-cool or fast-chill option, use it for large batches of hot food so the core temperature drops rapidly and safely.