WEST CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
Storing & Heating Frozen Meals
... to clients with every meal delivered
Storing Frozen Meals
-
Wash hands frequently with soap and water when handling food.
-
Keep as much of the food in the freezer as you can to prevent spoilage.
-
Meals can be taken out of the freezer and refrigerated to thaw up to 3 days.
-
Never refreeze a frozen meal once it has been thawed.
-
It is recommended to eat the meals within 30 days of receiving them. Remember to rotate meals. Discard food after the expiration date.
-
Refrigerators and freezers should be kept clean and in good repair. All refrigerators should be kept at 41 degrees Fahrenheit or below. All freezers should be kept at 0 degrees Fahrenheit or below.
Heating Frozen or Thawed Meals
-
Do Not Use a Toaster Oven to Reheat Meals.
-
Reheat according to the directions so that food is heated all the way through.
-
Once meals have been heated, any leftovers should be thrown away.
-
Meals can be heated in a conventional oven or in a microwave oven.
Heating Frozen Meals
Microwave Oven Instructions
-
Poke holes in the film covering each section of your meal, or loosen the film from each corner of the container.
-
Heat the meal on high for 4 - 7 minutes. If the microwave does not have a turntable, turn the meal halfway through heating.
-
Very slowly and carefully remove the film. Caution - the steam will be hot!
-
Let stand for 2 minutes. Stir before eating.
Conventional Oven Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
-
Leave film seal over meal. Place meal on a cookie sheet in the middle of the oven.
-
Heat for 35 - 40 minutes or until hot.
-
To prevent burns, let your food stand for 2 - 3 minutes after heating before you eat.
Heating Thawed Meals from the Refrigerator
Microwave Oven Instructions
-
Poke holes in the film covering each section of your meal, or loosen the film from each corner of the container.
-
Heat the meal on high for 2 - 3 minutes or until the food reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
-
Very slowly and carefully remove the film. Caution - the steam will be hot!
-
Let stand for 2 minutes. Stir before eating.
Conventional Oven Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
-
Leave film seal over meal. Place meal on a cookie sheet in the middle of the oven.
-
Heat for 15 - 20 minutes or until hot.
-
To prevent burns, let your food stand for 2 - 3 minutes after heating before you eat.