1. Fruit and Nut ButterFruit is a good source of workout-friendly carbohydrates and it’s light enough to be tummy-friendly even for people who struggle to eat breakfast. Add a tablespoon or two of your favourite nut butter for protein, and you’ll be ready for the gym. Peel a banana, or slice an apple or pear and spread the slices with almond butter, natural peanut butter—not the sugary, kid-friendly kind—or one of the nut-free alternatives. Eat at least 30 minutes before your workout, it’ll provide enough fuel to get you through a light to moderate routine.

2. Homemade Energy BarsA few minutes’ advance preparation can speed your pre-workout snacking, if you’re especially pressed for time. Make your own energy bars by combining equal parts dates, nuts and your favourite dried fruits in your food processor. Process the mixture to a stiff dough, then press it into a square 20- by 20cm cake pan. Cover the mixture and refrigerate it for at least an hour in the coldest part of your Chef Collection Refrigerator. Cut the mixture into 8 bars or 16 squares, depending how hard you work out and wrap them individually. They’ll easily keep for 7 to 10 days in the fridge.

3. Granola CupsFor longer or more intense workouts, add the longer-lasting carbs found in whole grains. Oats are an excellent choice, but pausing for a bowl of oatmeal isn’t always an option. Instead, layer your favourite homemade or store-bought granola into reusable cups along with Greek yogurt and fresh fruit. The yogurt’s protein and the slow-digesting carbs from the oats complement the fruit, fueling your body for greater exertion. Make up a few at a time and keep them in the fridge for a quick snack on your way out the door.

4. Spread and GoBread is another convenient option for whole-grain carbohydrates. Whether you prefer to eat it in the form of a whole-grain bagel, wheat toast or a multigrain wrap, it’s a perfectly portable option for your pre-workout snack. Add the necessary protein in the form of almond butter, natural peanut butter or one of the legume-based, nut-free alternative spreads.

5. A Savory TreatIf nut butters aren’t your thing, legume-based dips can give you a similar protein boost and some carbohydrates as well. Keep a stock of hummus in your refrigerator, or your favourite bean dip. When you’re ready to head to the gym, spread it on a piece of toast or roll it up in a whole-grain flatbread. For a hot option, reheat low-fat refried beans in a whole-grain tortilla for a quick bean burrito.

6. Eggs and ToastSitting down to a plate of eggs and toast is a fine and leisurely way to start your day, though it’s not always practical before your workout. That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy them—just that they need to be rearranged a little bit. Keep a few hard-boiled eggs in your refrigerator, where they’ll be ready to go any time you are. Skip the fatty egg salad approach and just slice the egg onto a piece of whole-grain toast. You’ll get the same combination of useful carbs and muscle-repairing protein, but in a quicker, more portable package.

7. Cheese And…Unless you avoid dairy products for dietary reasons, cheese is another valuable and versatile protein option for your pre-workout snack. One of its great virtues is that it goes with almost any source of carbohydrates you care to mention. Scandinavian-style crispbreads? Check. Toast, a bagel, or a wrap? Check. Fresh or dried fruit? Absolutely. If you’re really up against a time constraint, even pairing the cheese with a fistful of whole-grain crackers does the trick. Dairy-free cheeses are similarly rich in protein and can be a substitute if you don’t do milk products.

Photo Credits: Kate Van Vleck/Demand Media

The 101 pleats of a traditional chef’s hat were said to represent the number of egg dishes a chef should master. Really, is there any ingredient more versatile than an egg? At just 70 calories each and loaded with protein and micro-nutrients, eggs are a culinary powerhouse. They’re unmatched for quick scratch meals: dice up leftover meats and vegetables, immerse them in beaten eggs and finish your frittata in the oven.

When you want to add flavor with minimal fat or sodium, lemons are your best friend. A quick squeeze of lemon adds a splash of bright flavor to foods as rich as Hollandaise sauce or as simple as a leaf of lettuce. Grate the zest into your baked goods, dress your salads with a simple splash of olive oil and a drizzle of lemon, or juice a handful for refreshing lemonade in the summer’s heat.

The aphorism that “there’s never enough time to do what you want” certainly applies to meal preparation. That’s why prepared, ready to eat salads are such a valuable convenience for the health-conscious but time-pressed. When crisp, green salads add just seconds to your meal preparation, you’re likely to enjoy them on a much more regular basis.

Keep phyllo or puff pastry on hand at all times in the freezer section of your fridge and transfer them as needed to the refrigerator side. Professional chefs value these crisp, flaky pastries for their versatility in both sweet and savory dishes. Line muffin pans with the thawed pastry for quick mini-quiches, or use them to wrap meats, fruit or vegetables in sauce for quick finger foods.

Simple syrup is a chef’s staple, made by simmering equal parts sugar and water for 10 to 15 minutes. Keep it in the door of your fridge, and use it to sweeten lemonade, cocktails and stewed fruit dishes quickly and easily. Pastry chefs sprinkle cake layers with syrup to make them extra-moist. For a summer treat, blend frozen fruit or berries with simple syrup to make instant sorbet.

peaking of frozen fruit and berries, they’re another refrigerator essential. Their rich flavors, bright colours and potent mix of antioxidants and other healthful phytochemicals make them an indispensable part of your diet and unlike fresh fruits; they’re always at their peak. Use them in frozen desserts, in pies and chutneys and in tropical sauces for grilled foods. Just a small handful of frozen berries can add interest to oatmeal, pancakes or your favourite muffin recipe.

Genuine Parmigiano-Reggiano commands a premium price, but it still represents tremendous value as a refrigerator staple. Even a few shreds add a potent cheese flavor to your sauces, salads and pasta dishes; or you can use a vegetable peeler to make long, elegant curls to grace an after-dinner cheese plate. For variety, try other hard cheeses such as Dry Jack, Romano or Spain’s fabled Manchego.

Perhaps a controversial choice for the health-conscious, but—like Parmesan—good quality bacon adds a disproportionate amount of flavor. Use lean, artisanal smoked bacon to add concentrated flavor to chowders, cream soups, quiches, bean dishes, dips and even your salads. Pre-cooked and carefully drained, it also makes a fine addition to cornbread, biscuits and savory muffins. Some refrigerators let you keep your bacon extra-cold without damaging delicate produce.

Good-quality yogurt isn’t the preserve of tiny ethnic shops any more, with the rise of high-protein Greek-style yogurt to widespread popularity. Sweeten it for desserts, add herbs to make a quick dip, or drain it overnight to produce a soft, spreadable cheese. It’s a healthful, low-fat ingredient that stores well and has a multitude of uses.

Like onions, garlic and chives, celery is an ingredient with the happy facility of making everything else taste better. That’s because natural flavor compounds in the celery add savoriness or “umami” to your foods, regardless of whether it’s chopped raw into a salad or sauteed with onions and carrots to make the traditional flavoring mixture called mirepoix by chefs. It’s also a great low-calorie snack for those late nights when you want something crunchy.

• Choose three or four add-ins—whatever appeals to you—leeks, shallots, onions or chives; fresh or roasted bell peppers; broccoli or cauliflower; kale or spinach; mushrooms or wild mushrooms; diced or crumbled sausage; shredded leftover meats; bacon or ham…use your imagination. You know what tastes good.
• Pre-cook the add-ins as needed, so they’re already softened and have released their natural moisture. That’s important, because you don’t want soggy eggs.
• Lightly oil a heavy ovenproof skillet or pan, and spread up to 2 or 2 1/2 cups of add-ins evenly across its surface. Season them with salt, pepper, garlic or other flavorings, and sprinkle them lightly with your favourite shredded cheese.
• Beat 6 to 8 eggs, and pour them over the fillings. Tilt the pan, so they spread from edge to edge. Cook the eggs over moderate heat for just one or two minutes, until the edges begin to set.
• Top the eggs with more cheese or buttered croutons, if you wish, and slide the pan into a preheated oven at 200 degrees Celcius. After 8 to 10 minutes, when the eggs are fully set and the cheese is bubbly, it’s ready. 

Frittatas are a reliable brunch option.. Ideally your frittata would be surrounded by a range of other eye-pleasing, mouthwatering choices. For example, you might offer a stack of crepes alongside bowls of fresh fruit and whipped cream to fill them. Hollow out a baguette, stuff it with eggs, cheese and cooked fillings, and bake it to bubbly golden goodness in the oven. Baked French toast is always appealing, or you could give it a savory twist by layering cheese and ham between the layers for a sort of large-scale Monte Cristo. Give traditional side dishes a makeover, glazing good bacon or sliced ham with honey or maple syrup and baking until richly caramelized. 

A good recipe app can help you find recipes you want to try out. Once you’ve got them, your device makes an excellent interactive cookbook. Whenever possible, look for recipes that can be made or at least prepared ahead of time. Prepare or buy your crepes and refrigerate them and cut up any fruit or vegetables. Dice, shred or crumble the meats and stash them in the refrigerator. Prep your baked French toast or breakfast casseroles and leave them overnight to soak up the eggs. 

On the day, keep things simple by taking advantage of the Dual Cook oven. Slide in the divider, so you can bake last-minute items at a high temperature while using the other half as a warming oven to keep prepared foods hot. When mealtime arrives, you’ll have all the food organised and table-ready. Remember, although lingering over the table is part of the pleasure of a leisurely brunch, any leftover foods should be whisked away to the refrigerator once you’ve finished eating. Pack them into flat containers and pop them back into your fridge.

Remove the Source of the Odor

Even if you give your refrigerator a good scrubbing, the smell inside will keep coming back until you get rid of its source. Dig through your fridge and look for any expired items or leftovers that are over a week old. Sniff each item; if it has a bad smell, throw it out. Some items don’t go bad until weeks after the expiration date, but as soon as you notice a foul odor or mold; it’s time to toss them out.
Check your produce drawer for forgotten fruits and vegetables that have rotted or turned into mush. Some fruits and veggies leak a pungent liquid when rotten, so be careful not to spill it when removing the produce from the drawer. If your fridge features spill-proof shelves, most of the liquid should be contained in one drawer, making cleanup relatively easy.
If you’ve had a power outage that’s lasted longer than four hours, you may need to discard most consumable items in the fridge. Remove highly perishable items such as meats, fish and most dairy products that were held above 4.4 degrees Celsius for more than two hours. Hard cheeses and butter are fine to keep unless they develop a bad odor.
Clean and Sanitize
Once you’ve found the source, it’s time to remove the odor along with it. The smell of rotting food can permeate every inch of your fridge, especially if an item leaked out of its package. Fridges with lots of drawers and shelves give odors and trapped food debris many places to hide.
Cleaning the Interior: Clean the inside walls and accessories with a mild detergent and wipe dry with a soft cloth. You can remove the drawers and shelves for a more thorough cleaning. Always dry the shelves before putting them back into the refrigerator.
Cleaning the Exterior: Wipe the display panel with a damp, clean and soft cloth. Do not spray water directly on the surface of the refrigerator. The doors, handles and cabinet surfaces should be cleaned with a mild detergent and then wiped dry with a soft cloth.
Cleaning the Rubber Door Seals: If the rubber door seals are dirty the fridge doors may not close properly and the refrigerator will not operate efficiently. Keep the doors with a mild detergent and damp cloth. Wipe dry with a clean, soft cloth.

Some refrigerators have a built-in deodorizer that absorbs smells. If your fridge has a deodorizer, but you still notice a bad smell, you might need to clean the cartridge. Remove the cartridge and soak it in a bowl of warm water for four hours or more. Let the cartridge dry outdoors for at least eight hours, and then reinsert it into the fridge. Don’t clean or dry the cartridge indoors or in a confined area as it may emit odors that cause the room to smell.

Stubborn Odors

If the odor persists, you may need to let the refrigerator air out for several days. Take out all of the food and put it in a cold location, and then unplug the fridge. Leave the door open until the smell dissipates.
Baking soda, coffee grounds, silica gel, and activated charcoal helps absorb odors. Put some on a plate and stick it on a shelf in the refrigerator.
Dab a few cotton balls in vanilla essential oil or extract, and then place them in the refrigerator. Close the door for 24 hours.
Newspaper can help absorb odors. Stuff wads of newspaper in the fridge’s drawers and shelves, and then close the door for a few days. After that, remove the paper and wash the fridge with a mixture of 1 cup white vinegar per 1 gallon of water.