What the state of your fridge says about you

You’ve wanted this moment for a long time… Finally a chance to be away from your parents and control your daily diet. “I can have whatever I want,” you might think. But when you look at what’s inside your fridge, it might reveal more about you than you suspect.

All aspects of your life change when you stay abroad for a prolonged period, including your eating habits. What you keep in your fridge (or what you don’t!) says a lot about your attitude towards your diet.

To find out more, we spoke with four international students from Trinity College Foundation Studies to learn what they had in their fridge.

Jay really liked what he had in his fridge, but also wished his fridge had a freezer compartment so he could stock up on more meat. Instead, his fridge is stocked with colourful bottles packed with sauces. Since coming to Australia, his diet has mostly consisted of pasta – it’s easy to cook, he says, and pasta sauce is always handy to have in the fridge. Asked what his parents might think of his fridge, Jay was not worried and believed it was well-stocked to begin with.

Liz’s bountiful fridge is sure to be the envy of many students. | Photo supplied.

I am a strong and independent young man,” he added with slight smile.

Liz owns a large fridge filled with fruits and vegetables. It’s the picture of healthy living.

She was fairly sure sure her mother would be relieved to see the state of her fridge as her mother rarely cooked for the family back home. Indeed, no parent would be upset that their child is able to take care of themselves. Additionally, Liz has acquired a lot of cooking skills from her grandma which has also encouraged her to explore new cuisines. The desire to cook has led to Liz’s fridge being well-stocked with a bountiful of ingredients for her next meal.

In terms of things she needed to have in her fridge, Liz cited milk as a must-have item to keep. Old habits die hard and for Liz, her nightly ritual of drinking milk before bed not only gives her good dreams but keeps her closer to her roots.

Gavin, meanwhile had rarely stocked anything in his fridge. Though some may be embarrassed (why even have a fridge at all?!), Gavin offered a big and confident smile to us when he showed off the contents of his fridge.

When asked about the state of his fridge, Gavin asserted that he would rather open to an empty fridge with nothing but some jam to consume than go to a supermarket to get some ‘real food’. That being said, Gavin says that even with an empty fridge he simply can’t live without milk, much like Liz. Unlike Liz however, he says he drinks milk in an effort to help increase his height. Regardless of the fact that he will highly probably not grow taller, it cannot be denied that he at least has a dream.

Gavin was also asked about what his parents might think if they saw. the condition of his fridge. Gavin’s response was a confident one.

“For my parents, they would be very happy because at least they could see milk and eggs there and they will know that I take good care of myself. Also, the fridge is clean and all things are well-placed which I believed is exactly what they wanted to see,” Gavin said.

Gavin further added that the state of one’s fridge was a reflection of their lifestyle.

“You can definitely tell a part of people’s lifestyle from their fridge. People who like cooking must have lots of food in their fridge while for those who was busy, their fridge could be empty,” he said.

Considering his words, you have an idea as to what type of person Gavin is.

Gavin’s fridge might look a little sad but if jam and eggs are enough to get him by, who are we to judge? | Photo supplied.

Conversely, Caroline, a native of the Guangdong province, visits the supermarket every two days to stock her fridge and to cook up a storm in the kitchen. Whether its to steam or braise food, Caroline is a connoisseur in the kitchen.

Her fridge was just astonishing – you’d never believe such a fully filled fridge belonged to an international student! Her diet is very much in Chinese style and as such, her fridge reflects this. Luckily for her, finding Chinese ingredients to cook is never a difficult to task here in Melbourne.

“That is why I do not mind staying in Melbourne,” she concluded.

Which of these four fridges do you identify with most? Do you absolutely need to have a well-stocked fridge or is something on the empty side more preferred in your life? What does your own fridge look like? Are you trying to make your parents proud by having a well-stocked fridge? To show them that you can take care of yourself? Is there anything you’d change about your diet and your fridge? Let us know in the comments below!

This story was produced by Media and Communication students at Trinity College Foundation Studies as part of Meld’s community newsroom collaboration. Education institutions, student clubs/societies and community groups interested in being involved can get in touch with us via meld@meldmagazine.com.au.