It is the latest trend to take over social media. It is called “Fridgescaping”; and it consists of decorating your refrigerator in appealing and often romantic ways using decorative objects and appealing displays of fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
Proponents say it has lots of benefits. In addition to emotional and psychological appeal by giving your refrigerator more aesthetic appeal, it can help you be more aware of not wasting food. It can also help you put together your meals more easily. It can even help keep your fridge clean and more organized.
But health experts are quick to offer a rebuttal. It seems that the risks of “Fridgescaping” far outweigh the benefits. For instance, it can create a risk for contamination and foodborne illness. It can put you at risk for exposure to harmful microorganisms. It can also make it more difficult for your refrigerator to do its job of keeping your food cool and safe. There is also a risk of chemical contamination when you place foods in containers that are not designed to be food-safe.
According to an article at Healthline.com…
Dr. Maria Knobel, the Medical Director of Medical Cert UK, says the main problem is the risk of contamination. “When you place decorative elements inside your fridge, especially if they are not food-safe or are difficult to clean, you could inadvertently introduce contaminants,” she explained. “For example, decorative items might harbor bacteria or mold, which can then come into contact with food items,” said Knobel.
Contamination is a problem because it increases your risk for foodborne illnesses. It also increases the risk that foods will spoil. Another potential concern is temperature regulation. “Fridgescaping might involve placing non-food items in the refrigerator, which can disrupt air circulation,” said Knobel. Without proper air circulation, your refrigerator may not be able to maintain temperatures that prevent bacterial growth and spoilage, allowing disease-causing organisms like Salmonella and E. coli to flourish. Knobel additionally pointed out the potential for chemical exposure.
“Some decorative items may be made from materials that are not intended for use in food storage environments,” she explained. “If these items degrade or release chemicals, there is a risk of these substances coming into contact with your food.” This could be especially risky for pregnant people and children, Knobel added.
Given all these considerations, I don’t think I’ll be engaging in “Fridgescaping” anytime soon. After all, the purpose of my refrigerator is to keep the foods that I consume safe, fresh, and edible. Clearly, anything that contaminates them has no place in the fridge.
As I thought about this, however, I was reminded that all of us consume more than just mere physical sustenance. By this I mean that we feed not just our stomachs, but also our minds. And just as we should take prudent steps to ensure that our physical sustenance is not contaminated, so should we do with our mental sustenance. Be careful that you do not pollute the things that your mind consumes.
More to the point, we also feed our souls! And if it is easy to contaminate what we take in physically and mentally, how much more so is it to contaminate what we take in spiritually?! The evil one knows this, of course. And he avails himself of every opportunity to taint whatever we feed our souls!
In the first chapter of the Old Testament Book of Daniel, we read about four young men - Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah - who all made a deliberate choice not to contaminate themselves by consuming worldly sustenance, no matter how attractive and desirable it was packaged and presented to them (verse 16 calls it “Choice food”). In other words, they chose to be “picky eaters”!
The result? Their unwillingness to “defile” themselves (as verse 8 puts it) was blessed by the Lord; and they prospered greatly.
And so, my friends, along with periodically cleaning out your refrigerator, take the time also to clean up what all you read and watch and search out online. Your mind will be better off if you do. And above all, be careful what you take into your spiritual kitchen as well. Become a picky eater spiritually! You’ll be glad you did. After all, it's only the health and well-being of your eternal soul that is at stake!
SOURCES:
https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/viral-trend-fridgescaping-could-dangerous-health-experts;
https://www.healthline.com/health-news/fridgescaping-health-risks-benefits.
SCRIPTURE:
https://biblehub.com/niv/daniel/1.htm.
Proponents say it has lots of benefits. In addition to emotional and psychological appeal by giving your refrigerator more aesthetic appeal, it can help you be more aware of not wasting food. It can also help you put together your meals more easily. It can even help keep your fridge clean and more organized.
But health experts are quick to offer a rebuttal. It seems that the risks of “Fridgescaping” far outweigh the benefits. For instance, it can create a risk for contamination and foodborne illness. It can put you at risk for exposure to harmful microorganisms. It can also make it more difficult for your refrigerator to do its job of keeping your food cool and safe. There is also a risk of chemical contamination when you place foods in containers that are not designed to be food-safe.
According to an article at Healthline.com…
Dr. Maria Knobel, the Medical Director of Medical Cert UK, says the main problem is the risk of contamination. “When you place decorative elements inside your fridge, especially if they are not food-safe or are difficult to clean, you could inadvertently introduce contaminants,” she explained. “For example, decorative items might harbor bacteria or mold, which can then come into contact with food items,” said Knobel.
Contamination is a problem because it increases your risk for foodborne illnesses. It also increases the risk that foods will spoil. Another potential concern is temperature regulation. “Fridgescaping might involve placing non-food items in the refrigerator, which can disrupt air circulation,” said Knobel. Without proper air circulation, your refrigerator may not be able to maintain temperatures that prevent bacterial growth and spoilage, allowing disease-causing organisms like Salmonella and E. coli to flourish. Knobel additionally pointed out the potential for chemical exposure.
“Some decorative items may be made from materials that are not intended for use in food storage environments,” she explained. “If these items degrade or release chemicals, there is a risk of these substances coming into contact with your food.” This could be especially risky for pregnant people and children, Knobel added.
Given all these considerations, I don’t think I’ll be engaging in “Fridgescaping” anytime soon. After all, the purpose of my refrigerator is to keep the foods that I consume safe, fresh, and edible. Clearly, anything that contaminates them has no place in the fridge.
As I thought about this, however, I was reminded that all of us consume more than just mere physical sustenance. By this I mean that we feed not just our stomachs, but also our minds. And just as we should take prudent steps to ensure that our physical sustenance is not contaminated, so should we do with our mental sustenance. Be careful that you do not pollute the things that your mind consumes.
More to the point, we also feed our souls! And if it is easy to contaminate what we take in physically and mentally, how much more so is it to contaminate what we take in spiritually?! The evil one knows this, of course. And he avails himself of every opportunity to taint whatever we feed our souls!
In the first chapter of the Old Testament Book of Daniel, we read about four young men - Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah - who all made a deliberate choice not to contaminate themselves by consuming worldly sustenance, no matter how attractive and desirable it was packaged and presented to them (verse 16 calls it “Choice food”). In other words, they chose to be “picky eaters”!
The result? Their unwillingness to “defile” themselves (as verse 8 puts it) was blessed by the Lord; and they prospered greatly.
And so, my friends, along with periodically cleaning out your refrigerator, take the time also to clean up what all you read and watch and search out online. Your mind will be better off if you do. And above all, be careful what you take into your spiritual kitchen as well. Become a picky eater spiritually! You’ll be glad you did. After all, it's only the health and well-being of your eternal soul that is at stake!
SOURCES:
https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/viral-trend-fridgescaping-could-dangerous-health-experts;
https://www.healthline.com/health-news/fridgescaping-health-risks-benefits.
SCRIPTURE:
https://biblehub.com/niv/daniel/1.htm.