Follow the storage order from the door
Put frozen food away first, then chilled food, fruit and vegetables, and finally dry goods.
Perishable food should reach the fridge or freezer within two hours at room temperature, or within one hour on a very hot day; keep raw products separate from ready-to-eat foods.
Pack the market bag before you leave
Use an insulated bag to slow warming during the journey home.
Separate raw food from ready-to-eat food
Place raw meat, poultry, and fish in a sealed bag or leak-proof box, separate from cheese, cooked food, pastries, and fruit for immediate eating. Raw juices can contaminate food that will not be cooked.
Add cold packs for longer trips
Add frozen cold packs around chilled purchases for journeys of 30 to 60 minutes, especially on hot days. For longer trips, use one bag for raw meat or fish and another for dairy, cooked food, and frozen products.
A thermal bag slows heat entering the food. It does not make warm food cold again, so place chilled purchases inside it as soon as you buy them.
Market bag to safe storage
1. Buy cold food last
Meat, fish, dairy, frozen food
→
2. Insulated bag
Separate raw products
→
3. Freezer and fridge
−18°C and 4°C or below
→
4. Sort the rest
Dry, unwashed produce
Check the fridge and store cold food
Keep the fridge at 4°C or below and the freezer at −18°C.
Set the temperatures that matter
Use a fridge thermometer rather than relying on the appliance dial, and leave space around food so cold air can circulate. Check the temperature after the door has stayed closed for several hours.
Use the lowest shelf for raw food
Store raw meat, poultry, fish, and seafood in closed containers on the lowest shelf to prevent leaks from reaching cooked food, dairy, salad, or fruit. Keep ready-to-eat foods on upper shelves.
Match each purchase to its best place
Match food to its correct storage place and always follow the pack label where it is stricter.
Keep produce dry until you need it
Keep berries and leafy greens dry in the fridge and wash them just before eating. Store tomatoes, bananas, whole avocados, and unripe stone fruit out of the fridge until ripe; keep potatoes, onions, and garlic cool, dark, dry, and separate.
Read the date before deciding
A use-by date is a safety limit, so do not eat highly perishable food after it. A best-before date concerns quality, so intact dry food may still be suitable if it has no pests, damage, or mould.
| Food | Where and temperature | Typical time | Reject if |
|---|
| Raw meat and poultry | Bottom shelf, sealed, 4°C or below | 1 to 2 days | Use-by date has passed, pack leaks, or texture is sticky |
| Fresh fish and seafood | Bottom shelf, sealed, 4°C or below | Use the same day or the next day | Strong unusual smell, dull flesh, or leakage |
| Milk, yoghurt, cheese | Middle shelf, 4°C or below | Follow the label | Pack is swollen, leaking, or mould appears where it should not |
| Cooked food and leftovers | Covered, upper shelf, 4°C or below | Up to 3 days | Left out too long or smell, colour, or texture changes |
| Frozen food | Freezer, −18°C | Follow the label | Fully thawed, leaking, or badly damaged pack |
| Leafy greens and berries | Fridge drawer, dry | 2 to 5 days | Mould, slime, or collapsed leaves |
| Tomatoes and bananas | Cool counter, away from sun | Until ripe | Mould, liquid leaks, or extensive soft rot |
Eggs and dry goods also need a clear storage routine. Keep eggs in their original carton, away from strong-smelling foods and temperature swings; if you refrigerate them, use an inside shelf rather than the door, where temperatures change each time it opens. For rice, pasta, flour, pulses, cereals, nuts and unopened tins, choose a cool, dry cupboard away from sunlight and moisture.
Transfer opened products to clean, airtight containers and check regularly for pests, damp clumps, broken seals, rust, swelling or mould. These food storage guidelines reduce waste while protecting food safety after market shopping.
Prevent the mistakes that spoil food
Prevent waste by keeping produce dry and freezing food before its deadline.
Avoid washing everything at once
Wash fruit and vegetables just before eating or preparing them. Washing everything after the market traps moisture, making leafy vegetables limp and berries mould sooner.
Freeze before the deadline
Freeze meat, fish, or bread if you will not eat it before its use-by date, and label each portion with its name and freezing date. Do not refreeze fully thawed food unless you cook it first.
Thaw food safely in the refrigerator, on a tray or in a leak-proof container on the lowest shelf, so drips cannot cause cross-contamination. Small portions may also be thawed in a microwave only when they will be cooked immediately afterwards. Do not thaw meat, fish or ready-to-eat food on the kitchen counter, because the outside can warm into the danger zone while the centre remains frozen.
Maintaining the cold chain during thawing matters as much as keeping the correct freezer temperature. If food has thawed but remained refrigerator-cold, cook it promptly; if it has been warm for too long, discard it rather than tasting it.
Stop and discard food when this applies
Discard food when storage conditions, packaging, or appearance indicate that it may no longer be safe.
Recognise the limits of storage advice
Do not try to save food by cooking it if it has been left at room temperature too long, because some toxins produced by germs may remain. Seek medical advice promptly for severe symptoms or vulnerable people.
Treat damaged packs as a warning
Discard food with swollen packaging, leaks, mould, or unusual changes in smell, colour, or texture. At home, keep food cold, clean spills, separate raw food, and follow the date label.
Your questions answered
These answers apply to normal household storage in Spain.
Can I leave market food in the car?
No. Store chilled or frozen food at home within two hours, or within one hour in very hot weather.
What is the safest fridge temperature?
Keep the fridge at 4°C or below and check it with a thermometer.
Where should raw chicken go in the fridge?
Put it in a closed, leak-proof container on the lowest shelf.
Can I wash vegetables before putting them away?
Usually no; keep them dry and wash them just before use.
What is the difference between use-by and best-before dates?
Use-by is a safety limit; best-before concerns quality.
Can I refreeze food after it has thawed?
Do not refreeze fully thawed food unless you cook it first.
How long can fresh fish stay in the fridge?
Use it on the day of purchase or the next day, sealed at 4°C or below.
Keep one routine for every market day
Buy cold food last, carry it in an insulated bag, freeze or refrigerate it first, and sort the rest afterwards.
⚠️ If the fridge cannot stay at 4°C or below, avoid buying more chilled food until the appliance is working correctly.
For households in Spain, AESAN consumer guidance is a useful reference alongside the label on each product. Its core food safety principles match this routine: maintain a refrigerator temperature of 4°C or below, keep the freezer at −18°C, avoid breaks in the cold chain, and prevent cross-contamination from raw food during transport and storage. Check manufacturer instructions first, particularly for chilled food, prepared dishes and products with a use-by date, because the pack may specify a shorter time or a different storage condition.
If an appliance fails or there is a long power cut, keep the doors closed and assess chilled and frozen foods before using them.
Learn more
Here are some additional resources on this subject:
