How Long Does It Takes Food To Spoil? Get The Answers In This Awesome Food Safety Guide

If you’re a busy mom or have a big family like me you might find yourself buying extra food to store in the fridge, freezer, or pantry to keep your kids tummies full and your family happy. But it’s easy for those half eaten cartons of leftover foods to get pushed to the back of the fridge or pantry and forgotten about. 

Here is something we are all guilty of - leaving food out too long and not refrigerating it in a timely manner! I still get teary eyed when I think of a time I made a pork tenderloin for dinner and left the unplugged crockpot out on the counter cool for a bit before sticking it in the fridge. Well needless to say I got completely distracted, left the poor roast out all night and came down to the kitchen in the morning to find the crock pot just where I left it - roast and all! The budget conscience side of me tried to convince the rational safety conscience side that the roast was fine and I should just pop it in the fridge and pretend nothing happened. Thankfully I listened to the more responsible voice and tossed the whole thing out (while wiping tears). Food poisoning is nothing to mess with especially if my kids were to get sick. I would never forgive myself. 

I know this was an extreme case but don't you ever wonder how long food is safe sitting out? Even food that has been in the fridge for a bit can make you ask yourself the same question - is it still okay to eat? What's even more confusing is that the not all food has the same lifespan  So before you choose to eat it or toss it make sure you know the proper lifespan of your food - both fresh and cooked.

Luckily, this helpful guide by Kitchen Cabinet Kings clears up any confusion with an average lifespan for common household foods. It’s broken down by freezer, refrigerator, and pantry and every typical item you’d take home in your grocery haul is included. The guide can also be downloaded and printed out so you can keep it close by as a reference.

You should consider adding a simple organizational system to your groceries, like food labels or a calendar and chart to keep track of when you purchased something or when it’s set to spoil. Or if this is too much work just grab a Sharpie marker and write the date of purchase on your food as you put it away after a grocery shopping trip.

This simple extra little step can help you reduce throwing away food, save some bucks by not doing so, and most importantly avoid getting you or the little ones sick from eating food that’s gone bad

The visual below is a great reference next time you’re wondering about the shelf life of your favorite food!  To get a free download click HERE.

via: Kitchen Cabinet Kings

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Here are some handy items to help you keep your food safe!

food label stickers (Amazon)

label maker (Target)

food labels

food thermometer (Target)

For awesome kitchen guides and a free kitchen design service please visit my friends at Kitchen Cabinet Kings. Design a kitchen that is functional, beautiful and affordable. A well functioning kitchen helps you store food safely and efficiently!