Every year, somebody stands at an open fridge the night before Thanksgiving holding a 20-pound turkey. There’s nowhere to put it. The pie is on the top shelf. Three jars of pickles are in the way.
Let’s not make that you. Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 26. A frozen turkey takes days to thaw, so your fridge needs to be ready well before that. In my post on what to clean before guests come over, I said to clear out the fridge ahead of the big meal. Here’s the how and the when.
The Short Answer
Clean out the fridge the weekend of November 14 and 15, while it’s nearly empty and before the big grocery run. Make sure it’s at 40°F or below. Leave room for the turkey to thaw, since USDA says a big bird can need up to six days. Give everything a zone: raw turkey low, cooked food above, plus one empty shelf saved for leftovers. After dinner, get leftovers in the fridge within two hours. Eat them or freeze them by Monday, November 30.
How to Clean Out the Fridge in About 30 Minutes
Do it when the fridge is at its emptiest. That’s now, before the holiday shopping starts. Less food to move means a faster job.
1. Set Up Before You Open the Door
Fill a cooler with ice for the milk, meat and anything else that has to stay cold. USDA’s limit is two hours for perishable food sitting above 40°F. Open a trash bag. Fill the sink with warm, soapy water.
2. Toss First, Clean Second
Work one shelf at a time, top to bottom. Anything past its “use by” date goes. So do leftovers nobody can put a date on. The FDA says it best: when in doubt, throw it out. Don’t trust your nose, either. The FDA points out that the germs that make people sick don’t always change how food smells or looks.
Wipe off the jars and bottles you’re keeping before they go back in. One sticky ketchup lid can undo a clean shelf by Friday.
3. Wash the Shelves and Drawers
USDA keeps it simple: hot soapy water, then rinse. Skip harsh or gritty cleaners. They can leave a chemical taste behind or damage the finish.
Glass shelves need a minute first. Let them come to room temperature before they meet warm water, or they can crack. Whirlpool says so in its own cleaning instructions. Check your manual for how your shelves come out.
Pull the drawers all the way out. That’s where the crumbs end up. Still smell something after all that? My post on getting rid of smells in your refrigerator has the fix.
4. Check the Temperature
The FDA and USDA both say to keep the fridge at 40°F or below and the freezer at 0°F. Most fridge dials don’t show the real temperature. A cheap appliance thermometer on a shelf will. Check it again Thanksgiving week, when the fridge is at its fullest.
5. Get the Spots Nobody Looks At
This is the house cleaner in me talking. Wipe the top of the fridge. Vacuum the dust off the front grille. If you can reach the coils, USDA suggests brushing or vacuuming them several times a year. Then sweep underneath. Every lost magnet in the house is under there.
Give Your Fridge Three Zones
Decide where things go before the groceries come home.
- Bottom shelf: raw turkey. Leave it wrapped and set it in a pan to catch drips. USDA says to keep raw poultry sealed or wrapped so its juices never touch other food. Down low, there’s nothing underneath for a drip to land on.
- Middle shelves: cooked and ready-to-eat food. Pies, cranberry sauce, the salad and anything you make ahead. All of it stays above the raw bird.
- One empty shelf for leftovers. Clear it now. Stack your shallow containers there so they’re waiting on Thursday night.
The door is for drinks and condiments. USDA says to keep milk, eggs and other perishables on the shelves, because temperatures swing more in the door. Don’t cram it full, either. The FDA says cold air has to move around food to keep it cold. Out of room? Move the drinks to a cooler with ice. That frees up a whole shelf.
Your Thanksgiving Fridge Countdown
USDA’s thawing rule is about 24 hours in the fridge for every 4 to 5 pounds of turkey. I counted back from Thursday, November 26.
- Tuesday, Nov. 10: Start eating down what’s in there. Hold off on the big shop.
- Saturday, Nov. 14, or Sunday, Nov. 15: Clean-out day. November 15 is widely called National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day, so you even have an excuse.
- Friday, Nov. 20: A turkey of 20 to 24 pounds goes in to thaw. Do the big grocery run this weekend.
- Saturday, Nov. 21, or Sunday, Nov. 22: A turkey of 16 to 20 pounds goes in.
- Sunday, Nov. 22, or Monday, Nov. 23: A turkey of 12 to 16 pounds goes in.
- Monday, Nov. 23, to Wednesday, Nov. 25: A turkey of 12 pounds or less goes in. Buying fresh instead? USDA says to buy it no sooner than Tuesday or Wednesday, unless the “use by” date on the package says otherwise.
- Thursday, Nov. 26: Leftovers go in the fridge within two hours.
- Monday, Nov. 30: Eat them or freeze them.
A thawed turkey can wait in the fridge a day or two before cooking, so starting a day early is fine. Running late? USDA’s backup plan is cold water. Allow about 30 minutes per pound. Change the water every 30 minutes, then cook it right away. Never thaw a turkey on the counter, in the garage or in the car.
Plan the Leftovers Before They Exist
A clean fridge is only half the job. Thursday night is the real test.
- Two hours. USDA says to get leftovers into the fridge within two hours of cooking. That includes the pumpkin pie.
- Hot is fine. Don’t wait for food to cool on the counter. The government’s FoodSafety.gov site says waiting isn’t necessary and could make food unsafe.
- Go shallow. Split big batches into shallow containers so they chill fast. Slice the turkey breast off the bone. Legs and wings can stay whole.
- Three to four days. USDA says that gives you until the Monday after Thanksgiving. Freeze anything you won’t finish by then.
- Reheat to 165°F. Bring gravy to a rolling boil.
Head Bunny Tips
- Keep painter’s tape and a marker by the fridge. Write the date on every container as it goes in. On Monday, nobody has to guess.
- Check the oven this week, too. If it smokes when you preheat it, don’t find out Thanksgiving morning. My post on cleaning your stove top and oven will get it ready for the turkey.
- Save the turkey hotline. USDA’s Meat and Poultry Hotline is open Thanksgiving Day from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern. That’s 7 to 1 our time. The number is 1-888-674-6854.
Questions People Ask
How Long Do Thanksgiving Leftovers Last in the Fridge?
Three to four days, according to USDA. This year, that means eat them or freeze them by Monday, November 30. If something still smells fine on day five, toss it anyway. Smell isn’t a safety test.
Can You Put Hot Food in the Fridge?
Yes. FoodSafety.gov says leftovers should go in as soon as possible, even while they’re still steaming. Use shallow containers so they cool quickly. The FDA says it won’t hurt your fridge.
How Long Does a 20-Pound Turkey Take to Thaw in the Fridge?
Plan on about five days. USDA’s chart gives 4 to 5 days for 16 to 20 pounds. It gives 5 to 6 days for 20 to 24 pounds. For a Thursday dinner, put it in the fridge by Friday or Saturday of the week before.
Can I Use Dawn to Clean My Fridge?
Plain dish soap works. USDA’s advice is hot soapy water followed by a rinse. It doesn’t name a brand. Skip harsh or gritty cleaners, since they can leave a taste behind.
Or Let Us Do It
Some Novembers, the fridge just isn’t going to happen. That’s what we’re here for.
The inside of the refrigerator is included with a one-time house cleaning. Our teams of two or more bring their own supplies. They work through the whole Dust Bunnies Checklist while they’re there. Already on a regular schedule with us? We can add the inside of the fridge to a visit for an extra charge. The inside of the oven can be added to any cleaning, too.
We clean homes across Lake and McHenry Counties and Southeastern Wisconsin. Call 847-986-6072, Monday to Friday, 9 to 5, or request a free estimate online. Someone from our team will call you back within one business day.
Then go get that turkey. It finally has somewhere to go.
