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Properly storing food in your fridge or pantry is essential for maintaining its freshness. Factors such as expiration dates, shelf positioning, and the types of items you're storing are key. It's also crucial to use the right containers for leftover food to ensure longevity.
There's nothing more frustrating than discovering that your meat or produce has spoiled just as you're about to cook. However, poor food storage can lead to more than just waste—it could make you sick. Below are some of the most common food storage mistakes and how to avoid them.
1. Placing Food on the Incorrect Shelves
Katie Heil, a certified food safety professional and educator at State Food Safety, highlights that placing food on the wrong shelf in the fridge is a significant error. She explains, "Storing food in the right order is essential to minimize the risk of cross-contamination."
A typical mistake is putting raw ground beef above a salad. "The juices from the meat could drip down and contaminate the salad," Heil warns. "If you consume that contaminated salad, you could get food poisoning. The solution is simple—keep the meat below the salad!"
Heil advises that you organize your food storage by placing items that need little or no cooking at the top. "Items that require more cooking should go at the bottom. This way, even if juices do leak, they'll be destroyed during cooking. For instance, ground beef needs to be cooked to an internal temperature of 155°F, so it should be placed above chicken, which needs to reach 165°F to be safe," she explains.
2. Leaving Food Uncovered
We've all been guilty of putting an uncovered dish in the fridge. While it might seem like a minor issue, this can actually be a hazardous mistake that leads to cross-contamination. Heil emphasizes the importance of using covered containers to store food properly.
"It may seem obvious, but it's easy to overlook when you're rushing," she notes. "Covering food in sealed containers not only protects it from contamination, but it also helps keep it fresh longer."
If you're in a rush (or just feeling lazy), at the very least, you should cover your plates and bowls with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. But taking a little extra time to store food in proper containers is always the best option.
3. Using the Wrong Food Storage Containers
This one is crucial! As a general guideline, always opt for the best containers available. Ideally, store your food in airtight glass containers like Bayco Glass Food Storage Containers With Lids. Unlike plastic, these glass containers are microwave and dishwasher safe, plus they’re BPA-free.
One of the worst options for storing food is reusing those takeout containers that many of us tend to collect and stash away in cabinets. While they work for transporting or keeping leftovers for the next meal, they aren’t meant for long-term reuse. The same goes for yogurt cups and any other plastic containers you get food in.
4. Putting Away Food Before It Cools Properly
According to Heill, "When refrigerating leftover food, it's important to avoid letting it sit in the temperature danger zone (41–135 F) for too long."
The only instance when it's acceptable to store food in the fridge without covering it is when the food has not yet cooled down completely. "However, once the food has reached a safe temperature, it's important to transfer it into a covered container for longer-term storage," advises the expert.
5. Neglecting to Rotate Your Food
Have you ever come across food in your pantry or fridge that's gone bad? Maybe it's moldy or past its expiration date. "The likely reason for this is that you forgot to rotate your food," says Heil.
The good news is, there's a simple solution! After you finish grocery shopping, place the new items you bought behind the older ones. This method, used by commercial kitchens to minimize food waste, can also benefit you. Once you make it a habit, you'll always consume the oldest items first, preventing unnecessary waste."
6. Leaving Food Unsealed
Avoid leaving the ketchup lid up. Be sure to tightly seal jars of mustard and bottles of salad dressing. It's crucial to ensure all your food containers are fully closed and sealed. Failing to do so can lead to food spoiling.
The same applies to food storage bags, plastic wrap, and aluminum foil. Seal them as securely as you can!
7. Storing the Wrong Produce in the Refrigerator
Not every type of produce belongs in the fridge. Melons (unless they're cut), tomatoes (ever wonder why they wrinkle?), onions, potatoes, and citrus fruits should be stored outside the refrigerator, as cold temperatures impact their flavor.
However, fruits like nectarines, peaches, pears, and avocados should be refrigerated once ripe to slow down further ripening.
A frequent error in produce storage involves apples. Many of us leave them out, but they actually belong in the fridge.
8. Storing Perishable Items in the Refrigerator Door
The biggest mistake when storing milk is placing it in the door. Because the temperature fluctuates every time the door is opened and closed, perishables such as dairy, eggs, and especially meat should be kept in the coldest parts of the refrigerator instead.
9. Setting the Wrong Temperature for Your Refrigerator
Have you noticed your food spoiling too quickly or freezing in the fridge? The issue may not lie in where or what you're storing, but rather that you haven't adjusted the temperature of your refrigerator correctly. Check the thermostat: Your refrigerator should be set to no higher than 40° F (aim for a range between 35° and 38° F), and the freezer should be below 0° F.
