5 Food Storage Guidelines To Follow At All Times

Taking care of food is extremely important. When spoiled food is involved, digestive issues among you and your family members can occur.

And while the option of keeping leftovers is always open, it might not necessarily be the best action to take all the time. To avoid food wastage, take a look at these ways to find out how to store food perfectly.

Step 1: Find the right temperature for the fridge

To begin with, ensure that the temperature of the fridge is somewhere between 1 to 4 degrees Celsius.

Avoid putting hot food in the fridge, as this leads to an increase in the overall temperature of the food, leading to food poisoning.

Step 2: Place canned food in the fridge

Once the food cans are opened, they go directly into the fridge, no questions asked.

But that doesn’t mean you put the entire opened can into the fridge. Just storing the opened can will lead to can corrosion and in turn, damage the food eventually.  The right way to store already opened food cans is by transferring the contents of the can to another one of your small plastic containers with lids.

Step 3: Organize your Fridge

Organizing your fridge is very important to keep the food as fresh as possible. The upper shelves are an ideal place for keeping the leftovers. Remember that the topmost shelf of the fridge is the least cool of all.

Never ever place fresh food on the topmost shelf, instead use the bottom shelf for that. It is the coldest of all. The middle shelves are ideal for dairy items like cheese, butter, and yogurt. This is because it is neither too cold, neither warm, nor the dairy product requires a neutral temperature.

The drawers can be used to store vegetables, fruits, and salads, but ensure that they are stored in their original packaging. Also, fresh herbs like celery, mint, and coriander must be covered in a newspaper to keep them fresher for longer.

The shelves on the door are the warmest area and are most susceptible to the changes in temperature. So, avoid putting any fresh food here, however, natural preservatives like sauces, jams and juices go here.

Step 4: Clean the Fridge Regularly

Make it a habit to clean your fridge on a regular basis, to avoid a buildup of ice, thaw the fridge every now and then. Avoid keeping fresh herbs at the back of the fridge to avoid freezing of these delicate foods.

Look out for any spills of sauces as well, they will end up dirtying the fridge and might even stain it. So, check and clean thoroughly to keep your fridge spick and span.

Step 5: Do not place cooked and raw items together

Never ever keep cooked and raw food in close distance. Cooked food should always be kept at a higher level than raw food to avoid the latter dripping that can lead to contamination of the cooked food.

Finally, practicing hygiene is important too, while handling the eateries. Take care of your family by eating fresh foods. Avoid leftovers; cook less food, so that each day you eat fresh items each day.

Take note of these essential points mentioned above and you and your family members are on your way to consuming food safely.