WHAT THE GUIDANCE SAYS
A lid, a container and a cold fridge do most of the work.
UK food safety guidance keeps coming back to the same habits: cool cooked food quickly, cover it, keep raw meat sealed at the bottom and the fridge at 0 to 5°C. Wrapping well also stops food drying out.
0–5°C and a lid on it
THE SHORT ANSWER
The Food Standards Agency's advice for home kitchens
fits on the back of an envelope.
LEFTOVERS
Cool cooked food, cover it and put it in the fridge or freezer within one to two hours. Eat fridge leftovers within 48 hours.
Check what you're storingWRAPPING
Meat and cheese dry out if left unwrapped, says West London Waste Authority. Fresh fruit and vegetables, by contrast, need air, so do not seal them in.
Four habitsFREEZING
For the freezer, use an air-tight container or wrap food well in freezer bags or freezer wrap, and keep the freezer at around −18°C.
See the numbersA QUICK STORAGE CHECK
Pick a food to see what UK guidance says about storing it. The bar shows how strict the advice is.
Based on Food Standards Agency guidance and West London Waste Authority tips. General information, not a substitute for the label.
TWO NUMBERS WORTH KNOWING
One number for the fridge dial,
one for the leftovers inside it.
0–5°C
Safe fridge temperature
The FSA says to keep the fridge at 0 to 5°C and recommends checking it once a week with a fridge thermometer. safefood notes the numbers on a fridge dial do not necessarily show the temperature.
FRIDGE · FOOD STANDARDS AGENCY
48 hours
Eat fridge leftovers within
The FSA says to eat leftovers within 48 hours or freeze them if that will not be possible. Cooked rice is stricter: no more than one day.
LEFTOVERS · FOOD STANDARDS AGENCY
The FSA also says to keep chilled food out of the fridge for no more than four hours during preparation, and never to put hot or warm food straight into the fridge.
FOUR HABITS TO TRY
None of this needs special gadgets: a few lidded containers, freezer bags and a fridge thermometer cover it.
Split big batches into smaller containers so they cool faster, then cover and refrigerate within one to two hours.
Store leftovers in sealed or waterproof containers rather than the pan, to avoid leaks and limit the spread of bacteria.
High-fat foods dry out unless they are well wrapped. Fruit and vegetables are the exception: leave them room to breathe.
Use an air-tight container or freezer wrap, label it so you know what it is, and keep the freezer at around −18°C.
THE FREEZER
The FSA says you can freeze food right up to midnight on its use-by date. Cool warm dishes first, then freeze leftovers and homemade food as soon as possible, wrapped well or in an air-tight container.
West London Waste Authority says almost any food can be frozen and that it stays safe, but quality deteriorates after about three months. It suggests freezing in portions so food defrosts faster, and defrosting in the fridge rather than on the worktop.
Questions
The FSA says to cool cooked food at room temperature and put it in the fridge within one to two hours. Cooked rice should be cooled ideally within one hour.
The FSA says to eat leftovers within 48 hours, or freeze them if you think that will not be possible. Cooked rice should be kept no more than one day.
The FSA advises against it, as food may develop a metallic taste. Put the contents into a suitable storage container first, or follow the manufacturer's instructions.
On the bottom shelf, in its packaging or in a clean sealed container, so it cannot drip onto other food.
The FSA says the fridge should be 0 to 5°C, checked weekly with a fridge thermometer, and the freezer around −18°C.
Sources
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