Below you\u2019ll find a guide for making meal prep that lasts a week or more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
HOW LONG DO MEAL PREPS LAST IN THE FRIDGE<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
According to the USDA, most food lasts safely in the fridge for about four days.<\/strong> Some foods can last longer depending on the ingredients and storage container. Foods stored in the freezer generally last three to six months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Short answer: it depends. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You should feel fairly confident that your meal prep will last up to four days, but after that food safety can be questionable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are a few factors that impact how long you can safely store food in the fridge:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most people will tell you to make a meal plan for two separate cooking days to cover 7 days worth of meals. We often recommend this as well. We usually cook half a week\u2019s worth of meals on Saturday and the other half on Wednesday. And that\u2019s a great way to manage your meal prep. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But if you\u2019re wanting to experience the magic of cooking only one day a week, keep reading \u2013 we\u2019ve got an FMC meal prep hack for you! (And no\u2026 it doesn\u2019t include eating the mystery meal from the back of the fridge. )<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n When it comes to food safety, your first rule of thumb should be when in doubt, throw it out.<\/em><\/strong> If you\u2019re questioning whether or not something is safe to eat, it\u2019s best to avoid the risk of food poisoning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For a more detailed guide on food spoilage, the FDA offers helpful tips to keep you safe. Here are a few to keep in mind for your meal prep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our nose can be the best guide for detecting spoiled food. If your food smells bad or if it smells \u201coff\u201d it\u2019s most likely growing bacteria that will make you sick. The food should smell the same as when you first cooked it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Color changes are a sign that your food may be spoiling. Produce (think lettuce and avocados) becomes brown and meat gets patches of gray as they go bad. Not all spoiled food changes color, though. Foods full of preservatives hold their color well, even after they\u2019ve spoiled. So look for color changes as a hint for spotting spoiled food, but don\u2019t assume a meal is automatically safe to eat just because it\u2019s held its color.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If it smells normal and looks good but feels slimy, it\u2019s still on its way out the door and should be tossed. Any major changes in texture are a sign that the food has gone bad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This one is the easiest to spot. If your meal is developing mold, it\u2019s time to throw it out. Eating mold can cause allergic reactions and respiratory problems. Even if you spent a lot of money making a meal, if it has developed mold it\u2019s not worth the risk of serious illness to eat it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Always check for mold or smell, color, or texture changes to help you determine if a food is safe to eat. But here is a quick guide on the shelf life of your favorite meal preps to help you determine if your\u00a0healthy meal\u00a0is no longer healthy.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fridge: 3-4 days<\/p>\n\n\n\n Freezer: no<\/p>\n\n\n\n FMC Tip: keep salad dressing separate until ready to eat<\/p>\n\n\n Fridge: 4-5 days<\/p>\n\n\n\n Freezer: 3-4 months<\/p>\n\n\n\n FMC Tip: add chia seeds and dried fruit before storage but add nuts, seeds, fresh fruit, granola, and coconut flakes just before eating<\/p>\n\n\n Fridge: 3-4 days<\/p>\n\n\n\n Freezer: 4-5 months<\/p>\n\n\n\n FMC Tip: batch cook rice and freeze individual portions so you always have a quick grain on hand<\/p>\n\n\n Fridge: 3-4 days<\/p>\n\n\n\n Freezer: no<\/p>\n\n\n\n FMC Tip: when possible, reheat food using the oven or air fryer to get a crispier texture<\/p>\n\n\n Fridge: 3-4 days<\/p>\n\n\n\n Freezer: 4-5 months<\/p>\n\n\n\n FMC Tip:\u00a0slightly<\/em>\u00a0undercook your pasta before freezing to avoid mushy pasta<\/p>\n\n\n Fridge: 4-5 days<\/p>\n\n\n\n Freezer: 5-6 months<\/p>\n\n\n\n FMC Tip: lay freezer bags on a sheet pan when freezing so they flatten out for easy stacking<\/p>\n\n\n Fridge: 7 days<\/p>\n\n\n\n Freezer: 5-6 months<\/p>\n\n\n\n FMC Tip: wrap each item individually in plastic wrap and then store in a freezer bag<\/p>\n\n\n If you want longer-lasting meal prep ideas, avoid these foods and you\u2019ll get a longer shelf life out of your meals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Some of these ingredients can lead to faster spoilage and some just don\u2019t taste as good after hanging out in the fridge or freezer. While these foods can make great short-term meal prep, choose different foods for the meal plan you eat at the end of each week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not all storage containers are created equally. A high-quality container will help your food stay fresh for longer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Tips for selecting a container:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tips for storage:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Are you ready for an FMC hack that will get you 7 types of meals with one day of cooking?<\/p>\n\n\n\n We use a combination of fridge and freezer meals to help our meal prep last.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s what that looks like: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Step 1: Batch cook several meals that freeze well and pop individual portions into the freezer for long-term storage. You only need to complete this step once a month if you batch cook enough meals. Step 2: Cook your meal prep for the first 4 days of your week and store it in the fridge. Step 3: On the fourth day of the week, move your freezer meals for days 5-7 to the fridge so they can thaw. BAM! You\u2019ve got a full week of meal prep in 1 day of cooking. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Use the power of the freezer to extend the life of your meal prep. Test different meal prep recipes to see which holds up best for freezer storage. An easy way to stock your freezer over time is to double a recipe and use half of it fresh and store half in the freezer for later use. This helps add variety to your menu since you don\u2019t need to eat the double batch all at once and can pull out a mix of foods from your freezer later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How far ahead can you store your meals? It depends. The type of food and location of storage impact how long food will last. Make a meal plan of about four days of safe storage in the fridge and about four months of safe storage in the freezer. Watch for changes (smell, color, texture, and mold) to your meal prep food as a sign that it\u2019s gone bad. If you\u2019re unsure if food has spoiled: when in doubt, throw it out. A combination of fridge and freezer meal prep is the safest way to prep an entire week of cooking meals at one time.<\/p>\n\n\n\nMEAL PREP: IS IT SAFE TO MEAL PREP FOR FIVE DAYS?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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CAN YOU TELL HOW LONG DO MEALS LAST<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How It Smells<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How It Looks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How It Feels<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Mold<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
A QUICK CHEAT SHEET FOR STORING MEAL PREP<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Green Salads<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"how](\"https:\/\/fitmencook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/how-far-in-advance-can-you-meal-prep-482x420.jpg)
Overnight Oats<\/h3>\n\n\n\n![\"how](\"https:\/\/fitmencook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/how-long-can-meal-prep-last-590x380.jpg)
Rice and Grain Bowls<\/h3>\n\n\n\n![\"meal](\"https:\/\/fitmencook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/meal-prep-how-long-does-food-last-565x420.jpg)
Sheet Pan\u00a0Meals<\/h3>\n\n\n\n![\"how](\"https:\/\/fitmencook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/how-long-do-meal-preps-last-in-the-fridge-590x393.jpg)
Pasta Dishes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n![\"how](\"https:\/\/fitmencook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/how-long-meal-prep-last-in-fridge-590x393.jpg)
Soup, Chili, and Stews<\/h3>\n\n\n\n![\"meal](\"https:\/\/fitmencook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/meal-prep-that-lasts-a-week-590x380.jpg)
Baked Goods<\/h3>\n\n\n\n![\"how](\"https:\/\/fitmencook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/how-long-do-factor-meals-last-in-fridge-590x380.jpg)
Foods to Avoid for Meal Prep<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n
Use the Right Storage Container<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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HOW MUCH TO MEAL PREP FOR A WEEK AND BE SURE NO MEALS GO BAD?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/p>\n\n\n\nSUMMARY<\/h2>\n\n\n\n