Storing food in the freezer
For better food quality when freezing, try these tips.
- Identify it. Label and date food before freezing so you can tell what’s what.
- Separate servings. Freeze leftovers in single serve portions for a quick weeknight meal.
- Trim excess fat from meat before freezing to reduce the risk of spoilage.
- Puree fruit and vegetables with high water content before freezing. Juicy fruits and vegetables, such as tomatoes, strawberries or apples, are often better pureed before freezing. Freeze in portions to use in smoothies, jams or pie fillings.
- Cooked rice and pasta can be frozen. Always freeze them separately to the sauce, so that they last longer.
- Get creative! For example, yoghurt can be put into icy-pole moulds for easy treats.
Storing food in the fridge
Is your fridge keeping food as fresh as it could be?
- Keep things cool. Your fridge should be 3 to 4 degrees Celsius. Setting it colder than necessary (for example, 1°C or 2°C) uses more electricity without providing any more food preservation benefits. You can use a small thermometer to check it’s at the right temperature. If it isn’t, it may need a professional service.
- Avoid overcrowding. Air needs to circulate to keep things cool.
- Spread it out. Put leftovers in the fridge in shallow containers so they cool down quickly to help extend their shelf life.
- Store raw foods and cooked foods separately. Raw meat should be sealed and kept on the bottom shelf to avoid any leakage or dripping.
- Do a quick fridge check. Check seals to make sure doors are closing properly.
Storing food in the pantry
Try these tips to keep food fresh and tasty for longer in the pantry.
- First in, first out. Stack newer items at the back and bring items that are near use by date to the front.
- Declutter. Clear your pantry so you can see everything easily.
- Airtight storage. Keep opened packets of food in sealable containers. Stackable jars or containers are a great way to keep food fresh and your pantry tidy. Pegs, elastic bands, or bag clips can also help prevent spillage and keep foods fresher.
- Organise your fruit bowl. Overripe fruit produces extra ethylene, a gas that will quickly ripen other fruit and vegetables nearby.
Food safety advice
Follow food safety rules to make sure you stay healthy and reduce food waste.
For more information on keeping your food safe, visit the Better Health Channel or Food Standards Australia.
A to Z fresh produce storage guide
Avocado
Store in the fruit bowl until ripe, then move to fridge shelf. Once cut, store tightly in a wrap (preferably reusable) with the stone left in. Press the wrap against cut surface to seal.
Shelf life: Up to 1 week
Tip: Place in a paper bag with a ripe banana to speed up ripening. Or mash with a bit of lemon juice and freeze in portion sized bag/container to use on the go.
Bananas
Store in the fruit bowl, away from any other fruit you don’t want to ripen.
Shelf life: Up to 1 week
Tip: Peel, cut and freeze over-ripe bananas to use in baking or smoothies, or blitz for banana ice-cream.
Berries
Store in the fridge crisper drawer. Leave in original packaging.
Shelf life: 2 to 4 days
Tip: Only wash berries right before eating. You can also freeze them for a snack, a smoothie or to add to cooking later. Spread on tray to freeze so they don’t stick together, then transfer to a container.
Biscuits
Store on a pantry shelf in an airtight container.
Shelf life: Refer to 'Best before' date label
Tip: Sweet biscuits have low moisture content so can be frozen.
Bread
Store on a pantry shelf or bread box out of direct sunlight.
Shelf life: 2 to 5 days
Tip: Freeze extra bread slices for toast or turn into breadcrumbs, croutons or bread and butter pudding. Do not consume if mould is present.
Broccoli
Store in the fridge crisper drawer. Rinse in water and shake off excess. Wrap a tea towel around damp head and seal in a plastic, paper or cloth bag.
Shelf life: Up to 4 weeks
Tip: You can freshen up broccoli by placing stems in a glass of water in your fridge. Broccoli is also great for freezing. Chop into smaller pieces before freezing and seal airtight.
Cauliflower
Store in the fridge crisper, in a bag or wrapped in its own leaves.
Shelf life: 1–2 weeks
Tip: The leaves delay the head from turning brown.
Carrots
Store in fridge crisper in original packaging or loosely tied bag. Or cut into sticks and store covered in water (change the water regularly).
Shelf life: Whole carrots should last 2 to 3 weeks
Tip: If your carrot goes limp, you can revive it by placing it in water until crisp.
Celery
Store in the fridge crisper drawer. Trim off leaves and wrap in foil or place in an airtight container.
Shelf life: 4 weeks
Tip: Celery leaves can be used in place of parsley.
Cereal
Store on a pantry shelf in an airtight container.
Shelf life: Refer to ‘Best before’ date.
Citrus
Store in the fridge crisper drawer in a loosely tied plastic, cloth or paper bag.
Shelf life: 2 to 3 weeks
Corn
Store fresh corn in the fridge. You can also cut corn cobs and place in a sealed bag or container in the freezer.
Shelf life: 5 to 7 days in the fridge
Eggs
Leave in carton to protect shells and store on a shelf in the fridge.
Shelf life: See ‘Use by’ date.
Tip: If an egg is off, it will float in water.
Fish
For fresh fish, store in the fridge on the bottom shelf, sealed well to prevent leakage.
Shelf life: 3 days
Tip: Wash and gut fish if storing for more than 24 hours. For leftover canned fish, take out of can and place in well-sealed container. Once opened, check the can for how many days it can be safely stored before being eaten.
Flour
Store on a pantry shelf in an airtight container.
Shelf life: Refer to best before date.
Garlic
Store in a dark, cool and dry place when unpeeled. Store in the fridge when peeled or chopped.
Shelf life: Up to 1 year
Green veg (hard like asparagus, beans, brussels sprouts)
Store in the fridge crisper drawer in a loosely tied plastic, paper or cloth bag.
Shelf life: Up to 1 week
Herbs (soft herbs with long stems like coriander and parsley)
Store on the fridge shelf in a glass with some water. Cover with a plastic bag to keep fresh for even longer. Change water every 2 to 3 days.
Shelf life: 3 to 4 days
Tip: Basil is best stored out of the fridge in bowl of water on the bench.
Herbs (hard herbs with short stems like sage, rosemary and thyme)
Store in the fridge crisper in a sealed container lined with a damp tea towel.
Shelf life: 3 to 4 days
Tip: Chop extra herbs and freeze in water or oil in an ice tray. This will give you the perfect portion to add to recipes when cooking.
Leafy greens
Store in the fridge crisper drawer. Wrap in a damp tea towel in an airtight container or zip lock bag.
Shelf life: 1 to 2 weeks
Tip: Revive wilted greens by soaking in cold water.
Lettuce
Store on the fridge shelf in a lettuce crisper container.
Shelf life: 4 weeks
Tip: No container? Wrap whole lettuce in damp tea towel and place in an airtight container.
Meat
Store at the bottom of the fridge shelf to avoid leaking onto other items. Seal in an airtight container to prevent leakage.
Shelf life: 3 to 5 days
Tip: Keep track of the 'Use by' date. To make it more visible, write the use-by date larger on the packaging with a marker; it’ll help you see clearly what needs to be eaten by when.
Mushrooms
Best stored in the fridge in a paper bag.
Shelf life: 4 to 10 days
Nuts
Store in an airtight container in the pantry for one month, or in the fridge for six months.
Shelf life: 1 month
Tip: Nuts can be frozen to prevent them from going off.
Onions
Store in a cool, dark place, away from potatoes (which can sprout near onions).
Shelf life: Up to 1 month
Tip: Store chives, spring onions and leeks in your fridge crisper.
Pasta
Store uncooked pasta on a pantry shelf in an airtight container. For cooked pasta, cool immediately and store in the fridge in an airtight container.
Shelf life: For uncooked pasta, refer to ‘Best before’ date. For refrigerated cooked pasta, aim to consume with 1–3 days.
Tip: Store cooked pasta separate from pasta sauce; it’ll keep fresher for longer.
Pineapple
Store in the fruit bowl when whole or in the fridge when chopped.
Shelf life: 1 week
Tip: Freeze extra pineapple to add to smoothies.
Potatoes
Store in a cool, dark place, away from onions and ideally in a cloth bag.
Shelf life: Up to 1 month
Tip: Sprouted potatoes are fine to eat if the potatoes are still firm. Just remove any sprouts.
Pumpkin
Store in a cool place in the pantry when whole. When chopped, store in the fridge crisper drawer wrapped in cling or beeswax wrap.
Shelf life: 2 to 3 weeks
Rice
When uncooked, store on a pantry shelf in an airtight container. Cooked rice should be served and eaten immediately. Leftover cooked rice should be quickly cooled and immediately stored in a date-labelled, airtight container in your fridge or freezer. Always reheat rice until steaming (above 75ºC).
Shelf life: For refrigerated cooked rice, consume within 1 day. For cooked frozen rice, aim to consume within a month. For uncooked rice, refer to ‘Best before’ label on the package.
Spinach
Store spinach dry in original packaging in the fridge. If purchased loose, wash and wrap in a tea towel before refrigerating.
Shelf life: 5 to 7 days
Tip: You can freeze spinach by washing and steaming. Squeeze out excess water, portion and place in airtight container.
Stone fruit
To ripen, store in the fruit bowl on the bench. Store in the fridge crisper once ripe.
Shelf life: 2–3 weeks
Tip: Stone fruits are perfect for slicing and stewing to make a pie, have with muesli or to freeze for later.
Sweet potatoes
Store in a cool, dark place, away from onions.
Shelf life: Up to 1 month
Tomatoes
Store in the fruit bowl.
Shelf life: Up to 2 weeks
Tip: Tomatoes lose their flavour in the fridge.
Zucchini
Store in the fridge crisper drawer, in a tea towel to prevent ‘sweating’.
Shelf life: 1 week
Page last updated: 24/09/26