A fridge full of meal prep is only a good thing if it stays safe to eat. The rules are simple, and once you have a routine they take no thought at all. This guide follows the advice of the Food Standards Agency, the UK's food safety regulator.
The fridge
Keep your fridge at 5°C or below. Many fridges run warmer than their dial suggests, so a cheap fridge thermometer is worth having.
The Food Standards Agency's advice for home-cooked leftovers is to eat them within 48 hours, or freeze them if you will not get to them in time. That is the rule we suggest you plan your week around.
The plan that makes a week of food work
With 8 to 12 portions in the fridge, the easiest approach is:
- Eat the delicate dishes first. Fish, anything fried and anything in a broth are best early.
- Freeze the rest on the day of the visit. Portion-sized containers go straight into the freezer.
- Move tomorrow's portion to the fridge tonight. It defrosts overnight and is ready to reheat.
That way the last meal of the week tastes as good as the first, and nothing is sitting in the fridge longer than it should.
Rice needs extra care
Cooked rice can carry spores of a bacterium called Bacillus cereus, which survive cooking and can produce toxins if rice is left warm. The Food Standards Agency advises:
- Cool rice quickly, ideally within an hour
- Keep it in the fridge for no more than one day before reheating
- Reheat it only once, until steaming hot all the way through
If your meal prep includes rice, freeze the portions you will not eat the next day. For bowls like gyudon, freeze the beef and the rice separately if you can.
Which dishes freeze well
Here is how each dish on our menu handles the freezer:
| Dish | Freezer | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese curry | Excellent | The best freezer dish we make |
| Gyudon | Very good | Freeze the rice separately |
| Chicken teriyaki | Very good | The glaze thickens, which is normal |
| Veggie mapo tofu | Good | The tofu turns firmer, which some prefer |
| Chicken katsu and tonkatsu | Acceptable | Fried food is always better fresh |
| Miso glazed salmon | Eat early | Eat this one first |
| Agedashi tofu | Not recommended | Eat early instead |
Defrosting
Defrost in the fridge overnight, not on the counter. If you are short of time, use the microwave's defrost setting and reheat straight away.
Reheating
Whatever the dish, reheat it until it is steaming hot all the way through, and only reheat it once. Beyond that, the method depends on the dish:
- Curry, gyudon, teriyaki and mapo tofu are happy in a covered pan with a splash of water, or in the microwave.
- Tonkatsu and chicken katsu go in a hot dry pan or an air fryer. A microwave steams the panko and leaves it soft. Our guide to reheating katsu has the details.
- Miso glazed salmon can be reheated gently and briefly, or eaten cold. It is genuinely good straight from the fridge.
- Agedashi tofu needs a gentle heat in a pan. A hard boil will break up the tofu.
Containers
Good containers make all of this easier. Look for ones that are:
- Airtight, so food does not dry out or pick up fridge smells
- Freezer safe, and microwave safe if you reheat that way
- Portion sized, so you only defrost what you will eat
For an in-home visit you provide four to six containers. On our delivered option, the containers come from us.
FAQ
How long does meal prep last in the fridge?
The Food Standards Agency advises eating home-cooked leftovers within 48 hours or freezing them. Cooked rice should be kept in the fridge for no more than one day before reheating.
Can I freeze meal prep?
Yes, and it is the best way to make a week of meal prep work. Freeze portions on the day they are cooked and defrost them in the fridge overnight.
Can I reheat meal prep more than once?
No. Reheat each portion once, until steaming hot all the way through. Only take out what you are going to eat.
What is the best Japanese dish for the freezer?
Japanese curry. It freezes and reheats better than anything else on our menu.