Tips on Food Storage - How to Keep from Getting Sick

While food storage may not be on the top of everyone's mind, it is important to know how to properly store your food and leftovers. It can make the difference between being healthy and being more sick than you ever want to think about. If you've ever eaten spoiled food or had salmonella poisoning, you know what I mean. With that said, properly storing your food isn't difficult to learn. Here are some basic tips on proper food storage.

Chicken - Fish - Meats
You have to keep all meats refrigerated prior to cooking them. Also, if you have not used them by the expiration date on the package, stick them in the freezer and use them for a later meal. Keep fish wrapped and off other foods.

Dairy
Make sure you keep an eye on the expiration date of eggs and milk in particular. Eggs can be very easy to buy and then forget about for several weeks and even months down the road depending on how often you cook with them. The same applies to sour cream and cottage cheese.

When buying milk at the grocery store, pay close attention to the expiration date on the container to be sure it hasn't already expired, or is about to.

Fresh Vegetables
Store your fresh vegetables in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. Do not put onions, potatoes, or tomatoes in the refrigerator. They can be kept in a paper bag or on the floor of the pantry.

Once you have sliced a tomato you can put the rest of it in a ziploc bag and in the refrigerator. Be sure to keep your fresh vegetables in separate bags in the crisper drawer so they stay apart from each other.

Frozen Items
One of the most important points about storing food in the freezer is to not re-freeze meats after thawing them. Once you've stored them in the freezer the first time, don't attempt to do it again.

Keep any leftovers in airtight sealed bags to prevent them from becoming freezer burnt. Ziploc bags work great as food storage containers when you're in a pinch.

Fresh Fruit
Storing different fruits can be somewhat tricky at first. There are a few do's and dont's to follow.

One important item that never goes in the refrigerator is a banana. If you've ever done it before then you know what I'm talking about. They turn black almost immediately.

All types of melons should go into the refrigerator once they are ripe. Leave them out until then though. You'll also want to store apples and all types of berries in the refrigerator.

As far as citrus fruits go, oranges, grapefruit, etc., can either be left out in a fruit bowl on the counter, or put in the refrigerator. It's really your choice.

Proper food storage is easy once you learn the basics. You can find more information on a particular food item by doing an online search. Don't let a lack of knowledge spoil your food.