Ready-to-eat meals make busy weeks easier, but how long can you safely keep them in the fridge?

For homemade meals and leftovers, Canadian food-safety guidance generally recommends eating refrigerated leftovers within a few days. Packaged prepared meals can have different storage times, so always check the expiry date and storage instructions on the container.

For EatFYB customers, meal storage is designed to be straightforward. Your meals arrive fully cooked and ready to heat, with storage and expiry information available directly on the container so you can easily plan your meals for the week.

How Long Can Prepared Meals Stay in the Fridge?

There isn’t one storage time that applies to every prepared meal.

For homemade leftovers, Health Canada recommends refrigerating food promptly and using it as soon as possible, generally within a few days.

Commercially prepared ready-to-eat meals may have different storage times because their ingredients, preparation, packaging and storage requirements can vary. In those cases, follow the expiry date and instructions provided by the meal company.

EatFYB meals are prepared fresh for the weekly meal service. When properly refrigerated, they can be stored for up to six days or until the expiry date printed on the container lid. This makes it easier to organize several lunches or dinners at the beginning of the week without having to cook every day.

What Affects How Long a Meal Lasts?

A few factors can affect how safely a prepared meal is kept in the fridge, including temperature, how quickly it was refrigerated and how it was handled.

With EatFYB, much of this information is already provided with your meals. Checking the container lid when you put your weekly meals away can help you decide which meals to enjoy first and which ones you may want to freeze for later.

Refrigerator Temperature

Cold food needs to stay cold. Keep your refrigerator at 4°C (40°F) or below and avoid overcrowding it so cold air can circulate properly.

EatFYB specifically recommends keeping its meals refrigerated between 2°C and 4°C. Once your delivery arrives or you collect your meals from a pickup location, place them in the refrigerator as soon as possible.

How Quickly Food Is Refrigerated

Perishable food should generally be refrigerated or frozen within two hours.

Leaving a meal at room temperature for too long can allow harmful bacteria to grow, even if the food still looks and smells normal.

For EatFYB home-delivery customers, meals arrive in insulated FYB cooler bags with ice packs to help maintain the proper temperature during delivery. Once the meals are in your hands, refrigerating them promptly helps maintain their freshness throughout the week.

Packaging and Handling

Keep prepared meals covered and use clean containers and utensils. If you're storing homemade food, shallow containers can help larger portions cool more quickly.

Packaged meals should remain properly sealed until you're ready to use them, unless the package instructions say otherwise.

EatFYB meals are delivered in sealed, microwave-safe containers. Each meal also includes information on the lid, so keeping the original packaging makes it easy to check the expiry date, ingredients and heating directions when you're ready to eat.

Can You Tell If a Prepared Meal Has Gone Bad?

Mould, an unusual appearance or an unpleasant smell can indicate spoilage, but appearance and smell alone cannot tell you whether food is safe.

Some harmful microorganisms may be present without creating an obvious change in taste, smell or appearance, so never taste questionable food simply to test whether it is safe.

Instead, consider:

• How long the meal has been refrigerated

• Whether it stayed properly chilled

• Whether it was refrigerated promptly

• Whether the package has been opened

• The expiry or use-by information on the container

For EatFYB meals, the simplest reference is the expiry date printed on the lid. If a meal hasn't been stored according to the recommended temperature or you're unsure how long it has been unrefrigerated, don't rely on appearance alone.

How to Reheat Ready-to-Eat Meals Safely

Always start by following the heating instructions provided with the meal.

For leftovers, Health Canada recommends reheating food to an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F).

When reheating food in a microwave:

• Use microwave-safe packaging or dishes

• Stir or rotate the food when appropriate

• Make sure the centre is thoroughly heated

• Reheat only the amount you plan to eat

Because microwaves can heat unevenly, a hot container does not necessarily mean the entire meal has reached the proper temperature.

EatFYB meals are already fully cooked, so there is no meal preparation required. The company recommends microwaving meals for approximately 2–3 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F). Heating instructions are also printed on each meal container.

That means your meal can go from the fridge to ready-to-eat in just a few minutes—particularly useful for work lunches, post-workout meals or busy evenings.

When Should You Freeze a Prepared Meal?

If you know you won't eat a meal before its recommended storage or expiry date, freezing can help extend its useful life.

Freeze the meal while it is still fresh and properly refrigerated. Freezing cannot make food safe again if it has already been stored incorrectly or left at room temperature too long.

This can be particularly useful for EatFYB customers ordering several meals for the week. If your plans change or you know you won't get to every meal before its expiry date, you can move meals you won't use into the freezer instead of letting them go to waste.

EatFYB's current meal storage guidance states that meals can be frozen for up to 30 days. For the best results, freeze them before their printed expiry date and follow the meal's heating instructions when you're ready to enjoy them.

Planning Your Week With EatFYB Meals

One advantage of a weekly meal plan is being able to decide in advance which meals you'll eat during the week and which ones should go into the freezer.

EatFYB offers 8 rotating menus featuring more than 148 meals across the full rotation, so customers aren't limited to eating the same meals every week. A new menu becomes available each Friday, giving weekly subscribers the opportunity to choose meals for their upcoming order.

Once your meals arrive, a simple routine can make storage easy:

• Put all meals in the refrigerator promptly

• Check the expiry dates on the lids

• Keep the meals you plan to eat first toward the front of the fridge

• Freeze any meals you don't expect to eat before their expiry date

• Follow the instructions on the container when reheating

You can also view meal descriptions, ingredients, macronutrients and allergen information on the EatFYB website when selecting your weekly meals.

How Long Do EatFYB Meals Last in the Fridge?

EatFYB meals can be refrigerated for up to six days or until the expiry date printed on the container lid, provided they have been stored properly.

Keep your meals refrigerated between 2°C and 4°C and place them in the fridge promptly after home delivery or pickup.

If you don't expect to eat a particular meal before its expiry date, freeze it while it is still within the recommended storage period. EatFYB currently recommends freezing meals for up to 30 days when longer storage is needed.

Because each week's menu can include different proteins, ingredients and dishes, keeping the meals in their original containers also means you'll always have their specific expiry and heating information available.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do ready-to-eat meals last in the fridge?

It depends on the meal. Homemade leftovers should generally be eaten within a few days, while commercially prepared meals may have their own expiry dates and storage instructions.

EatFYB meals can be refrigerated for up to six days or until the expiry date shown on the container, when stored at the recommended temperature.

Is five-day-old cooked food safe to eat?

Five days can be beyond the recommended storage period for many homemade leftovers, so consider how the food was prepared and stored.

For commercially prepared food such as EatFYB meals, follow the expiry date and storage instructions provided on the individual meal rather than applying a general leftover guideline.

Can EatFYB meals be frozen?

Yes. If you aren't going to eat an EatFYB meal before its expiry date, it can be frozen to extend its shelf life. EatFYB's current guidance recommends freezing meals for up to 30 days.

What temperature should I keep EatFYB meals at?

EatFYB recommends keeping meals refrigerated between 2°C and 4°C. Refrigerate your meals promptly after delivery or pickup and keep them cold until you're ready to reheat them.

Where can I find storage and heating information for my EatFYB meal?

Check the meal container lid for its expiry date and heating information. You can also find meal details, including ingredients and nutritional information, on the EatFYB website.

Fresh Meals That Fit Your Week

Proper storage doesn't have to make meal prep complicated.

EatFYB's weekly meals arrive fully cooked, portioned and ready to heat, so once they're in your fridge, most of the planning is already done. Check the dates on your containers, decide which meals you'll enjoy during the week and freeze anything you want to save for later.

With rotating weekly menus and ready-to-eat meals already waiting in the fridge, you can spend less time planning, shopping and cooking and more time getting on with your week.