Have you ever come home from the grocery store with bags and bags full of groceries and wondered how to correctly store your food?  This happens to me sometimes.  I recently set out to see if I could find some decent guidelines and this is what I have been able to come up with:

What can I keep on the counter?

There are lots of things that you can store on your counter or in a cool dry place:

Things like garlic and onion are correctly stored on the counter for up to two weeks. I was surprised to read that tomatoes should be stored in a cool and dry place.  I knew that potatoes and winter squash varieties should also be kept in a cool and dry place, instead of the fridge. The right place to keep bananas, oranges, lemons and melons are correctly stored on the counter, as well, as long as they are not cut.  Bread, cakes and pies are correctly stored on the counter for a few days but if you are keeping them too long they should be  moved to the fridge.

What should you keep in the pantry?

Dry goods like cereals, crackers, etc. can usually be stored in the pantry for up to six months, just watch the expiration dates, once a package is open, it’s best to move it to a container that can be closed up. Did you know that you can correctly store spices for about 2 years, in containers with a tight lid?

What about the fridge?

While it seems easy enough there are several things to consider if you want to correctly store foods in the fridge.  Dairy products should be stored on the top shelves, because the temperature is more constant. The best way to store cheeses is to wrap them in waxed paper or cheesecloth and label them on the outside.

Do not keep eggs in the door and it’s not a good idea to remove them from their original cartons.  All vegetables except the ones we talked about earlier should be stored the fridge.  Mushrooms absolutely need to be kept in the fridge.  It’s best to keep your veggies away from apples, mangoes & bananas, they produce a natural ethylene gas and that can rote your veggies quickly.

In order to correctly store fruits they should be kept in the fridge in a separate drawer if possible from the vegetables. Water quickens decomposition of fruits, so it’s best to not wash them until you are going to eat them.  I have been washing my strawberries though, in a 50/50 mixture of white vinegar and water.

Meat & Fish of course need to be stored in the fridge.  If you aren’t using them within a couple of days of purchase it’s best to freeze them and then thaw in the fridge not on the counter.

Meat and fish can be frozen in its original packaging.

I found this information from the USDA:

Maximum recommended freezer storage time:

• Beef and lamb is 6 months
• Veal, pork, and poultry – 4 months
• Fish can last in the freezer for up to 6 months, but fattier fish should not be frozen for over three months.

Also note that pies and pies crusts, cakes and stock can also be kept in the freezer for a couple of months.

I would like to say cookies can be frozen for a couple of months too, but seriously who has the willpower to freeze them and not eat them hot out of the oven?