Is everything fresh?
Fruit and vegetables, fish and meat, dry goods such as pasta and rice – different foods have different storage requirements. If you maintain the optimum storage temperature and keep the products in the ideal place, you can look forward to long-lasting freshness – and that’s not all. Storing food correctly in the fridge and in the larder also helps to reduce waste, protect the environment and save you money. What are the key points to bear in mind? Which foods should you not keep in the fridge, and which ones should you definitely keep there? We’re sharing some clever tips on storing food.
The weekly shop is done; now it’s time to put the groceries away. Many foods have specific requirements regarding storage temperature or light conditions. Some definitely need to be put in the fridge as soon as possible so as not to break the cold chain, whilst others are best kept warm. These are the basics of safe food storage:
The use-by date tells you by when you should eat the food. This information is mandatory for perishable goods such as fresh meat. This should be taken into account; otherwise, there is a risk to health. With the best-before date, on the other hand, the manufacturer guarantees specific product characteristics such as taste, flavour and texture. This does not mean that the food is no longer edible after this date. Many products can still be enjoyed without any concerns even after the use-by date. The key here is to rely on your own senses and carry out the smell and taste test.
Last but not least, temperature plays an important role in ensuring food is stored correctly. Traditional fridges with static cooling have different temperature zones. It’s cooler at the bottom than further up and in the door compartments. Modern versions are often fitted with forced-air cooling, also known as dynamic cooling. If this is the case, a fan distributes the air evenly throughout the entire interior. There are no longer any noticeable differences in temperature, with the exception of the door area and the vegetable drawers. Tip: Read more about how long food lasts in the fridge.
Nevertheless, refrigeration units with recirculating air cooling also offer a range of temperature settings. Depending on the model, there may be ‘zero-degree’ zones, and it is often possible to adjust the temperature individually throughout the entire interior.
This raises the question of what the optimum temperature is for storing food in the fridge. Experts recommend an internal temperature of around 5–8 °C for appliances with dynamic cooling. In a fridge with static cooling, you can use the different zones to optimise food storage:
A well-stocked larder is handy: You always have ingredients for delicious meals in the house. To ensure your supplies stay fresh until you use them up, we have something for you: These tips will help you store food successfully.
Cool and dry: these conditions are ideal for most foods. The exceptions are fruit and vegetables, which stay crisp at a higher humidity. Meat and fish must always be refrigerated.
Food can be stored in the fridge and freezer, as well as the kitchen cupboard or larder. It is best to chill fresh goods and the freezer will enable you to keep them for longer. Everything that needs a dry, cool, dark environment is best kept in a cupboard or the larder.
A glance at the packaging will normally tell you how to correctly store the product. ‘Keep refrigerated’ refers to storage in the refrigerator at 0–8 °C, whereas ‘store in a cool place’ refers to a place outside the refrigerator at a maximum of 18 °C.
Perishable foods like fresh meat and fish are best kept right at the bottom of the refrigerator. That is where the lowest temperatures are.
In the vegetable drawer or on the shelf just above it.
Sausages and cheese are best kept at the bottom of the refrigerator.
The humidity is higher in the vegetable drawer and it is very cool. This keeps fresh goods like lettuce crisp for longer.
