broccoli in a zip bagfresh cut sweet peppers in an 8 oz deli cup

Tips and Tricks for Storing Food and Ingredients

Properly storing food and keeping ingredients organized is a must for any food service establishment to ensure that kitchens remain functional and organized. Safe practices also help protect customers from contaminated food or illness. Properly storing food depends on having the right products available to ensure that food is stored properly and safely. Use CiboWares' selection of quality products to store food and ingredients with ease, and promote a safe and efficient kitchen!

Storing Baked Goods

Baked goods can be left in their original packaging if they are not being frozen. If goods are being frozen to prevent wastage, they should be stored in our selection of food storage bags to keep them fresh and preserved.

Storing Fruit and Vegetables

Fruit and vegetables that are stored in the refrigerator can remain unwashed if they are free from dirt or other substances, and should be stored in bags to ensure freshness. Use food storage bags and zip bags to store oranges, apples, peppers, and other fruit and vegetable products with ease.

Fruit and vegetable products stored in pantries should be kept in cool temperatures to prevent rotting. Some products such as bananas, tomatoes and avocados should be placed on the countertop to ripen. Use our selection of paper grocery bags to speed up the ripening process so produce is ripened and ready for use.

Extend the life of fruit and vegetables with vegetable crispers. Designed to extend the life of fresh cut tomatoes, celery, lettuce cabbage, apples, and more, they are easy to use and perfect for any kitchen.

Ingredients

Use translucent and white poly food containers and clear and white round storage containers to hold flour, sugar, mixes, cereals, grains, pasta, and a variety of other ingredients with ease. Ideal for storing ingredients in pantries, each style has lids available to keep ingredients fresh. They also have graduations on the side to keep track of ingredient levels.

Flour and sugar should immediately be transferred to containers, and grain products only need to be transferred after their original packaging has been opened.

Flour and grain products can be stored in ingredient bins to prevent mold and keep contaminants out. Featuring clear lids for easy content identification, they have wheels to allow for easy transport.

Raw Meat and Fish

Use poly full size pans to hold large amounts of hamburger patties to keep them fresh and free from contamination before cooking. Our selection of wax papers can be used to separate pre-prepared patties so they are ready for placement on the grill.

Dough

Reduce the frequency of dough making and prevent dough crusting with pizza dough boxes. Designed to increase the storage life of dough, they have covers available to seal in freshness to ensure quality dough products.

Cooked Food Items

Shallower pans are ideal for holding a variety of cooked food items. Use deep full size poly pans to hold cooked pasta and baked cookies with ease. Dishwasher safe, they are easy to clean and guaranteed to keep cooked food items tasting fresh and delicious.

Organization is Key

Use our selection of labels to keep expiry dates straight and to promote organization in your kitchen. Available in a variety of designs, “Use First” styles are a simple and easy way to prevent food waste, and many styles come in specific day designs. Working in a multilingual kitchen? Trilingual labels are available with English, French, and Spanish print to accommodate a variety of workers.

Plastic label guns are perfect for keeping track of large numbers of food items and are the quick and easy way to print expiry date labels.

Key Tips

Always ensure that cooked food products do not come in contact with raw food items such as raw meat and fish, and are not stored next to them. Raw food items should have their own sectioned off areas in freezers and fridges to prevent cross contamination. Meat should also be stored on the lowest shelf of fridges to prevent possible spills from contaminating other food items.

Labelling shelves in pantries or fridges is another great idea to remember where food items should be placed, and to prevent cross contamination or confusion. Always ensure you are aware of the “lifespan” of food products once they are left out on countertops, frozen, or placed in the fridge. For example, apples can stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to three weeks, while avocados are only good for three days. Keeping track of expiry dates or the freshness of products can be the difference between serving customers fresh and delicious cuisine, or rotten food.

Food storage is an essential part of running a food service establishment, and CiboWares has a wide variety of options available to store everything from raw dough and meat, to cooked meals!

 



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