# How to Store Food Properly: The Fridge and Freezer Table for Every Item

> Cooked food keeps three to four days in the fridge and three months in the freezer. Two rules matter most: let food cool before it goes in the fridge but get it there within two hours, and freeze in small flat portions so it freezes and thaws quickly.

**4 min read**

Throwing food away is wasted money, and storing it wrongly is worse than that — food poisoning happens more than people assume, and most of it comes from food that looked correctly stored but was wrong on timing or temperature.

## The golden rule: two hours

Cooked food should not sit out for more than two hours (one hour if it's above 32°C). Bacteria multiply rapidly between 5 and 60°C — that range is called the danger zone.

At the same time, don't put very hot food straight into the fridge — it raises the temperature inside and puts everything else at risk. Cool the pot quickly in a basin of cold water first, then refrigerate.

## Fridge table

  - **Cooked food** — 3 to 4 days
  - **Raw meat or chicken** — 1 to 2 days
  - **Raw fish** — 1 day only
  - **Eggs in shell** — 3 to 5 weeks
  - **Boiled eggs** — 1 week
  - **Cut vegetables** — 3 to 4 days
  - **Sauces and marinades** — 1 week (5 days with mayonnaise)
  - **Risen dough** — 2 days

## Freezer table

  - **Raw meat** — 6 to 12 months
  - **Raw chicken** — 9 months
  - **Fish** — 3 to 6 months
  - **Cooked food** — 3 months
  - **Bread and pastries** — 3 months
  - **Soup and stock** — 4 months
  - **Vegetables (after blanching)** — 8 months

Frozen food stays technically safe indefinitely, but texture and flavour deteriorate past these times.

## Freezing properly

  - **Small flat portions.** A flattened bag freezes and thaws far faster than a deep container, and takes less space.
  - **Push the air out.** Air causes freezer burn — those pale dry patches that wreck the flavour.
  - **Write the date.** Anything undated sits there until you doubt it and throw it out.
  - **Leave room to expand.** Liquids grow as they freeze — leave two centimetres at the top.

## Thawing — the most important part, and the one most often done wrong

Thawing on the counter is the most dangerous habit in a kitchen. The surface reaches room temperature and bacteria multiply on it while the centre is still frozen.

**The three safe methods:** in the fridge (best, overnight); in cold water in a sealed bag, changing the water every half hour; or in the microwave if you're cooking it straight after.

And **don't refreeze** anything that has thawed — unless you cook it first.

## Things that don't freeze well

  - Raw watery vegetables (lettuce, cucumber, tomato) — they go limp
  - Boiled potatoes — the texture turns grainy
  - Cream or egg-based sauces — they split
  - Eggs in their shells — they burst

## Signs food has gone off

Smell and texture matter more than the date. Any sour off smell, any sliminess, any mould — throw it out. **Cutting the mould off is not a fix**: in soft foods the mould sends roots deep below what you can see.

And if there's any doubt: **throw it away**. A meal costs far less than food poisoning.

## FAQ

### الأكل المطبوخ يقعد قد إيه في التلاجة؟
من ٣ لـ ٤ أيام في علبة محكمة. الأرز واللحوم على الحد الأدنى، والشوربات ممكن توصل ٤ أيام.

### ينفع أرجّع أجمّد حاجة ساحت؟
لأ، إلا لو طبختيها بعد ما ساحت. كل دورة تجميد وتسييح بتضر القوام وبتزوّد فرصة نمو البكتيريا.

### إزاي أعرف اللحمة المجمّدة لسه كويسة؟
لو فيها بقع بيضا جافة (حرق الفريزر) فهي آمنة بس طعمها هيبقى وحش. الخطر بيبان من الريحة والملمس بعد التسييح مش قبله.

### أسيّح اللحمة إزاي بسرعة وبأمان؟
في كيس محكم تحت ماية باردة مع تغيير الماية كل نص ساعة. كيلو لحمة بيسيح في حوالي ساعة. ما تستخدميش ماية سخنة أبدًا.

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Source: https://hanakoleah.com/en/article/food-storage-guide
Edited by: Marwa Mohamed
Last updated: 2026-09-12