Storing Food

In the fridge

Remember to keep your fridge between 0-5°c. You can purchase fridge thermometers quite cheaply to show the temperature if your fridge doesn't indicate this.

The best way to store your food in your fridge is in suitable containers or bags, making sure they are well sealed and airtight.

Try rotating the food in your fridge so that any food at the back of the fridge that needs used up first is brought to the front.

Avoid leaving food sitting out for too long when it should be put back in the fridge. If the food is hot cool it down as quickly as possible (ideally within one or two hours) and put it in the fridge.

Always keep food labelled 'keep refrigerated' or 'once opened store in the refrigerator' in your fridge.

Many food items need to be kept in the fridge once they have been opened, e.g. sauces and dressings. They may also include a message on the label, such as 'eat within a week of opening'. Check these food labels for details of how to store them correctly.

If you are not storing leftovers from a meal in the freezer, you should store them in the fridge and eat them within two days.

In the freezer

Look out for the star marking panel on food labels to tell you how long you can store your food in the freezer.

Follow any instructions on the food labels, such as 'freeze on day of purchase' or 'defrost thoroughly before use and use within 24 hours'.

Check regularly to see what food you have at the back of your freezer and rotate your older items to the front so they can be used up first.

Try keeping your cooked and uncooked food separate in the freezer so you know where everything is. You could also keep a more accessible section of your freezer for things that need to be used up more quickly.

The best way to store your food in the freezer is in suitable containers or bags, making sure they are well sealed and airtight.

If you buy food that you want to put in the freezer, freeze it on the same day that you buy it.

Instead of freezing whole packs of meat or fish, try wrapping them individually so you can take out the amount you want easily.

Keep chilled food together in your shopping trolley and when packing it – preferably in a cool bag if you can.

Defrosting

Ideally food (especially meat, fish and shellfish) should be thawed in the fridge to keep it at a safe temperature while it's defrosting. If this is not practical you could place it in a suitable sealed container and put this under cold running water (to prevent the outside of the food getting too warm). A fast method of defrosting is to use your microwave oven 'defrost' setting.

Fruit & veg

Fruit and vegetables should be stored in a cool dark place.

Ripe fruit and vegetables can also be stored in the fridge to keep them fresher for longer.

Bananas are an exception to this – they can make other fruit ripen more quickly and cold temperatures also cause the skin to blacken. Keep bananas at room temperature and away from other fruit.

Meat & fish

Raw and cooked meat should be kept separate at all times.

Keep your raw meat and fish in a suitable container and store it on the bottom shelf of your fridge.

Any meat you have cooked and not eaten should be cooled and put in either the fridge (on a shelf above any raw meat) or freezer.

Avoid your meat getting freezer burn by making sure it is wrapped tightly in a suitable freezer bag or stored in a suitable, airtight container.

Dairy

Keep all your dairy products in the fridge, unless you plan to freeze them.

Milk can be frozen on the day of purchase but it will expand slightly as it freezes. It is best not to freeze yoghurt, cheese or cream as the texture and quality can change when it thaws.

All your dairy products should be refrigerated within two hours of purchase. Ice cream and other frozen dairy products should be put in the freezer as soon as possible.

Bread, cakes & pastries

Breadbins are ideal for storing your bread products, as they keep bread fresher for longer.

Crusty bread and rolls are best eaten on the day of purchase.

For longer storage, you can freeze your bread on the day you buy it and take it out when needed.

Cakes and pastries are best stored in a covered box or suitable container, out of direct sunlight.

Eggs

Your eggs should be stored in a cool, dry place, ideally in the fridge and away from other foods. It's a good idea to use your fridge's egg tray, if you have one, as this keeps the eggs separate.

Don't use eggs after their 'best before' date.

Don't eat eggs with damaged shells, as bacteria may have gotten inside them.

Dishes containing eggs should be eaten as soon as possible after you've prepared them. If you're planning to store them, cool them quickly and keep them in the fridge.

How long?

It can be easy to get confused by different food labels but the important ones you should look out for are 'use by' and 'best before'.

Use by
This is the key date in terms of food safety. Food should be used by this date. 'Use by' dates appear on food that can go off quickly such as fish, meat, milk, soft cheese and packet salad. Only use food after the 'use by' date if it has been frozen. Always follow the storage instructions so that foods last until their 'use by' date.

Best before
'Best before' dates appear on a wide range of foods that last longer, such as frozen, dried and tinned food. 'Best before' dates tend to be about quality rather than safety. It should be safe to eat food after this date, but the food may begin to lose its flavour and texture.

Other labels
Other dates such as 'sell by' and 'display until' are used by shop staff to know how long produce can be on display for.


More information on food labels and how to store your food safely is available from the Food Standards Agency website.