bookmarkCategory: Food safety

Fresh fruit and vegetables

How to store fresh fruit and vegetables

• Potatoes and onions should be taken out of the plastic bag and stored in a cool dark spot (separately)
• Leafy and root vegetables, such as spinach, carrots and lettuce, should be left in a plastic bag in the fridge to prevent wilting and softening
• Pumpkin pieces should be kept in the crisper section of the fridge. There is no need to wrap them
• In hot weather, it is advisable to store fruit in the fridge
• Always cover cut fruit and salads before placing in the fridge

Fresh herbs

How to store fresh herbs

To store fresh herbs for longer in the fridge, you can: 

• Fill a glass or jar with water. Snip off the bottom of herb stems and place in water. Cover loosely with a plastic bag and place in fridge (except basil – leave at room temperature). Change the water when it starts to change colour after a few days
• Wrap the herbs in paper towel, then place in a plastic bag and store in the fridge’s vegetable drawer

Either way, wash the herbs well only when you are ready to use them, not for storage.

Freezing fresh herbs

• Wash herbs and dry well with a clean tea towel (unless they are organic). Then place in a single layer inside plastic snap lock bags. Squeeze air out and label. Works well with basil leaves, thyme or lemongrass
• Put herbs into ice cube tray, chopped/ready for use. Cover with water or oil and freeze. When frozen, run warm water over back of ice cube tray to remove the cubes and move the frozen herb cubes to a snap lock bag or sealed container. Label and use while still frozen (don’t defrost). Works well with mint, dill, coriander or parsley

Fridge and freezer

How to store food in the fridge

• Do not store food in a can once you have opened it. Once the can is opened, the rusting process starts and this could make you sick. So transfer food to another storage container
• Keep raw meat covered on the bottom shelf of the fridge or in a meat drawer (if your fridge has one) so the juices don’t drip onto other foods
• Use or freeze meat or leftovers within a day of preparation
• Check the use-by date

How to store meat in the freezer

Hint: freezing makes the use-by date further away.

1. Divide meat into meal-sized amounts
2. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, freezer bags or clean containers. Make the packages as flat as possible for quick freezing
3. Write date and name of meat on each package so you can easily identify it later

How long can food be stored for?