A fridge temperature record sheet needs more than a column of numbers. It should identify the fridge, the time, the person checking it and what happened when a reading was outside your kitchen's limit.
Use the free printable below for one fridge at a time. Set the limit and checking method before the first entry, then record the result when you take the reading. A blank field is better than a temperature guessed at the end of the week.
Where can I get a fridge temperature record sheet?
Open the free A4 fridge temperature log. You can print it or choose Save as PDF in your browser. No sign-up is needed.
The form deliberately leaves the limit and checking times blank. Complete them using your food safety procedures. A sheet downloaded from the internet cannot decide how your equipment and food should be monitored.
Fridge temperature log
| Date | Actual time | Reading, °C | Checked by | Problem, action or follow-up reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Use extra sheets if needed. Follow your own checking frequency.
Use a separate action record when the explanation will not fit. Put its reference in the last column so someone reviewing the log can find the decision about the food, the equipment fault and the follow-up.
What temperature limit should go on the sheet?
For chilled food requiring temperature control, the FSA's chilling guidance on GOV.UK states 8°C or below as the legal requirement in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It recommends setting fridges to 5°C or below to help keep the food cold enough.
The operating limit on your sheet should match your documented controls and any stricter product instructions. Do not treat 8°C as the temperature you should aim for on a fridge display.
In Scotland, Food Standards Scotland's CookSafe temperature-control guidance recommends operating fridges at 5°C or below and keeping perishable food at 8°C or below. Complete the Temperature Control House Rules for your business rather than importing a legal statement from another UK nation.
Our UK fridge temperature guide explains the difference between the food temperature requirement, an equipment setting and your kitchen's operating target.
Should you record the display or use a thermometer?
Record which method you used. A fridge display, an independent fridge thermometer and a probe reading taken between packs describe different checks. Mixing them without explanation makes an apparent temperature change difficult to interpret.
The FSA's SFBB chilled-storage guidance says that a display or dial can be used, but its accuracy should be checked regularly with a fridge or probe thermometer. It also describes checking between packs of chilled food with a clean, disinfected probe.
Write the agreed routine at the top of the sheet. If you change the method for a follow-up check, explain that in the entry. A between-pack reading should not be labelled as a measured food-core temperature.
How often should you fill in the log?
Follow the monitoring frequency in your food safety system. The FSA's SFBB guidance says to check fridges and chilled display equipment at least once a day, starting with opening checks. That does not establish a UK-wide legal requirement to take two readings daily.
An opening check and another later in the trading day can be a useful routine. Extra checks may be appropriate when a unit has a fault or your operation changes. Lemon uses an AM and PM workflow; that is a product workflow, not a legal timetable.
For help choosing a routine, read how often to check fridge temperatures. Whatever you choose, record the actual time. "PM" alone cannot show whether the check happened before lunch or at close.
What does a completed fridge log look like?
This fictional example is for a prep fridge with a documented operating limit of 5°C or below. These are example entries, not recommended readings to copy.
| Date | Time | Reading | Checked by | Entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 September | 08:10 | 3.4°C | Alex | Independent fridge thermometer, routine opening check |
| 21 September | 16:05 | 7.1°C | Alex | Above operating limit. Manager told; affected food held from service while assessed. See action record F-021. |
The second row starts the action record. It does not finish the food-safety decision. The manager's follow-up should identify the affected food, the evidence about its temperature and exposure, the decision taken under the kitchen's procedure and what happened to the equipment.
Do not add an invented "safe again" result to make the sheet look complete. Record the follow-up reading when it happens, with its time and method, and retain the original result.
What should you do with an out-of-range reading?
Follow your corrective-action procedure promptly. Assess the food as well as the fridge. A later acceptable display reading does not establish that food exposed earlier is safe.
The FSA's SFBB chilled-storage safe method covers problems with equipment, moving food to suitable refrigeration and dealing with food that may be unsafe. Our corrective-action examples help you structure the accompanying record.
For the log itself, make the next step clear. Name the person dealing with the problem and reference the action record. If you miss a scheduled check, record the omission and what you did when you found it. Do not backfill a reading that nobody took.
Can Lemon replace the paper fridge log?
Lemon lets your team enter fridge and freezer readings, review temperature issues and export records as a PDF. That keeps the reading and its recorder available without collecting loose sheets. See Lemon's temperature logs and PDF reports.
These are manual checks. Lemon does not continuously measure the fridge temperature or replace the thermometer, the food-safety procedure or the decision about affected food.
What should you set up before tomorrow's opening check?
Choose one fridge, label it clearly and print its sheet. Add the operating limit, checking method, planned times and the person to contact if it fails. Complete the first reading with the colleague who will own the next check.
