General principles - when things 'have to be eaten by' thread!

[TelephoneTree]

I am always stumped and I need to learn once and for all how long things can be kept for once they've been opened / defrosted / reheated / meat/fish etc etc

I'm always asking 'if i thawed this overnight last night but can't cook it / heat it up tonight after all, when do i have to eat it by...

:)

there is no one size fits all I think - go by your senses for meat/fish etc.

however I probably wouldn't eat something more than 24 hours after defrosting - unless I'd defrosted it in the fridge in which case it would probably take about 20 hours to defrost.

I would happily re-heat something up to about 3 days later if it'd been in the fridge. Cold meats - ie roast chicken left overs I'd probably keep in the fridge for about 4 days at the latest - any longer and it just looks a little bit sad.

I do re-heat rice despite general advice not too (can't remember why?)

does that help?

I'm the last one to ask!!! There is advise out there but in their world you would throw out everything. I use my eyes and nose rule.

I have opened jars in the fridge for months even though they state use within 7 days etc. I use them. Defrost then cook within 1 - 2 days depending on if fish or meat (fish has a short shelf life), If its vac packed then the shelf life is very good.

Made up foods can last for 5 days in fridge, I eat all foods past their use by date, dates are only indicators and items packed in factories have long shelf lives. I wouldnt dream of throwing anything out without checking it first. Ive found yougurts last weeks after sell by dates.

Its fine to reheat foods as long as they are heated correctly and have done it twice.

People used to manage so well in days before stamps and rules and they lived without fridges too! Common sence prevails.