The inspector has gone home. The bacteria haven’t.
Divide big batches into shallow portions. Cool and refrigerate perishable leftovers within two hours; rice ideally within one hour. Don’t leave the whole pot out overnight.
Write the food name and cooked/opened date and time. Plan to eat general leftovers within 48 hours or freeze promptly; cooked rice within 24 hours.
Use a thermometer: 0–5°C for the fridge. Homemade garlic-in-oil needs 4°C or below and a maximum of four days, or freeze it.
Keep raw meat and fish covered in leakproof containers on the bottom shelf, below ready-to-eat food.
Clean equipment after raw-food preparation and sanitise or disinfect appropriately. Include taps, handles and any touched surfaces.
Replace or appropriately launder used cloths. Don’t carry raw-meat contamination to other surfaces. Wash hands with soap and water.
Store away from food, in labelled original containers. Follow food-contact suitability, dilution, contact time and rinsing instructions. Never mix cleaning products.
Use or freeze food in time. Reheat leftovers only once until steaming hot throughout. If storage history is uncertain, a sniff or taste is not a safety check.
Eight cut-out labels. Write the date. Spare yourself the guessing.
Print on plain paper at 100% / actual size, cut out and attach securely to the outside of a container. Not sized for pre-cut adhesive label stock.
Food:
Cooked/opened date & time:
Use or freeze by date & time:
Frozen date / notes:
Food:
Cooked/opened date & time:
Use or freeze by date & time:
Frozen date / notes:
Food:
Cooked/opened date & time:
Use or freeze by date & time:
Frozen date / notes:
Food:
Cooked/opened date & time:
Use or freeze by date & time:
Frozen date / notes:
Food:
Cooked/opened date & time:
Use or freeze by date & time:
Frozen date / notes:
Food:
Cooked/opened date & time:
Use or freeze by date & time:
Frozen date / notes:
Food:
Cooked/opened date & time:
Use or freeze by date & time:
Frozen date / notes:
Food:
Cooked/opened date & time:
Use or freeze by date & time:
Frozen date / notes:
Choose the date from the food’s own guidance. General cooked leftovers: 48 hours. Cooked rice: 24 hours. Homemade garlic-in-oil: no more than four days at 4°C or below. These limits assume proper preparation, prompt cooling and safe storage; they do not extend a product use-by date.
A fridge reference for actual food, not wishful thinking.
The numbered dial is a setting, not a temperature reading. Keep air circulating; don’t pack shelves tightly.
Covered cooked food, leftovers and ready-to-eat foods. Follow product storage instructions.
Raw meat and fish in covered, leakproof containers. Keep juices away from everything ready to eat.
Split large batches into shallow portions. Cool and refrigerate within two hours. Eat within 48 hours or freeze promptly.
Cool quickly, ideally within one hour. Refrigerate and use within 24 hours. Don’t leave it cooling in the pan.
Keep at 4°C / 40°F or below for no more than four days, or freeze. Commercial products: follow the label.
Reheat only once, until steaming hot throughout. Stir to eliminate cold spots. Reheating cannot fix unsafe storage.