Great care must be taken while storing non-vegetarian items in the refrigerator as storing them improperly may cause them to go stale, which can lead to numerous health issues when consumed. As such, certain safety and storage tips for refrigerating non-vegetarian food must be followed in the case of meat, eggs, and fish in the refrigerator.

Storing eggs in the refrigerator
Eggs are mostly stored in the refrigerator door, but this should not be done. An effective safety and storage tips for refrigerating eggs is to store them inside the fridge in an egg carton, which is easily available in the market. These are the most suitable for refrigerating eggs as the carton protects them from absorbing the flavors of other food items, which might make the egg tasteless.

Storing meat and poultry in the refrigerator
Meat and poultry should be stored safely so that bacteria don’t grow and flourish, which might lead to food poisoning. They should be stored in sealed containers at the bottom of the fridge. Another safety and storage tip for refrigerating meat and foods containing meat is to not mix up raw and cooked meat.

Freezing and defrosting meat and fish

• You can safely freeze meat and fish before the date of using
• Meat and fish should be thoroughly defrosted before cooking so that the liquid goes out
• If required, you can also defrost it overnight so that it doesn’t get too warm
• Meat has to be properly wrapped in the freezer to prevent freezer burn, which makes it unhealthy for consumption otherwise
• You can freeze it for longer, but always check whether it is fit for consumption before eating it
• After taking meat out of the fridge, marinate it with proper herbs and essence to enhance the flavor

Refreezing meat and fish

• Refreezing defrosted meat is extremely unhealthy and harmful to your health.
• Always refreeze cooked meat to ensure longer shelf life

The usage of reusable bags
Another useful safety and storage tip for refrigerating food is to use reusable bags. When you are using single-use plastic carrier bags, it’s the best option for storing meat, but raw and cooked meat should go in different bags.

Important guidelines for storing meat and fish

• Uncooked meat can be stored in the fridge for 3 to 5 days
• Raw poultry can only be kept for 1 to 2 days
• Some types of fish and shellfish can only be refrigerated for 1 to 2 days
• Raw meat and poultry should be stored at the bottom so that juices don’t fall on the other foods
• Place meat and fish in containers while thawing.
• Avoid opening the fridge over and over, especially during summers, as it raises the temperature of the fridge.
• The thawing process shouldn’t be compromised, and there should be no rapid thawing. If your meat is in the deep freezer, remove and place it in the body of your fridge.