Are you storing your deli meat wrong? Experts share tips to keep it fresh longer

Ever had your deli meats go bad faster than expected? A little dry around the edges or speckled with mold after just a few days? You might not be storing them properly—something that can lead to rapid deterioration.

Finding the best way to store your groceries can help reduce household food waste, which is a serious issue in the U.S. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), between 30 and 40 percent of the country’s food supply is wasted each year. At the household level, this loss often goes unnoticed, with the USDA estimating that the average family loses around $1,500 annually to uneaten food.

What temperature should your refrigerator be kept at?

Though the thermostat on your fridge may display a specific temperature, it’s usually an average. For food safety, the USDA recommends keeping your refrigerator at 41°F or below. However, cooling mechanisms often create uneven temperatures—colder near the back and warmer near the door—so it’s a good idea to use a fridge thermometer to monitor different zones and ensure your food stays safely chilled.

What is the best temperature to store deli meat?

The team at Simply Recipes spoke with industry insiders at Applegate, a company that produces a wide variety of deli meats, to get their recommendations on how best to store these sandwich essentials.

Colin Babin from Applegate explained that your refrigerator—or at least the section where deli meat is stored—should be kept between 35°F and 38°F, and never exceed 40°F. “If your fridge doesn’t have a built-in thermometer, a small fridge thermometer can be an inexpensive way to ensure your food stays safely chilled,” Babin advised. At these temperatures, you’ll help preserve both quality and flavor, making it easier to cut down on food waste.

What fruits and vegetables should be refrigerated?

As far as your fruits and vegetables are concerned, not all need to be stored at cool temperatures. For instance, bananas, sweet potatoes, potatoes, and dry onions should be stored in a cool, dry place.

If you find that your fruits and vegetables often go bad, you will want to spend a little time learning about ethylene gas and which pieces of produce, produce it.

“Location of fruits and vegetables is important because fruits, in general, produce ethylene gas, which fosters natural ripening, but it also can cause most vegetables and a few non-ethylene producing fruits to deteriorate more quickly and develop undesirable characteristics,” explains the USDA.

However, among this list, the produce that requires cooler temperatures includes berries, pears, plums, apples, and tangerines. On the other hand, avocados and watermelon can be stored closer to the door, as they don’t need to be kept quite as cold.

When storing ethylene-sensitive produce, it’s best to keep greens, corn, and freshly chopped vegetables toward the back of the fridge, where it’s colder. Meanwhile, cucumbers and peppers are better placed near the front, as they don’t require quite as much chill.

What are some tips to reduce food loss?

Avoiding food waste is a simple way to save money while also helping the environment. If you already recycle, consider adding a compost bin to further reduce what ends up in the trash. You can toss all your food scraps into the bin—depending on where you live, your local sanitation crew or a private company might collect it for a small fee. Alternatively, you can maintain your own compost bin and use the nutrient-rich material in your garden.

For households looking to take control of their food waste, the USDA recommends planning ahead. Instead of heading to the grocery store without a meal plan, sketch out your meals for the week so you can buy only what you need. If detailed meal planning isn’t feasible, focus on picking up versatile ingredients that can be used in multiple recipes, rather than niche items that are more likely to go unused.

If leftovers tend to pile up more than spoiled food, consider freezing meals directly—this can make them more appealing later in the month.

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