Storing Fresh Meat Properly

Keep halal meat, poultry, and seafood safe and flavourful with these fridge and freezer essentials.

Good storage starts the moment you leave the store. How you handle meat at home directly affects its taste, texture, and safety for your family. A few simple habits protect your investment and avoid waste.

Getting it home safely

If you have more than a 20-minute drive, bring a cooler bag or ask for extra bags with ice. Meat that warms up in the car and is then re-chilled starts losing quality fast. Unpack as soon as you get home and refrigerate immediately.

Fridge storage

• Keep meat on the bottom shelf in a sealed container or on a plate to catch any drips and prevent cross-contamination with ready-to-eat foods.
• Set your fridge to 4°C (40°F) or below. Anything warmer speeds up bacterial growth significantly.
• Never leave raw meat on the counter for more than 2 hours (1 hour if your kitchen is warm).

How long does fresh meat keep?

Freezing the right way

• Wrap each portion tightly in freezer paper, heavy-duty foil, or a zip-lock freezer bag — squeeze out as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn.
• Label and date every package. First in, first out: rotate stock so nothing gets forgotten at the back.
• Freeze meat in meal-sized portions so you only thaw what you need — refreezing thawed raw meat degrades quality and is best avoided.