FreshTrack: Day-of-the-Week Shelf Tags for Opened Food Monitoring

FreshTrack is a simple yet highly functional accessory that promotes food safety and reduces waste in home refrigerators. The concept centers around day-of-the-week captions that clip onto refrigerator shelves, acting as a visual tracker for when a particular item was opened.

The idea emerged from a common kitchen dilemma: “When did I open this?” Whether it's leftover soup, an open yoghurt, or deli meat, many people forget when perishables were last unsealed. FreshTrack solves this with an intuitive, physical reminder system.

Key Features:

• 8 printable center tags:
  - 7 with English day names (Monday to Sunday)
  - 1 blank for custom labelling (e.g. marker-writable, different language)
• Fits most modern fridge shelves: Designed for 7.5 mm front edge thickness (common for glass shelves with plastic trim) and 5mm.
• Modular design: Two standard end clips hold a center tag that can be swapped by hand.
• Low-profile and easy to read: Bold 3D text with sufficient contrast if printed in two colors.
• No supports required.

How It Works:

1. Clip the two end caps to the front lip of a refrigerator shelf.
2. Insert the center piece with the appropriate day label (e.g., SUNDAY).
3. Place the food item behind the clip. Anyone opening the fridge can instantly tell when it was opened.
4. Change the center plate the next time the product is used or replaced.

Design:

FreshTrack aims to reduce food waste and improve hygiene by giving households a simple, visible reminder system. Its modular structure promotes easy replacement and personalisation, making it suitable for shared fridges and family homes.