Meatloaf is a staple of the American diet, and it’s easy to see why. It’s not just delicious—it’s also a great way to use up leftover meat and make sure they don’t go to waste. While meatloaf might seem like an ordinary dish, there are actually some things you need to know about its storage and shelf life.
If you want to keep your meatloaf fresh for as long as possible, this article will tell you everything you need to know about how long it lasts in the refrigerator after cooking.
How Long Does Meatloaf Last In The Fridge?
If you have leftover meatloaf, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Store them in an airtight container or plastic bags. It’s important that the container or plastic bag is sealed tight so no air will be able to get inside. If air does get inside, the meatloaf will become dry and lose its flavors.
Does Meatloaf Go Bad In The Fridge?
The meatloaf is a dish that combines ground meat, chopped vegetables, and other ingredients. This means it tends to go bad quickly after it’s cooked due to the high water content.
Once it’s stored in the fridge, meatloaf will generally be good for about 4 days. After that, it will start to lose its flavor, which will not taste good to eat.
Therefore, it’s best to eat the meatloaf before then. If you know you can’t finish them within 4 days, you can freeze the meatloaf which will extend their shelf life for 3 months.
How To Tell When Meatloaf Is Bad
Meatloaf can be a great meal for the whole family, but if you’re not careful, it can also be a dangerous one. It’s easy to get carried away with your love of meat and forget that it can be deadly.
Here are a few signs that tell you when meatloaf has gone bad:
The smell is off
If your meatloaf smells funny, then it probably isn’t safe to eat. Meatloaf should have a slightly sweet aroma and a strong scent of spices. If the smell is off — whether it’s sour or just plain weird — then it’s time to throw it out!
The texture is strange
Meatloaf should have an even consistency throughout its entire slice. If one part feels mushy while another part feels hard as a rock, then there’s something wrong with your meatloaf. This could mean that bacteria has grown inside the loaf and made it unsafe to consume (or at least quite unpleasant).
There are mold spots on top of the meatloaf
Moldy food is gross in general, but when it comes to meatloaf, this can be especially dangerous because it means that bacteria has grown inside the loaf and spread throughout the entire piece of food. If you see any green spots, discard the entire content of the meatloaf as it could make you very sick if you try to eat them.
How To Store Meatloaf In The Fridge
When it comes to storing meatloaf in the fridge, the process is quite simple. All you need to do is wait until the meatloaf is cooled to room temperature first. If you try to store them in the fridge while it’s still hot, the heat will cause condensation in the container which will cause the meatloaf to become soggy.
Once it’s cooled, wrap it in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place it in a covered container or wrap it with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
Then, store it in the coldest part of your refrigerator until you’re ready to eat it.
How To Keep Meatloaf Fresh Longer In The Fridge
Meatloaf is a great dish for the family, but if you don’t store it properly, it can go bad quickly. The best way to keep meatloaf fresh longer in the fridge is to wrap it tightly with aluminum foil and then place it in an airtight container.
If you don’t have an airtight container handy, try wrapping the loaf in plastic wrap first and then placing it in an airtight container or baggie. This will prevent any moisture from getting into your meatloaf.
Another way to keep meatloaf fresh longer is by freezing it. When freezing meatloaf, make sure that you slice the loaf before wrapping it tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil so that it’s easier to defrost later on without having to thaw all of the loaves at once.
Can You Freeze Meatloaf?
Freezing cooked meatloaf is one way of preserving leftovers from this dish.
To freeze cooked meatloaf, you must first cool down the dish completely by placing it in the refrigerator for at least four hours before freezing it in an airtight container or freezer bag.
You should also remove all visible fat from your frozen meatloaf before storing it in the freezer for long periods of time because fat has the tendency to become rancid when frozen over an extended period of time.
Conclusion
We hope that this article answered your question about how long meatloaf lasts in the fridge. Just make sure that it’s wrapped tightly before it’s stored in the fridge and all the meatloaf is used within 4 days.
Kate has been in the food business for over 20 years. Worked as a cook at several buffets which include Old Country Buffet, Five Star Buffet, and Ichiban Buffet. Now, I’m mostly at home cooking for my family, caring for chickens and ducks, and tending the garden.
