Food storage containers, labels and rotation: a simple system for your emergency cupboard

Print this checklist Prints the checklist without the menus.

Keep tins and dry food in their sealed packs, follow the storage instructions on each label, and rotate first in, first out: new food goes to the back, the oldest gets eaten first. The Food Standards Agency says freeze food in airtight containers and label it with contents and date. GOV.UK Be Ready suggests checking dates every six months.

Do this now

1. Pick one shelf or one box for emergency food. One place is easier to check.
2. Pull everything out and sort it by date.
3. Write the date large on the front of each tin or pack with a marker.
4. Put the oldest at the front and the newest at the back.
5. Add a tin opener to the shelf if any tins lack a ring pull.
6. Set a phone reminder for six months' time.

What to store

GOV.UK Be Ready asks for 3 days of food that keeps without a fridge and needs no cooking, such as tinned meat, fish or vegetables, dried fruit and nuts. It says buy food you'd usually eat. The British Red Cross asks for three days of long-life or ready-to-eat food and a tin opener.

Food you already eat is the key to rotation. If you'd never eat it on a normal Tuesday, it will sit at the back and go out of date. For a full list, see our emergency food list and 7-day no-cook food box.

Which containers to use

Tins and sealed packs. For most emergency food, the container it came in is the right one. The FSA says the label tells you how to store the food until you eat it. If you don't store it properly, it could become unsafe before the use-by date, or lose quality before the best before date.

Opened tins. The FSA says don't store food in an opened tin can. Move it to a covered storage container and put it in the fridge.

The freezer. The FSA says put food in an airtight container, or wrap it well in freezer bags or freezer wrap, to stop freezer burn. Split food into smaller portions so it cools faster and you only defrost what you need.

Leftovers. The FSA says cool leftovers quickly and eat them within 48 hours, or freeze them.

Bulk dry food for the long term. If you're thinking of buckets or Mylar bags for rice and beans, read long-term food storage: Mylar and buckets first. For a 3-day kit, you don't need them.

We didn't find Food Standards Agency advice for households on decanting cupboard food into other containers, so we don't give a rule here. If you do decant, copy the date and storage instructions from the pack onto the new container.

What to write on labels

The FSA says label anything you freeze with what it is and the date you froze it. It warns against "Unidentified Frozen Objects".

For the cupboard, the date printed on a tin is often small. A large date written on the front makes rotation quick.

The two dates mean different things. The FSA says:

• Use-by is about safety. It goes on food that spoils quickly, such as meat and ready-to-eat salads. Eating food after its use-by date could make you ill, unless it was cooked or frozen on or before that date.
• Best before is about quality. It goes on things like tins, dried goods and frozen food. After the date, food is usually safe but may not be as good.

How to rotate food: first in, first out

First in, first out (FIFO) means the oldest food gets eaten first.

1. Bring new shopping home.
2. Move the older items to the front.
3. Put the new items at the back.
4. Cook from the front during normal weeks.
5. Replace what you use on your next shop.

Be Ready suggests picking up missing items during regular shopping trips. That keeps the cupboard full without a big spend. Our stock rotation guide goes into more detail.

Printable food storage checklist

Every six months, as Be Ready suggests:

• Check every date on the emergency shelf
• Move anything near its date into the kitchen and eat it this month
• Replace what you've used
• Check the tin opener is still there
• Check the freezer labels: contents and date on every bag
• Check the freezer is around -18°C (FSA)
• Update the list if the people in your home have changed

Why a cupboard, not just a freezer

The FSA says that in a power cut a fridge stays cold for up to 4 hours, a full freezer stays frozen for up to 48 hours, and a half-full one about 24 hours. Tinned and dried food kept at room temperature stays safe to eat. That's why your emergency food should be mostly cupboard food. See fridges and freezers in a power cut.

Related guides

• Stock rotation at home: first in, first out
• UK stockpile shopping list: the Be Ready list, aisle by aisle
• Fridge and freezer in a power cut: how long is food safe?
• Emergency food at home: a 72-hour UK cupboard

We're an independent UK site, not the government. We check guides against official sources and link to them. In an emergency call 999.

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