How to Store and Reheat Meal Prep Safely

A weekly meal plan works better when storage is part of the plan. Before deciding what to eat on each day, check which meals need using first and which can be frozen. There is no single fridge-life rule that fits every prepared meal.

Start with the instructions on each meal

For a packaged meal, follow its storage instructions and use-by date. The Food Standards Agency advises keeping your fridge between 0°C and 5°C and using a fridge thermometer to check it. Source: FSA chilling guidance.

When organising your meals, put the earliest dates where you will see them first. A quick note on your phone can help: meal name, use-by date and the day you intend to eat it. Do not assume that ordering seven meals means all seven can stay refrigerated for a week.

Separate packaged meals from homemade leftovers

The FSA advises cooling home-cooked food and putting it in the fridge within one to two hours, then eating leftovers within 48 hours or freezing them. These general leftover guidelines are not a substitute for the instructions on a commercially prepared meal. Source: FSA chilling guidance.

This distinction matters if your fridge contains both purchased meals and food you cooked yourself. Label your homemade portions with the date you cooked them rather than treating every container as though it has the same deadline. Some foods, including cooked rice, need specific handling advice; this article does not replace that guidance.

Decide what to freeze before plans change

Check that the packaging says the food is suitable for freezing, and follow its instructions. The FSA recommends a freezer temperature of around −18°C. Defrost food in the fridge and use it within 24 hours of it becoming fully defrosted. Source: FSA freezing and defrosting guidance.

For example, if you know you will eat out twice this week, identify the meals those evenings would otherwise have covered. Check their labels now rather than discovering them at the back of the fridge later. Keep the original instructions with any meal you freeze.

Reheat the whole meal properly

Follow the heating instructions, including any stirring and standing time. The FSA advises that reheated food should be steaming hot throughout and that leftovers should only be reheated once. Microwaves can heat unevenly, so a hot edge does not mean the centre is ready. Source: FSA cooking and reheating guidance.

A practical habit is to read the instructions before starting the microwave, rather than relying on the time you used for a different meal. Different portions and appliances may need different settings.

Make storage part of choosing your plan

Count the lunches and dinners you genuinely need, then check your fridge and freezer space. Our guide to choosing how many meal-prep meals to order can help you work through your week. You can also browse the menu before deciding.

If a Munch Now meal’s storage or heating instructions are unclear, contact the team before guessing. This guide does not assign a shelf life or freezing suitability to any particular Munch Now product.