How long foods keep in refrigerator

Then, remember these additional, two rules: the refrigerator will keep food cold for about four hours if the door is unopened while a full freezer will keep the temperature for approximately 48 hours with a closed door.

If you find yourself in a situation where the power will be out for a handful of days, you can buy dry or block ice to keep the refrigerator and freezer as cold as possible. Looking to Avoid the Gym? Get Fit at Home Instead.

Going to the gym is a hassle! I used to dread packing a gym bag, struggli Whole grain Eng Whatever you do, don't store your milk in the door —it's the warmest spot in the fridge.

The door should be used for nonperishable drinks and condiments only. Keep fruits and vegetables separate and store like with like: Apples with apples, carrots with carrots, bananas with bananas. Fruits and vegetables give off different gases that can cause others to deteriorate. Leave refrigerated produce unwashed in its original packaging or wrapped loosely in a plastic bag. There are exceptions, such as mushrooms and herbs. If your greens seem sandy or dirty—think lettuce from the farmers' market—rinse and dry them well, then wrap them in a paper towel before placing in a plastic bag.

Otherwise, avoid washing your produce before refrigerating it. The dampness can make it mold and rot more quickly. Fruits and vegetables stored at room temperature should be removed from any packaging and left loose. Store cut fruits and vegetables in the fridge in perforated or unsealed plastic bags to maintain a moist environment yet still allow air to circulate. Keep citrus at room temperature. However, once your lemons, limes, or oranges are past peak ripeness, storing them in the fridge will help them last longer same goes for tomatoes and avocados.

If your citrus starts to turn, you can slice the fruit up and freeze it : frozen citrus is great as ice cubes for drinks. Onions, potatoes, and shallots should be stored in a cool dark place to keep them fresh, like a basket in a cupboard or a cellar. Avoid storing these products in plastic bags as this encourages spoilage. Once cut, onions should be stored in a resealable bag in the fridge where they will last for around a week, or stored in a container and kept in the freezer.

Refer to expiration dates and food safety guidelines to know how to handle specific foods. The chart below from Foodsafety. If you want your leftovers to last longer, freeze them. Just be sure to keep track of how long you had it in the fridge before you put it in the freezer. Freezing stops bacterial growth in its tracks like a car at a red light.

When you thaw your food, however, the light turns green and bacterial growth continues from where it left off.