How to store your meal
How To Store Your Meal
Important: If meals are delivered hot, it is preferable that they be consumed upon delivery. If this is not possible it is important to treat the meals with care to ensure your own health. Guidelines below should thus be followed:
- Meals can not be left in eskies if you are not home.
- Storing food correctly is very important for food safety, enjoyment and nutrition.
- Bugs are normally present in all foods and if they grow to large numbers they can make you feel sick. This is called food poisoning. Perishable foods should not be left out of the refrigerator longer than necessary. The cold temperature slows the grown of food poisoning bugs. The dangerous part is that you often cannot taste or smell that the food is spoiled. The longer food is left out, the more likely it is to be spoiled.
- Your Meals on Wheels meal may be delivered Hot, Chilled or Frozen.
- Chilled Meals must be stored in the refrigerator until you are ready to reheat the meal. Follow the reheating instruction given to you by the Meals on Wheels Service. If you do not eat all the meal you must throw away the remainder. The meal must be consumed before the 'Use By Date'.
- Hot Meals must be eaten immediately. If this does not happen for some reason, you must throw away the remainder.
- Frozen Meals should be stored in the freezer until you are ready to eat them. Reheat according to the directions so that they are heated all the way through.
- Never refreeze a frozen meal once it has been thawed out.
- If you are not going to be home when the Meals on Wheels volunteer delivers your meal, it is your responsibility to advise the Coordinator the previous day, so alternative arrangements can be made.
