Food Storing Tips
Food can go bad quickly, especially if you like to buy them in bulk or organic. I want to share some food storage tips with you that you might find helpful.
What Goes In the Fridge
Some foods must be kept in the fridge to help slow germs' growth and keep food fresh and safe for longer. These are foods marked with a "use by" date and "keep refrigerated" on the label, such as milk, meat, and ready meals.
Cool down leftovers as quickly as possible (within 2 hours), store them in the fridge, and eat them within two days.
Avoid putting open tin cans in the fridge, as the food inside may develop a metallic taste. Follow the manufacturer's instructions or place the contents in a storage container or covered bowl before refrigerating.
Fridge Maintenance
Keep your fridge temperature at 41F (5C) or below.
If your fridge has a digital temperature display, you may wish to check it against an internal fridge thermometer now and again to make sure it's accurate.
Clean and inspect your fridge regularly to ensure it remains hygienic and in good working order.
“Use By” Dates
No food lasts forever, even if stored well. Most pre-packed foods carry a "use by" or a "best before" date.
"Use by" dates appear on foods that go off quite quickly. It can be dangerous to eat foods past this date.
"Best before" dates are for foods with longer life. They show how long the food will be at its best.
Food can look and smell fine even after its "use by" date, but that does not mean it's safe to eat. It could still contain bugs that could make you ill.
Eating food past its "best before" date is not dangerous, but it may not be good quality.
Freezing Food
You can freeze pretty much anything, including:
Yogurt
Fish
Milk
Meat
Bread
Baked goods
Rice
Eggs - including boiled eggs
Cheese - (except soft cheese, as the freezing process affects the texture)
Bananas - peel, wrap, or place them in an airtight container before freezing.
Anything with a high-water content, like strawberries and tomatoes, will go squishy but are still OK for cooking.
Place food in an airtight container or wrap it tightly in freezer bags before placing it in the freezer; otherwise, the cold air will dry it out.
Storing Eggs
Store eggs in the fridge at a constant temperature. You can also freeze eggs.
There are two ways to freeze eggs:
crack the egg and separate yolks and whites into different plastic containers or food bags before freezing; a handy tip for baking
crack the egg into a plastic tub and beat it before freezing – great for omelets and scrambled eggs.
storing meat & poultry
It's important to store meat safely in the fridge to stop bacteria from spreading and avoid food poisoning.
store raw meat and poultry in clean, sealed containers on the bottom shelf of the fridge
follow any storage instructions on the label, and do not eat meat after its use-by date
keep cooked meat separate from raw meat and ready-to-eat foods in general
freezing and defrosting meat and fish
It's safe to freeze meat and fish as long as you:
freeze it any time before its use-by date
defrost meat and fish thoroughly before cooking – lots of liquid will come out as meat thaws, so stand it in a bowl to stop bacteria in the liquid from spreading to other things
defrost meat or fish in a microwave if you intend to cook it straight away, or if not, defrost in the fridge overnight so it doesn't get too warm
cook food until it's steaming hot throughout
Ensure meat is appropriately wrapped before storing it in the freezer, or it might get freezer burn, making it tough and inedible.
Date and label meat in the freezer and eat it within 24 hours of defrosting.
You can freeze meat for a long time, and it will still be safe to eat, but the quality will deteriorate, so it's best to eat it within 3 to 6 months.
refreezing meat and fish
Never refreeze raw defrosted meat (including poultry) or fish.
You can cook frozen meat, and fish once defrosted and then refreeze them.
You can refreeze cooked meat and fish once; ensure to cool them down before entering the freezer. If in doubt, do not refreeze.
Frozen raw foods can be defrosted once and stored in the fridge for up to 24 hours before they need to be cooked or thrown away.
To reduce wastage, divide the meal into portions before freezing and defrost what you need.
Using Leftovers
Do not throw away leftovers – they could be tomorrow's lunch!
Follow these tips to make the most of them:
cool down leftovers as quickly as possible, ideally within 2 hours
divide leftovers into individual portions and refrigerate or freeze
use refrigerated leftovers within two days
when reheating food, make sure it is heated until it reaches a temperature of 70C for 2 minutes so that it is steaming hot throughout
always defrost leftovers thoroughly, either in the fridge or in the microwave
when defrosted, food should be reheated only once because the more times you cool and reheat food, the higher the risk of food poisoning
cooked food that has been frozen and removed from the freezer should be reheated and eaten within 24 hours of fully defrosting
foods stored in the freezer, such as ice cream and frozen desserts, should not be returned to the freezer once they have thawed
for safety and to reduce waste, only take out of the freezer what you intend to use within the next 24 hours
