Cold is an excellent ally in preserving food, whether it is raw or cooked. However, to know exactly how long a food will last in the refrigerator or freezer, we will have to pay attention to the type of food and the characteristics of our appliance. We have asked the experts in cold storage how long cooked food lasts in the refrigerator and how long we can keep food fresh before cooking it.
Preliminary tips: what you need to know before refrigerating or freezing
Today’s refrigerators allow us to regulate the temperature inside at will. This allows us to save energy at specific times (for example, lowering the temperature when there are no highly perishable foods) or adapting the temperature to the type of food, for example, lowering it when we want to freeze quickly. «There is no regulation that defines a refrigeration temperature, as there is with frozen foods. There are some foods that have their storage temperature regulated. This is the case of offal, minced meat, meat, chicken, ready meals or fresh milk. For the rest of the products, the supplier defines an ideal storage temperature, which, depending on the case, can go up to 12ºC,» explains Claudia García, head of food quality at ALDI. This recommended storage temperature is indicated, as is the case with information about the origin of the food, on the label.
As for the freezer, the temperature of the ones at home “can range from -18ºC to -22ºC. The first (-18ºC) is the temperature that keeps the product completely safe,” he stresses.
How long does each food group last in the refrigerator?
Meats
If we buy chilled and packaged meat, we only need to follow the packager’s instructions regarding the expiration date. Again, it will always be clearly visible on the label. As long as the package is not opened, the meat will last for the time indicated. Once opened, the times are the same as if we had bought it in bulk. “With fresh meat, the recommendation is to consume it as soon as possible and keep it between 0 and 4ºC,” García warns. The smaller the pieces – for example, minced meat or pieces for stew – the lower the storage temperature should be.
As for how long meat lasts in the fridge, AESAN It is recommended not to leave pork for more than one day. Beef and lamb can be kept for 1-2 days and vacuum-packed meat for 2-3 days. Offal and minced meat should be consumed or frozen within a maximum of 24 hours.
How to preserve raw chicken
The recommendations are similar to those for pork or vacuum packed meat. As for how long raw chicken lasts in the fridge, once the package has been opened, it is ideal to consume or freeze it within 15 days. 24 hours.
How long does fresh fish and seafood last?
To keep fresh fish in the refrigerator, we must follow two essential rules. First, wash and gut the fish. Then, store it on a plate covered with cling film or in an airtight container to prevent other foods from taking on a fishy smell. Store them in the coldest part of your refrigerator (the manufacturer always indicates this or designates a drawer as the one for fish).
Fresh fish should be consumed within a Maximum of 48 hours or freeze.
As for fresh seafood, Claudia García recommends “keeping them at positive cold, but at very low values (0 – 4ºC)”
Fruits and vegetables
Lots of fruits and vegetables, as he reminds us. AESANThey are well preserved several days at room temperatureexcept in summer, with the exception of whole watermelon or melon. Leafy vegetables or delicate fruits (fresh spinach, strawberries, etc.) should ideally be stored unwashed in the refrigerator and washed just before eating. If we have bought them cut and/or peeled, or we prepare them this way at home, then they must be stored in the refrigerator.
The most suitable place to preserve fruits and vegetables is in the specific drawer of refrigerators“These products are more sensitive to forced cold air. They are also better protected from dehydration in a drawer. Leafy vegetables should be left in their perforated bag if they have been bought in bulk. Storing them in the vegetable drawer is also a matter of hygiene, as they may contain dust or dirt,” the quality expert points out.
How to preserve cooked food and leftovers
The two rules for preventing food waste are to plan meals well and reuse leftovers. However, it is important to bear in mind that some foods last longer in the fridge than others. A stew can stay in the fridge for up to 4 days, while fish, seafood or potato omelette only last 2 days (in the case of omelette, if it is not set, it should be consumed immediately).
The recommendation for Pasta and rice should not be stored for more than 24 hours. in the refrigerator. That’s how long cooked fish lasts.
The Cooked legumes last 48 hours in the refrigeratorwhile cooked vegetables and meat can last 3-4 days.
Unpeeled hard-boiled eggs, on the other hand, can last in the refrigerator for up to a week.
And how long do frozen foods last?
Isabel Alemany, Director of Frozen Foods at ALDI, distinguishes between ultra-frozen foods (those we buy in the supermarket) and those we freeze at home. “In the case of ultra-frozen foods, we will be guided by the Best before date on the labelIf we freeze at home, the first thing is to make sure that the food is as fresh as possible. If we are going to freeze them leftover cooked food, we will do it as soon as possible”, says Alemany. A practical trick is to distribute them in individual containers or with few portions to facilitate freezing, even better if we refrigerate them before measuring in the freezer to avoid sudden changes in temperature.
It is important to bear in mind that a domestic freezer takes many more hours to freeze food than an industrial one. “During this time, the degradation of the product continues, slower, less dangerous, but it continues. Therefore, my recommendation will always be: do you want to consume it immediately? Buy it fresh. Do you want to consume it soon or have it in stock at home? Buy it already frozen,” he stresses.
Frozen food preservation table
| Frozen Food Storage Chart | ||
| Food group | Guy | Months in freezer (max.) |
| Meat | Bovine | 12 |
| Lamb | 8 | |
| Pig | 6 | |
| Minced meat, sausages | 2 | |
| Offal | 3 | |
| Birds | Chicken | 10 |
| Hunt | 6 | |
| Giblets (wings, thighs…) | 3 | |
| Fish and seafood | Whitefish | 6 |
| Blue fish | 3 | |
| Seafood | 3 | |
| Vegetables | Most of them | 12 |
| Dairy | Soft cheese | 8 |
| Cream | 3 | |
| Butter | 6 | |
| Bakery | No-bake pie crust | 3 |
| Baked cakes and pastries | 6 | |
| Pan | Pan | 3 |
| Ready meals | Soups and sauces | 4 |
| Stews and casseroles | 3 | |
| Source: AESAN: ABC of cold and freezing | ||
Tips for freezing well at home
Frozen food expert shares some tips for safe freezing at home:
- Do not fill to 100%. The non-freezer is a Tetris. Air must circulate to ensure it maintains a stable temperature.
- Order and separation. Drawers, like everything in life, work better if they are organized: ice in one drawer, fish in another, vegetables in another… This helps to avoid food waste from those foods that end up being thrown away because they have been forgotten at the back of the freezer for years.
- Label. It is advisable to label the product with the date and name so that it can be easily recognized. “Ideally, something that is frozen should be consumed within 3 months at the most to enjoy it with all its organoleptic qualities. If we freeze it fresh and defrost it correctly, we will surely enjoy it,” says the expert.
- Defrost slowlyFish, seafood and meat should be defrosted in a container with a rack to prevent contamination from the defrosting juice. This process should also take place gradually in the refrigerator and not at room temperature. Seafood and crustaceans can be defrosted under cold running water immediately and cooked. If we want to boil them, we can add them directly frozen to the water or broth.
- Pay attention to the timesThe thinner the food, the less time it will take to freeze. That is why it is always better to freeze in fillets than in whole pieces. Leftovers, as we have seen, are better in small portions. In addition, it will be much more practical to use if we only want one portion (it is the basis of the famous batch cooking).
- Suitable packaging. Use only containers suitable for extreme cold, such as plastic lunch boxes, reusable bags or freezer-safe glass containers.
The ALDI Council
Although any lunch box will do for storing food, it is best to use them all the same size. This way they stack more easily in the refrigerator or freezer, and we avoid the feeling of ‘chaos’ in the fridge.
Isabel Alemany. Graduate in Business Administration and Biology from the University of Barcelona. She began her professional career in the food industry in the frozen fruit and vegetable category in 2003. In 2006 she entered the fishing sector, joining the purchasing department of Conservas Dani. She specialised in shellfish and farmed fish in 2009 as Purchasing Manager for Seafood Products at La Sirena Alimentación. Since January she has led the frozen food assortment strategy at Aldi Spain as Category Manager Freezer.
Claudia Garcia. Agricultural technical engineer and food technologist. She is responsible for Quality at ALDI Central Purchasing (Spain). Previously she worked as a logistics process technician and as corporate manager of Fresh Produce Quality at Caprabo – Eroski. She has been responsible for Quality at Comertel and a consultant at the Institut Català de Tecnologia (Assessment Unit).
