TASTE IT OR TOSS IT? How long can I keep food before it needs to be tossed?

Storing food the right way can help your food last longer.  It can also keep you from getting sick. Foods that are not stored safely can be a good place for germs to grow. And during these trying times it can help reduce how often you need to get out to shop. It is important to remember: no food lasts forever. Once a food has gone bad, you should not eat it.  You should throw it away and since you do not want to waste food you want to do everything you can to keep it fresh as long as you can. 

To keep your food safe, food stored in your refrigerator or freezer should be stored in foil, plastic bags, plastic wraps, or airtight plastic containers. If you are reusing packaging the food came in, be sure it is airtight.

For cold foods, keep your refrigerator below 40°F. For frozen foods keep your freezer at 0°F or below.  Germs grow most quickly between 40°F and 140°F so you want to be sure to keep cold foods below 40°F in your fridge.  It is best to keep a refrigerator/freezer thermometer in both spaces to be sure the proper temperature is being maintained. 

To keep your cold food safe:

  • Freeze anything you do not plan to eat in 3 to 4 days.

  • Store cooked leftovers in shallow, air-tight containers.  A large container can take a long time to cool to the right temperature, and the food may spoil.

  • For leftovers, write the date on a piece of tape and stick it on the container and put the container in a place in the refrigerator or freezer where you can see it, so you do not forget to eat it.

A quick note about thawing food.  Foods that were left to thaw on the counter should always be tossed because they have been in the microbial growth DANGER ZONE between 40º and 140º for too long. There are 3 safe ways to thaw your foods:

  1. Thaw food in a bowl or pan on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator.  This is to ensure that juices from defrosting food will not drip on other foods/containers in your refrigerator.  Thawing this way will prevent food from entering that 40°-140° temperature range.

  2. Place food in your microwave on a low or defrost setting. However, since there is some warming during this process, it is best to cook food after defrosting this way, so it does not enter the microbial growth “danger zone.”

  3. Thaw frozen meat, poultry or fish in a bowl of cold water.  Change the water every 30 minutes so the water does not get warm….until the food is thawed.  Cook the food right away since food might enter the “danger zone”

To keep your dry or packaged foods safe:

  • Keep them stored in airtight packages.  

  • Do not store them in direct sunlight or next to a heat source. 

  • Keep food in cabinets or closets that are cool (less than 85° F) and dry. Storing food in extremely hot (over 100° F) or cold (near freezing) temperatures is harmful to canned goods and reduces quality in packaged foods. 

  • Avoid storing food near ovens, ranges, water pipes, hot water heaters, or other heat sources. These are not good places because heat and moisture can cause food to spoil more quickly. 

  • Packaged food should be tightly closed. You want to protect packaged food from insects. It can happen to anyone, even in the cleanest homes. If you find insects in a food, throw it out.  Foods most likely to get insects include cereals, flour, seeds, baking mixes, spices, candy, dried fruits, and dry pet foods. 

  • Avoid purchasing damaged packages of food; also storing food in tightly sealed glass, metal, or plastic containers can help. Insects can get into food in warehouses, stores or homes. 

To keep canned food safe:

  • Cans should be free of large dents. Small dents are okay if they are not along the seams of the cans. Never buy a can with a dent on a seam, top or side.

  • Tops should be flat. Glass or plastic jars should have tight, flat lids.

  • Do not buy canned or jarred food with bulging tops. 

  • Watch out for crushed or dented cans.  The food inside these cans is safe to eat if the cans do not explode, bulge out or leak. If the food inside is moldy, bubbling, has changed color or smells funny, do not taste it—just toss it! 

  • Do not store canned food under the kitchen sink or in direct sunlight. Canned foods should not be placed in the freezer.  They can swell when frozen and might present health problems. 

  • If cans of food accidently become frozen, they must be thawed in the fridge at a temperature below 40º. If they are thawed at a higher temperature they should be discarded.  

Even if stored properly, foods stored for a long time can lose quality.

Canned foods are great because they last much longer than fresh foods. 

Acidic canned foods like tomatoes, grapefruit and pineapple will last 12-18 months in the cupboard.  Other canned foods like meats, fish and vegetables will last about 2-5 years when stored in a cool, clean, dry place. 

What about vegetables and fruits?

Most fruit is best stored in your refrigerator, though some should be ripened on the counter first.  Many fruits can also be frozen.  

The same is true of most vegetables, though some are recommended to be stored in a cool dry place (tomatoes, potatoes), however they will last longer in the refrigerator though it may affect quality or flavor. Many vegetables can be frozen as well.  

The best way to know how to store your produce, is to check the FoodKeeper app at the government’s food safety site. This app has information on food storage for all different categories of food: meat, poultry, sea food etc. as well as produce, dairy, grains and beans, deli foods, baby food and many more categories. 

A note about condiments – ketchup, mustard mayonnaise, etc. Most are shelf stable and can be stored in your pantry.  However, refrigeration of commercially produced versions of sauces and condiments helps them stay fresh for a longer period.  Check the FoodKeeper app above for more detailed information and for information about other kinds of condiments like soy sauce, jelly, honey, and many, many, more. There are almost 40 different items in this section of the FoodKeeper app.

Even foods that have been stored properly and look and smell fine may be full of bacteria and there are some obvious signs that your food has spoiled, and it is time to “toss it.” 

  • If the food smells (this is a big one).  This is usually more obvious with protein foods like fish, meat, eggs and dairy products which can spoil more easily than other foods. 

  • If you see slime, fuzz or a milky or foamy liquid on your food it may be moldy. Molds can be different colors, like green, blue or white. Mold tends to grow on foods like bread, fruits, vegetables, jams, jellies and canned foods when they age.

When you have stored your food properly and there are no clear signs that a food has spoiled, checking the date on the package, if there is one, can sometimes help you decide if it’s time to “toss it.” Foods with an expiration date that has passed should always get tossed unless they have been kept frozen in a freezer that is 0°F or below.

So, what do all the letters/package dates really mean?

Some of the different types of dates found on products are: 

    • Sell-by-date: This is the last day a store can sell the product. Foods are safe to eat after this date but may not taste as fresh. Examples: breads and baked goods

    • Use-by-date: The last date you should use a product. 

    • Best if used by: This tells you how long a product is at its best flavor or quality. It is NOT a purchase by or safety date.   

    • Expiration or “Do Not Use After”: The last day the product should be eaten. This may be a quality or safety issue depending on the product.

    • Random series of numbers and or letters are manufacturers code that they use to track their products. Unless you know the coding system the manufacturer uses there is no way this code will mean anything to the consumer.

NEVER taste any food that you think might be spoiled.  When in doubt about a food’s safety, throw it out! One more important thing to do when handling food: Don’t forget to wash your hands before handling food.  You should also wash all prep and cooking surfaces and cooking utensils before they touch food.  You also should consider wiping down all purchases with soapy water (and wash your hands as well) or some other cleanser before storing them, though Public Health officials do not feel that this is a major source of COVID-19 transmission.  

For more information, check out the links below:

Questions? Contact me at: JKGiunta@lmxac.org