These are things in your fridge that you should probably throw out

The refrigerator is such a useful invention; it helps keep your food fresh longer and reduces food waste. But we are prone to saving foods way longer than we should. Just because of the convenience of the fridge. There might be some food items in your fridge right now that should actually be thrown out. Find out more below.

Deli meats

If you like sandwiches, you probably have a good collection of deli or cured meats in your fridge. And you probably buy them in bulk, just so you always have plenty of meats in your fridge whenever you need them. But did you know that your favorite meats might not be safe to eat anymore? According to EatingWell, your deli meats can only be saved for five days tops. Cured meats have a longer shelf life and can stay in your fridge for about two or three weeks. If you’re not sure when you purchased your deli and cured meats, then it might be better to be safe and throw them out. And next time: label your meats so you know how long they’ve been hanging out in your fridge.

Cheese

Some cheeses, like Brie or goat cheese don’t stay fresh forever. And even though Brie is not something you usually eat in one sitting, you can’t save it for weeks. To make sure your soft cheeses are still safe to eat, you can save them for one or two weeks. So, check the cheese drawer in your fridge and determine whether some of them should be thrown out.

Pickled foods

We love to keep a jar of pickles or kimchi in our fridge. Just because we use them a lot and it feels like you can save them forever. But that last statement is, unfortunately, incorrect. Even fermented foods can go bad and that means that you always have to check if your pickles, miso and kimchi are still save to eat. If you see a white film on the top of your pickles or kimchi, you should throw it out. For miso, it is important to pay attention to smell.

Condiments

Are you a condiment hoarder like we are? It is so easy to save ketchup packets whenever you order take out food and when you buy new sauces (or brands) to try, the upside is that they stay fresh for a long time. But even your favorite condiments have an expiry date. According to the USDA, ketchup and chili sauce can be saved for about six months. Mustard has a shelf live of about a year. Chutney can be saved for one to two months and olives only stay fresh for two weeks. Mayonnaise and salad dressings should be thrown out after two months.

Broth or stock

When you prepare chicken, it is pretty common to then make a delicious broth or stock with the bones. But did you know that you can’t save that broth forever? Usually, when you make broth or stock, you have to eat it within four days. If you won’t be able to eat all of it within those four days, freeze it. That way you can still enjoy delicious chicken broth without wasting anything.

Homemade sauces

When we talked about condiments earlier, we were talking about the condiments that you buy (or receive) at the store or restaurant. But if you like to make your own sauces, then you’re facing a different issue: homemade sauces don’t contain any preservatives. And that means that they will spoil faster. Your homemade sauces should therefor be eaten within two weeks. If not, you’re risking bacteria getting into your food.

Double-dipped foods

If you like to take small bites (or sips) from the food in your fridge, you are possibly spoiling your food. Your mouth and noses carry a lot of germs. More than the packages or cartons would if you didn’t eat or drink straight from them. And that means that when you take a small bite straight from the source or drink straight from the carton, you’re transferring bacteria to that packaging, causing it to spoil faster. If you have cartons of milk or containers of food that you have eaten out of multiple times, they should be thrown out within four days.