Can you use a wine fridge for food?

The temperature difference

The Food Standards Agency advises keeping your fridge at 5 °C or below to help stop harmful bacteria growing on chilled food. Wine fridges are built around storage at about 12 °C and serving temperatures of roughly 6 to 18 °C. Many have a lowest setting of 5 °C, and thermoelectric models often stop at 11 or 12 °C. Even a wine fridge set to its minimum may run above 5 °C on some shelves, and many have no way to show the real temperature at each shelf.

That is why perishable food should not be stored in one, even for a day or two.

What should not go in a wine fridge

If an item has a use-by date or the label says keep refrigerated, it belongs in a food fridge.

• Raw and cooked meat, poultry and fish.
• Milk, cream, yoghurt and soft cheeses.
• Cooked leftovers, rice and pasta dishes.
• Prepared salads and anything with a use-by date.
• Opened jars that say refrigerate after opening.
• Medicines that must be kept refrigerated, unless the instructions say a wine fridge temperature is fine.

What can go in

Strong-smelling items can leave odours in the cabinet, and some owners find wood shelves pick up smells. Keep food in sealed containers if you use the fridge for anything other than drinks.

• Wine, of course, along with sparkling and fortified wines.
• Bottled and canned soft drinks, mixers and water.
• Beer and cider, though most wine fridges cannot get lager very cold. See beer fridge temperature.
• Items that keep at cool room temperature, such as whole fruit like apples, unopened jars that do not need refrigeration, and chocolate if you prefer it cool.
• Hard cheeses that you are bringing up from the food fridge to serve, for a short time before eating.

Can a wine fridge work as a drinks fridge?

For soft drinks and mixers, yes, if it reaches a temperature you like. A compressor wine fridge that goes down to 5 °C is reasonable for most drinks. If you mainly want cold cans and lager, a glass-door drinks fridge that reaches 0 to 3 °C is the better tool. Our wine fridge vs drinks fridge comparison explains the differences, and our drinks fridge guide compares models such as the Swan SR12030BN with a 3 to 10 °C range.

Compare drinks fridges →

Can a normal fridge store wine instead?

The reverse question comes up too. A kitchen fridge is fine for a bottle of white you plan to open soon, or an opened bottle with a stopper for a few days. For storage over months it is too cold and dry, and frequent door opening means the temperature moves around. Our wine fridge vs normal fridge article covers this in full.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use my wine fridge for food at Christmas? Only for drinks and items that keep at cool room temperature. Perishable food needs 5 °C or below.

Can a wine fridge be set to 4 °C? Some compressor models go to 4 or 5 °C, but the temperature can vary by shelf, so it is still not a substitute for a food fridge.

Is cheese okay in a wine fridge? Hard cheese for a short time before serving is fine; store it in the food fridge.

Can I store chocolate in a wine fridge? Yes, many people do, wrapped to avoid odours. See our storage guide for keeping the cabinet clean.