Unless your house is full of teenage boys (like ours J ), you probably have leftovers in your fridge. Managing those leftovers and keeping from them spoiling can be a struggle.
Food goes bad when bacteria help themselves to food after it cools to a temperature that can support their growth. Oxygen, water and light also add to the growth of bacteria and mold. So, if food isn’t sealed and put in the fridge or freezer in a timely manner, bacteria can multiple to dangerous levels creating toxins that cause illness when eaten.
Here are some simple food safety tips:
1. Never leave food out for more than two hours. The temperature will quickly adjust to room temperature — the perfect temperature for bacteria to colonize food. In the summer, cut back to 1 hour.
2. Keep food out of the “danger zone” – 40° F to 140° F. Getting food cooling in the fridge shortly after your meal is the best bet.
3. Invest in some high quality storage containers that latch tight, are easy to open, and have glass bottoms that don’t hold stains and are safer for reheating in the oven or microwave.
4. Record the date made on the lid with a dry erase marker or a piece of tape so you aren’t guessing how old it is.
5. Make sure your refrigerator and freezer are operating at the right temperatures. The fridge should be below 40° F and the freezer below 0° F. Use a specially designed thermometer to monitor the temps.
6. Don’t pack your fridge tight. Food needs cold air to circulate around it to keep it the right temperature.
7. Make sure you are getting rid of old leftovers. The shelf life for refrigerated leftovers is 3-4 days. How long food can be stored in the fridge or freezer varies by the type of food. Go to: https://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/storagetimes.html for guidelines.