How long does meal prep last
We’ve all been preparing food that goes in the back of the fridge for far too long.
Have you ever opened one containers for preparing meals it hung in the back of the fridge for who knows how long and said to itself: “I’m sure it’s still good.” 😆
Or maybe you’re more of the “better safe than sorry” type and throw everything away after a day or two.
Whichever side of caution you fall on, if you break open a container and the food is slimy, smelly, or moldy, it’s bound to end up in the trash. So if you want to save time and money Meal Prep Mealsthe thought of throwing away spoiled food can be a major obstacle to start with.
food safety is important – nobody wants food poisoning!
But there is a way to… to food preparation that gives you the convenience of a quick balanced meal with the certainty that your food will stand still safe to eat.
Below is a guide on how to make it Meal prep that takes a week or more.
How long do meal preps last in the fridge?
According to the USDA Most foods will keep in the fridge for about four days. Some foods may have a longer shelf life depending on the ingredients and storage container. Food stored in the freezer typically lasts three to six months.
Meal Prep: Is Meal Prep Safe? Five days?
Short answer: it depends.
You should be fairly confident that your meal prep will take up to four days, but after that food safety can be questionable.
Here are some factors that affect how long you can safely store food in the refrigerator:
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- Citric acid. Sauces that contain citric acid (think oranges, lemons, and limes) will last longer because the citric acid acts as a preservative.
- Temperature. Check your refrigerator’s thermostat — foods will last longer if they’re stored closer to 30 degrees Fahrenheit rather than 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Ingredients. Some foods attract bacteria faster than others (rice and quinoa last about a day longer than cooked pasta dishes), so the use of food with a longer durability can help your meal prep last longer throughout the week.
- storage container. a quality airtight container protects your food and ensures that it lasts longer and tastes fresher.
- refrigerator capacity. Filling your fridge to the max increases the overall temperature. So avoid overstocking your fridge to ensure food stays cool enough to avoid spoilage.
Most people will tell you that to cover 7 days, you need to create a meal plan for 2 separate cooking days worth days of meals. We often recommend that too. We usually cook meals for half a week on Saturday and the other half on Wednesday. And that’s a great way to manage your meal prep.
But if you just want to experience the magic of cooking one day a week, read on – we’ve got an FMC meal prep hack for you! (And no… it doesn’t include the Mystery Meal from the back of the fridge. 😜)
Can you tell how long the meals are?
When it comes to food safety, your first rule of thumb should be If in doubt throw away. If you’re wondering whether or not something is safe to eat, the best thing to do is avoid the risk of food poisoning.
For more detailed guidance on food spoilage, the FDA offers helpful tips to protect you. Here are a few to keep in mind as you prepare your meals.
How it smells
Our nose can be the best guide to spotting spoiled food. If your food smells bad, or if it smells “like,” it’s most likely growing bacteria that’s making you sick. The food should smell the same as when it was first cooked.
how it looks
Color changes are a sign that your food may spoil. Produce (think lettuce and avocados) turns brown and meat gets gray spots when it goes bad. However, not all spoiled food changes color. Foods full of preservatives retain their color even after spoilage. So watch out for color changes as an indication of spoiled food, but don’t assume that just because a meal retains its color is automatically safe to eat.
how it feels
If it smells normal and looks fine but feels slimy, it’s still on its way to the door and should be thrown out. Major changes in texture are a sign the food has gone bad.
Mold
This is the easiest to spot. If your meal develops mold, it’s time to throw it out. Consuming mold can cause allergic reactions and breathing problems. Even if you’ve spent a lot of money preparing a meal, eating it if it has developed mold isn’t worth the risk of serious illness.
A quick save cheat sheet food preparation
Always check for mold or changes in smell, color, or texture to determine if a food is safe to eat. But here’s a quick guide to the shelf life of your favorite foods, so you can tell if it’s you to eat healthy food is no longer healthy.
Green salads
Fridge: 3-4 days
Freezer: no
FMC Tip: Store the salad dressing separately until ready to eat
Overnight Oats
Fridge: 4-5 days
Freezer: 3-4 months
FMC Tip: Add chia seeds and dried fruit before storing, but add nuts, seeds, fresh fruit, granola, and coconut flakes just before eating
rice and grain bowls
Fridge: 3-4 days
Freezer: 4-5 months
FMC Tip: Cook rice in batches and freeze individual portions so you always have a quick cereal on hand
sheet pan meals
Fridge: 3-4 days
Freezer: no
FMC Tip: If possible, reheat food in the oven or air fryer for a crispier texture
pasta dishes
Fridge: 3-4 days
Freezer: 4-5 months
FMC tip: easy Undercook your pasta before freezing to avoid mushy pasta
Soup, chilli and stews
Fridge: 4-5 days
Freezer: 5-6 months
FMC Tip: When freezing, place freezer bags on a sheet pan so they lay flat for easy stacking
Bakery products
Fridge: 7 days
Freezer: 5-6 months
FMC Tip: Wrap each item individually in plastic wrap, then store in a freezer bag
Foods to avoid when preparing meals
When you want longer lasting meal prep ideasavoid these foods and you will get a longer shelf life for your meals.
- Creams: Sour cream, mayonnaise, yogurt, creamy soups and creamy sauces
- Crispy or Fried: Foods with a crunchy texture tend to become soft and mushy in storage
- Salads: Lettuce and other salad ingredients should not be frozen and usually only last a few days
Some of these ingredients can lead to faster spoilage, and some just don’t taste as good after being stored in the fridge or freezer. While these foods can be great short-term meal prep, choose different foods for the meal plan you eat at the end of each week.
Use the correct storage container
Not all storage containers are created equal. A quality container will help keep your food fresher for longer.
Container selection tips:
- When storing your food, make sure your containers are airtight.
- Use for freezer storage freezer safe Container.
- Consider how your food will be reheated and whether you need one microwave safe Container.
Storage tips:
- When storing liquids, always leave extra space in the container – Liquids expand when they freeze.
- Completely cool meals before putting them in the fridge or freezer.
- Keep the freezer door closed for several hours to ensure that the new food freezes completely.
How much for a week of meal prep and being sure no meals go bad?
Are you ready for an FMC hack that will get you cooking 7 types of meals in one day?
We use a combination of refrigerated and frozen dishes to ensure our meal prep lasts.
This is what it looks like:
Step 1: Cook several meals that freeze well and place individual portions in the freezer for long-term storage. You only need to do this step once a month if you cook enough meals at once.
Step 2: Cook your meal prep for the first 4 days of your week and store in the fridge.
Step 3: On the fourth day of the week, place your days 5-7 frozen meals in the fridge to thaw.
BAMM! You have a full week of meal prep in one cooking day.
Harness the power of the freezer to extend the life of your meal prep. Test different meal prep recipes to see which ones work best for freezer storage. An easy way to stock up your freezer over time is to double a recipe and use half of it fresh and store the other half in the freezer for later use. This helps add variety to your menu as you don’t have to eat a double portion at once and can pull a mix of foods out of your freezer later.
summary
How far ahead can you Store your meals? It depends. The type of food and where it is stored will affect how long food will keep. Create a meal plan of about four days of safe storage in the refrigerator and about four months of safe storage in the freezer. Look for changes (smell, color, texture, and mold) in your meal preparation as a sign that it’s gone bad. If you are unsure whether food has gone bad, throw it away when in doubt. A combination of refrigerator and freezer Meal prep is the safest way to cook meals in one go for a week.
For meal prep ideas to get you started, check out our meal prep recipes here.