Love them or loathe them, most of us tend to do our weekly shopping in one or more of the large supermarkets nowadays. The convenience of being able to source the majority of our groceries and other household necessities under one roof is difficult to resist, and there’s always the added bonus that we might pick up a bargain or two along the way.

Stand beside the exit of one of these stores at virtually any time of the day and it’s quite likely you’ll witness a steady stream of trolleys, all loaded with carrier bags full of shopping, rattling out in every direction across the sprawling car park.

A well-stocked fridge

There’s something intrinsically satisfying about returning home with a car boot full of shopping and packing it all away in our cupboards and fridges. It must be akin to the sensation that our prehistoric ancestors would have experienced on returning home from a long day’s hunting expedition. Freshly acquired bounty always has, and always will lead, to full stomachs, and that’s a comfort we all want at the end of a hard day.

With our modern tastes and sensibilities all interlinked with a clearer understanding of how our diets can affect our health, many of us are eating fresh produce on a daily basis. Therefore, the ability to store these foodstuffs is an obvious necessity. Fortunately, we no longer need to rely on a hole dug in the cool earth in a north-facing corner of our homes to slow the production of bacteria and preserve the life of our perishables. Luckily, some bright spark gave the world the refrigerator. We can now quite easily see our freshly bought produce last a week or more within the cool confines of our fridges.

A clever use of space

Opening the door on a well-stocked fridge can produce a moment of excitement as your eyes take in the colourful treasure trove of edible goodies, laid out on the shelves and packed into the door compartments. It’s often surprising just how much can be stored within its stark white walls. Many appliances by top brands are designed with useful built-in features. A Littlewoods Hotpoint fridge [http://www.littlewoods.com/electricals/hotpoint/fridges-freezers/e/b/4536,4294957894.end] can incorporate an egg rack, dairy compartment, salad container and wine or bottle rack.