A food storage chart is a useful tool that helps count how long foods stay safe and fresh when you store them at various temperatures This chart helps to determine the approximate duration of foods stored at room, refrigerated and frozen temperatures. It is helpful for any food business, for instance restaurant, food truck, coffee shop or retail business.
The cold food storage chart gives guidelines for refrigerated foods, so that they do not spoil or become dangerous to eat. For instance, salads with egg, chicken, ham, tuna or macaroni last about 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator at 40°F or less. Fresh meat and poultry can stay in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days, and in the freezer for 4 to 12 monhts.
How Long Foods Stay Safe
Because product dates are not always a good guide for safe use, you should consult a food storage chart. It is good practice to buy products before their sell-by or expiration dates. If you freeze meat or poultry in the original package for more than 2 months, cover these packages with airtight foil, plastic wrap, freezer paper or put them in a plastic bag.
Because freezing at 0°F preserves food forever, the suggested times are only for quality. That means taste, color and texture can change with time, although the food stays safe. After long time, the taste can fade and nutrients can be lost.
Keep the refrigerator temperature between 34°F and 40°F. If it goes above 40°F, foods quickly spoil. Except when written otherwise in the chart, cover the foods with foil, plastic or bags.
High temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit are dangerous also for canned products. The risk of spoilage grows quickly when the temperature rises. Following the principles of right storage conditions, food handlers can ensure the safety of any perishable food for a long time.
A food storage chart for pantries lists the duration of common foods stored in a pantry, ensuring that you eat them in the right time. There are also printable charts for cold foods for use in food establishments. A free food storage chart can be downloaded for kitchen teams, so that they always know where store foods safely and correctly.
A general rule is keep raw meat on the lowest shelves of refrigerators or coolers, while prepared foods stay on higher shelves. The FoodKeeper tool offers tips for more than 650 foods and drinks. One smart way to organize everything is to create a spreadsheet on a phone or computer with columns for the product, amount and expiration dates.
Control of temperature, right containers, labeling and dating of foods are the basics of good foodstorage.