How To Properly Store Food In The Fridge

Refrigerator is probably the easiest to use home appliance in the whole kitchen: just a door and the cold space behind it. No special skills required to put what's left of the meal in the big white box. But is it that simple? There are still a few points we need to take into account when storing food in the cold, so here they go. Watch The Dates There is always at least one date shown on the packaging. You have to pay more attention to what's written right before the date. Mostly it's “best before” (sometimes BB) or “use by” and that's okay. Very often, there are different storage instruction for opened or unopened items. If there's a “display until” date, it means you can still consume it, as this stamp is rather for the supermarket employees and not for you. Millions of tonnes of food in Australia are wasted every year, because of throwing away food from the kitchen before it's actually bad to eat. How Long Can Food Last The advisable maximum periods to keep products in a refrigerator are as follows. Meat and fish (when opened):

• steaks, cooked fish and shellfish – 3 to 4 days
• lunch meats, bacon, hot dogs – no more than 7 days

Dairy and eggs:

• fresh milk – up to 3 days
• soft cheese – 7 days, hard cheese – 3-4 weeks
• butter – 1-3 months
• eggs – up to 3 weeks

Other leftovers (including soups and stews) shouldn't stay for longer than 3 or 4 days, prior to consumption. Packing & Wrapping Before you place anything in the cold, make sure it is packed well enough. You can utilise kitchen aluminium foil or cling film, depending on the food type. When it comes to storing ready-to-eat meals, it's crucial to have appropriate containers. They are easy to spot at the local kitchen or household store and come in various shapes and sizes. What's important here, is to check if the cap is closing tightly and lets no air enter inside. Keep in mind that many kinds of food can be also kept in a freezer, which is a great way to improve their durability. Overall Condition Quality of cooled food is in direct relation to the refrigerator's state. There are a couple of things to look for, as hygiene maintenance is the first one. You should periodically perform some simple cleaning tasks, or alternatively, you may book a kitchen cleaning team in case you have no time for chores. For instance, if you're able to detect any unpleasant smells or visible stains, it's definitely time to wipe down the interior. Clean condenser coils and drain channels are essential for normal operation of the unit. You can check if temperature controls have proper settings according to the season and also see if your fridge is well-balanced. Here are a few more tips to consider. Door gaskets are known to be magnets for various type of grime. If they get sticky, be sure to remove any old spills off the door seals. Defrosting is important too, so do it at the moment you notice the icy layer is exceeding 3 cm.