Stop the Spoils! Fridge Food Safety

It is easy for food products to get shoved to the back of our refrigerator where they may be forgotten for days. Given enough time, even under refrigeration, foods can grow harmful bacteria or mold.

Here are some tips for preventing the food in your refrigerator from becoming a science experiment gone wrong.

Leftovers and Groceries

• Prepare Smaller Quantities: For large meals, we often prepare many dishes. To reduce leftovers competing for refrigerator space, try preparing smaller quantities of each item.

• Serve Foods That Don't Need Refrigeration: You can reduce your need for refrigerator space by serving some foods that do not require refrigeration, such as whole or dried fruits, cake, candies, nuts, or fruit pies.

• Send Leftovers Home With Friends & Family: After a large gathering, send some of the food home with your guests in "to go" containers. This keeps your refrigerator from becoming too crowded (allowing for proper air circulation) and assures that leftovers are used up within three or four days.

• Freeze Leftovers You Won’t Use Soon: If there are leftovers that you don’t expect to use within three days, go ahead and freeze them for later use. Freezing "stops the clock" on bacterial growth.

  • Remember to package foods for freezing well to prevent freezer burn.

  • Label and date the foods you freeze and use them up within a few weeks.

• Don’t Purchase Foods Too Far Ahead of Preparation: Don’t purchase foods requiring refrigeration too far ahead. They will unnecessarily crowd your refrigerator.