Stop Wasting Food: Why This Staple Lasts Only 24 Hours in the Fridge

In the world of cooking, there are two types of people: the improvisers and the planners. The former find themselves pondering daily over what to make for dinner, rummaging through leftovers and pantry bottoms to fill their plates. The latter, dedicated “meal preppers,” think ahead. They plan their weekly menu early, often choosing recipes that share common ingredients to streamline cooking processes, carefully calculate how much of each item is needed, stick strictly to their shopping list, and spend a Sunday afternoon cooking meals for the entire week. This is practicality at its finest!

While this meticulous organization saves significant time in the kitchen and reduces mental stress, it also demands a good understanding of food preservation basics to avoid health risks. Some foods, once cooked, only last a few days in the fridge. This is true for meats and fish, which are best eaten within 48 hours of cooking. To extend their shelf life, freezing is necessary. Steamed or roasted vegetables, on the other hand, can last about 4 to 5 days in an airtight container. What about cereals and legumes, which are so convenient to cook in bulk for easy bowl and salad assembly? Generally, they can be kept for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator. However, there is an exception: rice!

According to the NHS (National Health Service in Britain), cooked rice should only be stored in the fridge for 24 hours. This staple is particularly susceptible to Bacillus cereus, a heat-resistant bacterium that produces emetic or diarrheal toxins. The risk of contamination significantly increases if the rice is left at room temperature and not refrigerated within an hour of cooking.

Experts also advise against reheating rice more than once to avoid multiple cooling and reheating cycles that can encourage bacterial growth. In summary, batch cooking pasta, lentils, or quinoa is fine, but perhaps think twice about preparing large quantities of fried rice…