Why Is It Important to Store Meals as Instructed?

Many people are unaware of how to store frozen foods. Proper storage ensures that foods remain nutritional and safe to eat. According to FoodSafety.gov, “[F]rozen foods stored continuously at 0°F (-18°C) or below can be kept indefinitely.” Fresh-to-frozen home-delivered meals are ideal for individuals who want to eat healthy meals at their convenience. LifeSpring Home Nutrition provides people in the local community with essential home-delivery services. Meals are frozen to retain nutrients and reduce food waste. Delivery drivers and other staff members at LifeSpring Home Nutrition provide information and nutritional education to ensure people understand why it is crucial to store meals as instructed.

Frozen Foods and Meal Safety

Foods that are frozen make easy and practical meals. However, people must follow instructions for storing and reheating food to ensure meals remain safe to eat. Individuals must remember how their storage situation may impact the longevity of their frozen foods. For example, if a power outage compromises their freezer, their food may not last as long. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Refrigerated or frozen foods may not be safe to eat after the loss of power.” People should educate themselves on how to safely store food in case of emergencies or other unexpected situations.

LifeSpring Home Nutrition provides easy-to-follow instructions with every meal to ensure people know how to store and reheat their meals safely. Delivery drivers can also provide information and resources to customers for managing food storage.

Fresh-to-frozen dishes often provide additional nutritional content compared to highly processed foods with the same ingredients. Frozen meals remain nutrient-rich regardless of when they are reheated, making them an excellent choice for individuals with unpredictable schedules.

Why Is It Important to Store Meals as Instructed?

Proper storage of frozen meals ensures each dish provides maximum nutrients and lowers the risk of foodborne illness. People who store frozen meals properly can reheat them whenever they want to enjoy the meal without worrying about food safety. Each meal includes easy-to-follow instructions printed directly on the packaging to ensure people know how to reheat each meal properly.

If people do not store food as instructed, they risk experiencing foodborne illness or food waste. For instance, the temperature at which food is stored affects how many nutrients remain after reheating. Keeping meals at higher temperatures than recommended or repeatedly thawing and refreezing meals can cause them to become less nutritious and go bad more quickly.

Storing Food Incorrectly Is a Health and Safety Hazard

Keeping food safe to consume is the primary reason people should be careful about storing frozen meals. Storing food incorrectly may cause a health and safety issue. For example, meals meant to be stored frozen may go bad quickly if left in the fridge or out at room temperature. Meals should be placed in a freezer set at the recommended temperature as quickly as possible after delivery to reduce the risk of foodborne illness or food waste. Food will also taste better when people follow the storage instructions.

How to Store Meals as Instructed

Storing meals as instructed involves reading the step-by-step guidance provided by LifeSpring Home Nutrition. Every dish has instructions printed on the packaging to ensure people know how each dish should be stored and prepared. People can also contact LifeSpring Home Nutrition or speak with their delivery driver if they have questions about food storage. Every refrigerator and freezer has different settings. People should check to ensure the temperature setting on their freezer matches the instructions for their meals. Otherwise, people should ensure the temperature follows the recommended safe storage guidelines provided by FoodSafety.gov or other reputable sources.

Why LifeSpring Home Nutrition Offers Fresh-To-Frozen Meals

LifeSpring Home Nutrition creates meals fresh with the highest-quality ingredients. After making the meals, the prep team flash freezes them to retain nutrients. Frozen meals taste better, look more attractive, and can be stored much longer than meals delivered fresh. In addition, frozen meals give people the freedom to choose when and what they eat.

How Does LifeSpring Home Nutrition Encourage People to Store Meals as Instructed?

LifeSpring Home Nutrition understands that not everyone has access to the same information, education, and resources. The delivery drivers and customer support team provide instructions on how to store and reheat meals properly.

Some people do not have a freezer or microwave. LifeSpring Home Nutrition can help connect people with community resources to ensure they can access microwaves, freezers, and other essential tools for storing and preparing food.

Frozen meals can be reheated in the oven if a microwave is unavailable. If a person does not have a working freezer, they can be stored in the fridge for a few days. However, individuals are encouraged to store meals in a freezer whenever possible to remain good for longer.

Frozen meals are convenient and make it easy for people to create healthy diets and meal routines. Home-delivered meals offer people flexibility and a balanced diet. However, if the meals are not stored properly, people may not get the most nutrition from each dish. For health and safety reasons, people should follow storage and reheating instructions. Ignoring the instructions could lead to sickness or food waste. Every meal LifeSpring Home Nutrition provides has instructions printed on the packaging to ensure people know how to store and reheat their meals properly. To learn more about handling home-delivered meals safely or to get information on how to take advantage of our services, call us today at (800) 798-5767.