Raw Shrimp Actually Doesn't Last That Long In The Fridge

Shrimp is one of those reliable go-to's everyone (as long as they eat seafood) can enjoy cooking at home. Grilled shrimp, shrimp stew, shrimp salad — the possibilities are truly as endless, as Bubba from the movie "Forrest Gump" suggests. But something that often gets overlooked by home cooks is food safety practice and how improper shrimp storage can be unknowingly affecting them. Since most people only have time to make it to the supermarket once or twice a week, that means a lot of ingredients might end up sitting longer than they should be. Unfortunately, raw shrimp is one of those foods that doesn't actually last that long in the fridge.

The USDA recommends that all raw fish and shellfish be kept in the refrigerator only one to two days before cooking or freezing, which means regardless of if you bought freshly caught shrimp from a seaside fishmonger or the standard supermarket variety, it's only going to last a couple days before it starts developing pathogens. Now that you have this knowledge, there are a couple strategies you can stick to that will ensure your fridge doesn't end up smelling like rotten seafood, or worse — you end up on the floor clutching your stomach wondering where it all went wrong.

Everyone should feel confident buying and cooking shrimp. The first step to proper raw shrimp storage is understanding the optimal way it should sit in the fridge. Store your newly bought shrimp in its original packaging, which should be wax paper, and make sure it's placed on the bottom shelf to prevent any of its juices from touching anything else should a leak occur. If you notice it's been a couple days and you don't have time to cook it, transfer the shrimp to a freezer-safe bag and place it in the freezer, which the USDA says will be safe indefinitely. When you're ready to use it, you can quickly thaw it by submerging it in cold water — just make sure to keep it in an airtight plastic bag while doing so.

The most hassle-free way to keep raw shrimp from going bad, though, is to plan your meals carefully, and make sure you use seafood within two days of buying it. By doing this, you get to enjoy better taste and texture in the shrimp that long periods of freezing tend to diminish. And even if you don't have a meal planned out and you only bought that pound of shrimp because it was on sale, there are so many easy shrimp recipes to choose from that make use of common pantry items and will have lunch or dinner on the table in no time.