Tips for storing perishable food

We all love to see our refrigerator full of different foods, but nobody wants to see some of that food go bad. If you tend to buy and use a lot of perishable food, you need to be careful. It is crucial that you’re aware of how to store these types of food products safely. There are few factors that you need to be aware off, and using the right storage bins is just one of them. Hopefully, these tips storing perishable food will help your goods stay fresh and tasty.

Store your goods safely for the move

Storing perishable food is relatively easy on a regular basis. However, how does one store perishable food safely when preparing for relocation? Let’s say that you are moving a long distance. Eating all the perishable food you have in your fridge might pose a challenge to most people. Sure, renting storage units in Gahanna is great for your furniture and clothes, but storing foods is highly unadvisable. Sometimes, it is even prohibited. Still, there is no reason to despair. Follow these steps and learn how to store food safely during the relocation:

• The best tule for moving perishable food is to use or toss. To be clear, moving perishable food with you is possible, but it is risky and it comes with a limited amount of space. So, the best way is to choose what you want to carry with you before the moving day. Items that are nearly empty or close to the expiration date you should definitely either use or toss. Keep it simple and pack only unopened, costly, or fresh food. Only this is worth the troubles of transporting. Besides, although reliable movers such as Zippy Shell Moving and Storage Columbus will move almost everything you own, movers generally don’t recommend packing and moving perishable food.
• You can ship it via FedEx or USPS. You just need to be aware that they are not liable for spoiled products. Furthermore, pack the chosen food in a sealable plastic bag or an airtight container. Then, place the containers inside a foam box with insulated, thicker walls in order to maintain the temperature. Also, you can use those gel coolants or dry ice to keep the frozen products cold. But be careful – dry ice placed inside of an airtight container can rupture or cause an explosion. The foam box should then go inside a larger box or plastic container, ready for shipping. Make sure you fill the gaps with bubble wrap or packing paper.

Refrigerate or freeze immediately

When storing perishable food you can’t let any product sit out in the heat for some extended period of time. Make sure you need to properly store them as soon as possible.

• First, divide cooked foods into small portions in shallow containers. To make things easier, divide soups and stews into portions that are 2 to 3 inches deep, and stir them while cooling to speed the release of heat. Divide whole poultry and roasts into portions that are 2 to 3 inches thick. Place these small portions of food directly in the refrigerator. Remove stuffing and refrigerate in separate containers.
• If the final destination should be the freezer, transfer cold food fast from the refrigerator to the freezer. Then arrange containers in a single layer in the freezer until they are frozen. This will allow the cold air to circulate around the packages while freezing the food faster.

Choose the right containers

Avoid plastic or paper shopping bags when storing perishable food. Harmful chemicals and dyes from these bags can leach into the food, and contaminate it. If possible, try to stick to the food-grade containers only. Such containers are designed specially to hold food and do not contain any bad substances. Also, try not to use or re-use food containers that are hard to clean or may contaminate stored items. Cheese containers or plastic water bottles and are good examples of what to avoid. Even though they are designed for storing food, re-using them is not advisable. They are single-use item and they should be treated as such. Same goes for single-use wooden packagings.

The best location for the packed goods

In order to keep everything safe and in check, you should follow certain rules when storing perishable food. Therefore, utilize your fridge as follows:

• Meat, fish, poultry, eggs are all at perishable foods. Hence, you should keep them in a refrigerator all the time when you are not consuming them. The raw meat is best to stay on the lower shelves, neatly covered, in a tray or bowl to catch any leaks. Most noteworthy, do separate cooked meat from raw one. Eggs should also go inside the main part of the fridge where the temperatures are cooler.
• Dairy products such as milk, cheese, yogurt and other should share a place next to the eggs. This way, they will last longer, due to the favorable temperatures.
• Condiments are ok to go on the door shelves since this is the warmest part of the fridge.
• You can keep vegetables and fruits in the space in the bottom drawers.

Keep all foods covered when storing perishable food

Just because you are storing perishable food products in the fridge or freezer, it doesn’t mean you don’t have to cover them. Remember to keep all food products in covered containers or well-sealed storage bags. Also, in order to be on the safe side, you should check each food product daily for spoilage.