The general rule in Canada: 3 to 4 days in the fridge for a cooked dish. What decides whether you land at the high or the low end of that range is what happened in the two hours after cooking.

The danger zone

Bacteria multiply fast between 4 °C and 60 °C. That's what's called the danger zone. A cooked dish left on the counter sits in that zone for hours, even if it looks fine.

The two-hour rule: food shouldn't spend more than two hours total in that zone. Above 32 °C, at a July picnic for example, that drops to one hour.

The times, food by food

These times assume a fridge that's genuinely at 4 °C or below. Most people have never checked. A fridge thermometer costs less than $15 and settles the question.

Cooling fast: the part everyone skips

• Spread the food out in a thin layer instead of leaving it in one big block in a pot
• Split large quantities into smaller containers
• Leave the lid ajar at first so the steam can escape
• Put it in the fridge as soon as it's lukewarm, not once it's at room temperature

No, putting a still-warm dish in the fridge doesn't break it. A modern fridge handles that without any trouble. The real risk is warming up the food next to it, which small portions avoid.

Reheating properly

Aim for an internal temperature of at least 74 °C. In the microwave, stir halfway through: microwaves heat unevenly and leave cold spots where bacteria survive.

Don't reheat the same meal twice. Take out the portion you're going to eat, leave the rest cold.

How to tell if it's still good

Smell and appearance help, but they aren't reliable: several dangerous bacteria change neither the taste nor the smell. That's why the date counts for more than your nose.

Throw it out without hesitating if:

• The date is past 4 days for a meat dish
• The container is swollen or the liquid is cloudy
• There's any mould at all, even in a single corner
• The meal sat out of the fridge overnight

Fresh or frozen: what changes

A frozen meal keeps for months, but the texture changes. The water in the food forms crystals that break the fibres: the rice turns pasty, the chicken loses its juice, the vegetables go soft. The flavour holds up better than the texture.

A fresh meal keeps its texture, but it comes with a window of a few days. That's the choice we made at BigMig: nothing is ever frozen, everything is cooked fresh every week and delivered refrigerated.

For the official times and any updates, check the Government of Canada's food safety recommendations.

Read next: the weekly meal prep guide.