Store food with the right context.
12 researched guides connect daily storage decisions with food form, package state, temperature, handling history, waste prevention, and primary public sources.
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Food guides
Showing 12 of 12 guides
Berries
Key answerRefrigerate berries and keep them dry until use unless the package says otherwise. Check below the top layer, remove damaged fruit as guidance directs, prevent crushing, and wash under clean running water just before eating.
Read the full guideBread
Key answerFollow the package directions and protect bread from moisture and contamination. If the household eats it slowly, freeze portions early. USDA guidance says to discard moldy bread rather than trim the visible spot.
Read the full guideCanned food
Key answerStore intact shelf-stable cans in a cool, dry place with labels and lot codes attached. Swelling, leakage, punctures, deep rust, and severe dents require a package-condition decision regardless of the date.
Read the full guideCooked leftovers
Key answerRefrigerate leftovers within two hours, or one hour when the air temperature is above 90°F (32°C). Use shallow covered containers and label each one with the dish name and preparation date.
Read the full guideEggs
Key answerStore shell eggs at 40°F (4°C) or below, in their original carton on an interior refrigerator shelf. When you need a storage range, look up the form you have: shell egg, hard-cooked egg, or prepared dish.
Read the full guideFresh fish
Key answerBuy fresh fish for a near-term meal, keep it very cold and contained, and retain the fish name and previously frozen status so you can use the matching federal chart row.
Read the full guideGround meat
Key answerKeep ground meat at 40°F (4°C) or below in leak-resistant containment. Federal guidance gives it a shorter refrigerator range than many intact cuts, so decide promptly whether to cook or freeze it.
Read the full guideLeafy greens
Key answerRefrigerate leafy greens, protect them from raw-food leaks and crushing, and follow the washing directions on the package. Manage visible moisture and put the greens into an early meal.
Read the full guideMilk
Key answerKeep refrigerated milk at 40°F (4°C) or below on a cold interior shelf. Return it after pouring, and record the full package date phrase separately from the date you opened it.
Read the full guideOnions
Key answerStore whole dry onions in a cool, dry, dark, ventilated place and check them for moisture or decay. Refrigerate peeled or cut onions in clean covered containers.
Read the full guidePotatoes
Key answerKeep whole potatoes in a cool, dark, dry, well-ventilated place. Inspect all the way to the bottom, store them away from chemicals, and assess green, sprouted, damaged, or decayed potatoes individually.
Read the full guideRaw chicken
Key answerKeep raw poultry at 40°F (4°C) or below, inside leak-resistant containment and below ready-to-eat food. Cook or freeze it within the refrigerator range for its form, and do not rinse it in the sink.
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