1. Nutrition and Healthy Lifestyles
Food Storage and Cold Storage Guidelines

2. Spoilage and Nutrient Loss
What causes spoilage??
Heat
Air
Moisture
Light
Dirt
What are the signs?
Wilting
Discoloration
Slimy
Moldy
Tears, holes, bruises
Smelly
Nasty taste

3. What is shelf-life???
Length of time the food can be stored and still retain its quality
Important to
Buy only what you need
Eat older food first (FIFO)
Follow “Sell By” or “Use By” dates
Use canned foods within 1 year
Clean surfaces and throw out spoiled food

4. Rule of Thumb……
Wherever you find it in the grocery store, you can store it there at home!!!
Ex. Bananas are in the aisle at room temp.
Store them on the counter at home.
What about ketchup, salad dressing, jelly?
At room temp until opened, then in fridge

5. Guidelines for Refrigerator Storage
Don’t overstock
Transfer food from open cans to storage containers
Meat, poultry, and fish on plate in bottom
Fruits and Veggies in crisper drawers
Shallow containers for leftovers
Label containers
Use leftovers within a few days or freeze
Pay attention to dates
If frost or ice forms, turn the temp. down

6. Guidelines for Freezer Storage
At 0ºF or below, foods keep 1mo. to 1 year
Freezers function best when full
Use special packaging to prevent freezer burn. (freezer bags, containers, etc)

7. Don’t Freeze These… Raw Veggies (lettuce) Cooked or raw eggs
Mayo products
Egg based sauces
Many cheeses
Baked goods with cream filling

8. Power Outage Freezer Refrigerator Full = 2 days Half full = 1 day
Dry Ice…..DON’T TOUCH
Discard food thawed for longer than 2 hours
Clean it! (Baking Soda)
Refrigerator
4 to 6 hours
Ice block
Discard food longer than 2 hours
Fruits and Veggies safe if not moldy