How to label and date meal prep
Write what it is and the date it was cooked. Tape and a marker are enough. What to write, where, and how to use food in order.
Photo by Tamara Malaniy on Unsplash
Labels take ten seconds and prevent the two most common problems: forgetting what a container holds and forgetting how old it is.
What should you write?
- The name of the dish.
- The date it was cooked.
- For freezer food, how to reheat it, if that is not obvious.
- The number of portions, if a bag holds more than one.
What should you write on?
Masking tape and a permanent marker work on any container and peel off cleanly. Freezer tape sticks better at low temperatures. On freezer bags you can write directly on the plastic. Write on bags before filling them, because a full bag is hard to write on. Freezer bags or containers covers which to use.
Do fridge meals need labels?
Less urgently, but they help. Write the day you cooked, then count three to four days from it. In a shared fridge, add your name. A label on the lid is easier to read than one on the side.
Should you write the cooked date or a use-by date?
Either works, as long as you are consistent. The cooked date is simpler and always true. If other people use the food, a use-by date is clearer for them. For the fridge, that is three to four days after cooking. See how long meal prep lasts.
How do you use food in order?
Put new containers behind older ones, so the oldest is at the front. Shops call this first in, first out. In the freezer, stand flat bags upright in a row with the labels at the top, like files.
How do you keep track of the freezer?
Keep a list on the freezer door: dish, date and number of portions. Cross them off as you use them. It stops meals being forgotten at the back and tells you what you have without opening the door.
How long is frozen food good for?
Most cooked meals are at their best within two to three months. Dating every bag is the only way to know. The reasons quality drops are in how to prevent freezer burn.
Are reusable labels worth it?
Dry-erase labels and washable markers save tape if you prep every week. Check they survive the dishwasher or come off when you want them to. Tape is cheaper and always works.
What if you cannot tell how old something is?
Throw it away. A label costs far less than the food, and much less than being ill.
Does labelling help with allergies?
Yes. If you cook for someone with an allergy, mark containers that contain nuts, dairy or other allergens clearly, and keep them on a separate shelf.
Where to go next
Labelling is one of the habits in seven freezer mistakes and nine mistakes beginners make.
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