Step 3: Keep food fresh

When leftovers lurk too long in the fridge, or the vegetables in your crisper are no longer crisp, the bin wins.

Get better value from your food and give yourself longer to use it with these storage tips that will reduce oxygen, moisture and heat, that spoil food.

Labels and storage containers  

• Invest in quality airtight containers. Choose ones with snug-fitting lids to reduce oxygen getting in. Use them for items in the fridge and freezer, and dry ingredients and items in your pantry. Airtight containers will keep your food fresher and cut down on your use of cling wrap, aluminium foil and plastic bags that end up in landfill.
• Know the labels – if it’s past the 'Use by' date, it’s too late. Use by is a safety mechanism but a 'Best before' date is about quality. The item may still be safe to eat, depending on how it’s been stored and if the packaging is unopened. The ‘sniff test’ will help you determine if it’s still okay to use.

Fridge

• Your fridge is the best place to store most fruits and vegetables.
• Keep food in airtight containers.
• Rotate items – bring the older items forward to the front, and put newer purchases behind them so the older food is eaten first.
• Check the fridge temperature is at 3-4-degrees Celsius, and door seals are in good condition.
• Don’t overcrowd items in there – give the cold air room to move around the contents.

Freezer

• Keep the temperature set to minus 18 degrees Celsius and check the door seals are working. The quicker an item freezes, the fresher it will be.
• Use labels to remember what’s in containers and when the food was frozen.
• Use airtight containers to avoid contamination.
• Use single serve or family-size portions when storing frozen items so you only defrost what you need.
• Do not refreeze thawed raw foods. You can freeze food again after it is cooked.

Pantry

• Transfer the contents of open packets into airtight containers to seal out oxygen. Containers are best for flours, pasta, grains and nuts and seeds, cereals and biscuits.
• Keep bread at room temperature. If you’re not going to finish it before it goes stale, freeze it and use a slice at a time.
• Frequently clean off shelves to prevent items from becoming lost and forgotten at the back.

To help keep food fresh, use our Food storage poster(PDF, 464KB)

Next step

Now that your food is going to last longer, you are ready for Step 4. Perfect portions which will help you conquer food waste in the kitchen.

Step 4: Perfect food portions