Improper storage of food is the main reason for its short shelf life. To properly store food in the refrigerator, you need to follow a few simple rules.
To avoid premature spoilage, you need to know how to properly store food in the refrigerator. This will minimize “food” losses and will have a beneficial effect on the budget.
Milk
The main thing when storing dairy products is to comply with the expiration dates. Distribution to the correct temperature levels is also important.
The place for dairy products is usually on the middle shelf, since when completely frozen, taste is reduced and nutrients are lost. For example, cottage cheese and butter are best placed in an opaque container on the middle shelf.
Milk is optimally stored at a temperature of +3 to + 6 ° C. Therefore, the cells located in the refrigerator door are not suitable for storing them.
Fruits and vegetables
When it comes to sources of vitamins, which tend to break down when the storage rules are violated, the question of how to store food in the refrigerator is very acute.
- Vegetables should be placed in special containers and placed on the bottom of the refrigerator.
- You don't need to wash your vegetables to prevent mold from building up.
- Tomatoes are best placed separately, as they are a source of substances that can ruin other garden gifts.
- When stored in the refrigerator, the taste of potatoes may not change for the better.
- Berries and fruits are stored unwashed in a moisture-proof container.
Meat, poultry, fish
The shelf life of products in the refrigerator must be strictly observed when it comes to meat products.
- Ready meals should be placed in special containers with a tight lid. If there are none, then food foil will help out.
- Cooked food is placed in the refrigerator only after it has cooled down to at least 20 ° C.
- Store semi-finished products on the coldest shelves.
- Any raw meat (poultry, game, fish) must be frozen in the freezer, after wrapping it in a bag. It is best to spread it evenly over several portions.
- Sausages, hams, sausages and other goodies of this kind should be stored at temperatures between 0 ° C and 8 ° C. The term is limited to 10 days. But uncooked smoked meat products can be stored indefinitely in a cool dry place.
Common storage errors
One of the main misconceptions is the opinion that the refrigerator freezes food, which means that they will be preserved in it anyway. As a result, we often get a spoiled treat out of it. Here are the most common causes of annoying incidents:
- the use of leaky packaging or no packaging at all, as a result of which microorganisms get to food;
- tight wrapping of fruits and vegetables in polyethylene, which violates the air permeability of the product; the result is the formation of mold;
- storage of dairy products in refrigerator door cells;
- storing fresh meat or fish in the refrigerator on a shelf: this can only be done for 24 hours, otherwise freezing is needed.
Secrets of increasing shelf life
- The most important trick is knowing how to organize the "neighborhood of food in the refrigerator." Some foods need to be kept away from each other. For example, raw meat and fish are not placed next to ready-made meals, as the former can be sources of contamination. But fruits and vegetables are kept in different containers, as they accelerate the process of rotting from each other. The following taboo should be remembered: cheese and all kinds of smoked meats, salads next to fruits and fish, sausages next to vegetables and fruits. In no case should they be placed side by side. Also, dairy products perfectly absorb all odors. Therefore, cottage cheese, cheese, butter must be sealed.
- Do not load the refrigerator with all kinds of canned food. They do not need a special temperature regime, they have a long shelf life. But their presence in the refrigerator can harm other products. The fact is that in a loaded refrigerator, air circulation is disturbed, which entails a violation of the temperature regime.
- How to store food in the refrigerator seems to be clear, but do not forget about cleanliness. The refrigerator must be clean. A couple of times a month, you need to do a general cleaning in the refrigerator, rinsing each shelf.
- The hostess must take care of the correct packaging of the food. You can use additional tricks, for example, special antibacterial mats that create additional air ventilation. As a result, food lasts longer.
