The fridgescaping craze may have peaked a while back, but it hasn't completely disappeared. If you've never heard of it—or dismissed it as a fad—here's the idea. Instead of simply putting away your weekly groceries, you carefully arrange them into an Instagram-worthy display inside your fridge. Beyond looking pretty, many people say it makes ingredients easier to find and turns an everyday chore into something enjoyable.
What is fridgescaping?
Although the term gained steam on TikTok and Instagram somewhat recently, it's not a new concept. Blogger Kathy Perdue of Good Life of Design coined the term in 2010 as a play on tablescaping. "Why not put your everyday food items in pretty containers and have something pretty to look at when you open the door?" she wrote on her blog at the time.
Now, however, "pretty containers" are just one step in the process. Today's fridgescapers focus on arranging produce in a mix of stylish wicker baskets, patterned dishes and glass storage. Household essentials, like milk, eggs and butter, get transferred into decorative pitchers, storage trays and antique butter dishes. And beyond creative food storage, fridgescaping might involve fresh flower arrangements and unexpected home decor accessories, like small picture frames, vintage sculptures and ornate trays.
"I've been able to turn a task that's usually very mundane into something that I genuinely enjoy. Thanks to the maximalist that I am, it's slowly turned into something bigger and bigger," says Lynzi Judish, known as @lynziliving online, who has turned fridgescaping into an entire series, even experimenting with different themes (think an "enchanted forest" theme or a look inspired by the film Practical Magic).
Is fridgescaping worth a try?
If you're looking for an easy way to romanticize your daily life and keep your kitchen organized, give the trend a try! It might take a little extra time, but fridgescaping can help you keep track of the contents inside your fridge.
"Historically, I've definitely let food go to waste in my refrigerator, because I have forgotten about it altogether," Judish says. "With this process, I see every single thing in my refrigerator, and it's made me more excited about meal planning. I never realized how often I'm in and out of the refrigerator until I started fridgescaping."
Things to keep in mind
- Not all decorative containers are food safe. Antique storage items, like glass pitchers and metal bowls, may contain traces of lead. You can try investing in lead test kits.
- Some produce stays fresh longer in store-bought containers. "I love the idea of transferring ingredients to another container because it can help you understand how much you have of something and remind you to consume it, but food often comes packaged in containers that help extend their shelf-life," says Nicole Papantoniou, the director of Good Housekeeping Institute's Kitchen Appliances & Culinary Innovation Lab. "The key is to keep things within eyesight so you're constantly reminded about what you should eat before it goes bad."
- It takes a conscious effort to maintain the aesthetic — from the whole household. Juddish says, "I worry about women trying this with kids or a husband that isn't on board and feeling frustrated that the refrigerator doesn't stay as beautiful as expected."
Alyssa Gautieri (she/her) leads Good Housekeeping’s gift guide strategy. She writes and edits commerce content, where she analyzes lifestyle trends, shopping data, and works closely with the Good Housekeeping Institute to recommend top-tested products. Previously, she was the associate lifestyle editor for GH and wrote for publications including ELLE Decor, BobVila.com, and Unique Homes Magazine. When she’s not tracking down buzzy products, you can find her walking her dog, Skye, around Jersey City.
