Abstract: Plant essential oils, a class of secondary metabolite derived from aromatic plants, which can be extracted from the seeds, fruits, roots, or leaves of plants through distillation or extraction. Plant essential oils possess a complex composition, generally including terpenes, alcohols, aldehydes, and ketones. Due to their insecticidal, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties, they can be positioned as natural preservatives and effective antioxidants. This paper reviews the extraction techniques of plant essential oils, explores their biological activities, and discusses their applications in the storage of grains and their products, fruits, vegetables, meats, aquatic products, as well as other food products. It also analyzes the challenges faced by plant essential oils in the area of food preservation and prospects for future development, with the aim of providing a theoretical basis for their application of plant essential oils in the field of food storage and preservation.