What Can I Put In My Mini Fridge

You may have curiosity about how mini is a mini – fridge and what can I put in my mini fridge? The curiosity is legit because we only get to see regular fridges most of the time. Or you may have questions: can I put everything in a mini-fridge?

Well, you obviously can not put everything in a mini-fridge because there is not that much space. What can I put in my mini-fridge depends on the reason for which you bought it? Everyone uses mini-fridges for different reasons. 

Like, a student may buy it for the dorm, a couple may have it for midnight cravings, a new mom can have it for storing breast milk for her newborn, a family for medicines, etc. Some people have them as decorative items as well. Everyone’s purpose may be different for the mini-fridge, and thus the size can vary as well. 

There is no fixed size of a mini-fridge. It can be a full-size one or smaller, depending on your requirements. And what you can put in the fridge depends on your requirements as well. Usually, it is a compact refrigerator.

What Is A Mini Fridge?

First of all, what is a mini fridge? In a word, mini fridge is a smaller version of a big regular fridge. The mini fridge is also known as an under-the-counter refrigerator. 

Mini fridges also come in different sizes as well like, full size or small. Generally, there is no freezer compartment but sometimes there is. The energy consumption cost is also less for these mini-refrigerators as they consume less power. 

Studio apartments usually do not have much space for a conventional refrigerator, in that cases, mini fridges are a must. The refrigerator can also be kept on the counter space as it is small in size. So these mini fridges are perfect in many different aspects. 

What To Put In A Mini Fridge?

Here comes the diversity. what can I put in my mini fridge depends on the person who is using it. The space in the fridge is another detector to determine what is in there. 

Generally, there are food items and home appliances stored in this kind of fridge. You will need to make quite some grocery trips because the food you store will not last long. But the thing is you will have fresh food all the time.

Figure 2 – How to store a Mini Fridge?

If the freeze even has a freezer, the freezer space is very small. So you can not store too many frozen foods which is good for your health!

• Orange Juice Or Any Other Juice

Juices are a must. You may have orange juice or any other. Juices in breakfast give a boost to the day and provide energy throughout the day. I can not function without having a glass of apple juice for my breakfast.

• Almond Milk

Almond milk is a nutritious substitution for dairy milk and is very healthy. This is necessary for having a healthy bowl of breakfast or for the morning coffee to keep you going for the day.

• Deli Meats 

These are usually in individual wrappers. You should store them in the lower portion of the refrigerator, or you can use a container to store them. The meat should be grouped into several portions and wrapped in and then stored.

• Greek Yogurt

Another option for a nutritious breakfast is plain greek yogurt. Mix with some granola or some berries, and drizzle with a bit of honey, that is the perfect morning meal ready in your room. 

• Cheese

Cheese is another must. If you are very hungry in the middle of the night, cheese can be an easy go-to as cheese is very delicious. You can store readily processed cheese in your little fridge.

• Chocolate

Mini fridge in anywhere that is in dorm, house or in an office, you can have chocolates as a sweet go-to item. We all love chocolates. My dorm room fridge always had some chocolates in it when I was in college.

• Freeze Pops

You can always store some little freeze pops in your fridge for sudden cravings. They are inexpensive and very pleasing. Freeze pops can also satisfy our little sugar cravings.

• Vegetables

But we also need to consume some healthy foods, right? You may be confused if we could put vegetables in the mini fridge. The answer is yes, we can. You can easily make a go-to salad for a meal full of vitamins and fiber. This was my number one go-to meal when I was in college.

• Hummus

Anything can be eaten with a bit of hummus. Hummus is so popular because of its unique taste. Any leftover food will turn into delicious food with hummus.

• Sugar Cravings

For any instant sugar craving, put some candy in the fridge. I always have some tasty candy in my mini – refrigerators in case. Diabetes patients can store their sweet candies in case of any sugar fall.

• Bottles

There is a space with the door of the refrigerator for some bottles. Although you can not store much in this space.

• Pizza Leftovers

You might not be able to put a large pizza box with leftovers in the mini fridge. You need to put the leftovers in a container and then store it in the fridge.

• Hidden Booze

Let’s be honest here. Me living in a dorm had booze with me. What I used to do is hide it in my mini refrigerator. 

• Tall Bottles

We can even store tall bottles in the mini fridge on adjustable shelving. There are adjustable shelves in these freezes in most cases. 

Foods for Dorm Rooms in Mini-Fridge

Let’s make a list of foods that we can keep in the dorm room mini fridge. It consumes less power so keeping one is not a problem. I had one with me in my dorm, so I can give you the proper idea of it. 

Figure 3 – Dorm Room Mini Fridge

The dorm room mini fridge is a savior. If you are confused about what can I put in my mini fridge, take a look at this list.

• Water
• Dairy (milk, soy milk, cheese)
• Beverages (juices, hidden boozes)
• Food leftovers
• Pizza leftovers
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Different nuts
• Chocolate
• Icecream
• Yogurt

Foods for Mini Fridge in Office

It is not practically possible for offices to have a full-size conventional refrigerator. In that case, mini fridges are the saviors. My office has a compact refrigerator with appliances and everyone is satisfied with what it contains. what can I put in my mini fridge in an office can be as follows.

Figure 4 – Office Mini Fridge

• Water, of course
• Can of coffees
• juices
• Ready cup yogurt
• Ready salads
• Fruits
• Chocolates
• Processed cheese
• Booze to celebrate at office parties

Foods for Mini-Fridge in Bed Rooms

Well, I actually have a mini fridge in my bedroom as well. At this point, you can call me a mini fridge hoarder. The bedroom fridge is a must for me. Who doesn’t love to have a chilled slice of cheese in between watching Netflix middle of the night?

Figure 5 – Bedroom Mini Fridge

• Chilled water
• Chocolates
• Plain yogurt
• juices
• Processed cheese
• Fruits
• Nuts
• beer/wine
• Cakes
• Icecream
• Pizza leftovers

Some Other Interesting Questions that People May Have.

1. Can You Put A Mini Fridge On Carpet? 

The answer would be yes, but not recommended. Putting the mini – fridge on the carpet can harm the performance of the fridge. The reason is the carpet does hold the heat and blocks the airflow of the fridge. 

Putting the compact refrigerator on the carpet may cause the fridge to overheat. That is why it is not recommended. There should be some space between the bottom of the fridge and the floor.

2. What If You Have Nowhere Else To Put Your Mini Fridge?

Well if there is no place to put the fridge, you can use a fridge cabinet or put the fridge in an already built cabinet. There are so many readymade cabinets available in the market. 

Figure 6 – Fridge Cabinet

Using one to keep the mini – fridge will also enhance the aesthetics of your home. You can then put the fridge in your dining hall covered with an aesthetic sheet. It will be one of the decorative items in the room.

3. Why Use A Skin Care Fridge?

The skincare fridge is one of the most used mini fridges. Most skincare products are better off if used cold. You can use a small-sized fridge on your bathroom counter and put the skincare products in it that you use often. 

Figure 7 – Skincare Fridge

Using cold skincare items is recommended by skin specialists, so you may give it a try! Like eye creams and jade rollers, eye masks are better off if used chilled. Skincare fridges can work as decorative items as well.

Mini refrigerator units do not consume much power as they do not need as much energy as conventional refrigerators, having one should not be a problem.

4. Can You Put Things On Top Of A Mini Fridge?

Here the answer is “NO”. The fridges are not designated to keep things on top of it. So it is not recommended to put things on top of the fridge for the betterment of it. You can only put things inside of it.

Sometimes there are wheels at the bottom of the mini fridges. In that case, it is very disturbing to put things on top of the fridge as the wheels are not that strong. But you can decorate it with a nice sheet keeping top of it as decorative items. 

Take a look at this article about how to decorate mini fridge.

5. Can You Stack Mini Fridges? 

Yes, you can stack your mini fridge. But make sure the airflow in the refrigerator is okay. 

Generally, the air flows over the condensers in order to reject the heat. That is very important for a refrigerator to keep the cooling process running. Just take care that the products in the refrigerator do not tip. 

6. What Should I Put Under My Mini Fridge?

You may place your mini refrigerator on a tiled floor, hardwood, or on plastic. It is necessary that you do not put the fridge on the carpet because it blocks the airflow and consumes the heat.

Or, you can put a drip pan under your mini fridge. A drip pan is a sort of tray that goes under the refrigerator and store the water from condensation. The tray also protects the flooring style as well as the carpet from spills.

Figure 8 – Drip Pan

Another option is using hardwood floor protectors. Many people use plywood pieces of furniture slider pads under the mini refrigerator to protect the floor as well as the fridge. 

Or you can use rubber floor protectors. Another option is using plastic floor protectors. These things will not let the refrigerator touch the floor.

All these options will not consume the heat and block the airflow, which is prohibited to keep your fridge safe.

7. Is A Fridge Colder On A Low (1) Or High (5) Setting?

The rule here is that the lower the fridge temperature, the warmest the fridge is. The reason is the temperature dial on the fridge actually means the refrigerant power. So the whole system works inversely.

The higher you set the number on the temperature dial, the warmer the fridge is. So the fridge is warmest at a low (1) setting. As so the fridge is coldest at a high (5) setting.

8. What To Keep In Mini Fridge At Work?

Fancy and cute, corporate workplaces have mini fridges in the workspaces. They know how to keep the employees cheerful, don’t they?

Having a drink in between work or some snack, who doesn’t love it? For snacks, you can keep ready-to-eat foods at the workplace. Processed cheese, chocolate, and ice cream are good options. Water is a must. Coffee, oat milk, juices, etc can be also kept for the drinks option.

We all have sudden parties at work. For these cases, boozes can be kept in the fridge for any sudden party. 

Wrapping Up

I think you have already got the idea of what can I put in my mini fridge. This writing will help you to store your mini fridge anywhere, like in your home, college, or office. Now you don’t need to stay hungry anymore in the middle of the night or do not need to go all the way out of your room to have a glass of chilled water, you have it all in your mini refrigerator in your room!