Since the COVID-19 scare is still alive up to this day, we need to be wiser with many things. This includes our ways in the kitchen. We need to be more careful and thrifty. To be able to do this, we have to know more hacks.
The slideshows that you’re about to see are 52 ways to keep the freshness of food longer. They’re effective hacks that can help you save some bucks and to help minimize global food waste.
Whether you’re single, or you’re a mom, so long as you love to do things in the kitchen, you surely need these.
1. Way to store powdered milk
Powdered milk is actually good for at least a couple of years. But, once opened, it is better to consume it as soon as you can. It can easily be spoiled if exposed to too much moisture so keeping it in an air-tight container is the best way to store it.
2. How to keep grapes fresh for longer
The key to keeping grapes fresh for a longer period of time is its container. Use polyethylene bags to store grapes so they last longer.
3. Make your bananas stay fresh for longer
Bananas are quick to spoil, so if you love bananas and want to keep them longer then this tip is for you. Just cover the stalk with an aluminum foil and store it at room temperature. You’ll be surprised at how long your banana will last with this amazing trick.
The solution to berries going moldy or soft too fast is by rinsing them with a combination of water and vinegar before putting them in the fridge! Mix one part vinegar and ten parts water. Put the berries in this solution, swirl them and rinse them with it. Raspberries can last up to one week and strawberries can last to a couple of weeks! The vinegar won’t taste strong as it is diluted with more water.
5. This is how you keep herbs fresh
In order to keep your herbs from drying out, one thing that you can do is by putting them in olive oil in an ice cube tray and then, freezing them. This way. you can keep your herbs ready to be cooked in olive oil. Just take some cubes out of the fridge when you finally use them.
Another useful way to store cheese is by wrapping it with wax paper. Afterwards, put it in a plastic bag and put the cheese in the fridge. This will keep the moisture from going out and keep the cheese fresh for longer.
7. How to keep your guacamole green
Don’t you just love guacamole? If you are a certified guacamole fan, you might want to know about this useful tip that will help in keeping your guacamole green and fresh. The solution? A spray of olive oil and your guacamole stays fresh and delish!
8. How you should store your asparagus
In simple words, your asparagus need to be treated like flowers on a vase. You only need to cut the stems, place them in a jar half-filled with water, put a plastic bag over it and then, refrigerate it. They will surely remain crisp for about a week.
Here’s a different way to store your onions. Put them inside a pantyhose, put a knot between each onion, and hang them on your kitchen wall. This is not the only genius, it can also be a really eccentric decor!
10. This can make your fridge more fit for storage
Fruits and vegetables emit ethylene that causes them to spoil faster as well as the other veggies and fruits stored around them. Adding ethylene gas absorbing pods inside your refrigerator will help in keeping your produce fresh up to three times longer!
11. How to make green onions stay fresh
Do you have a plastic bottle that you’re about to throw out? Don’t throw it in the bin just yet because it can still be recycled for a unique purpose! lacing your cut green onions inside a plastic bottle is actually a great way to keep the veggies fresh!
12. Another useful way to store herbs
Looking for more ways to keep your herbs fresh? Get yourself an Herb Savor. The product claims to keep your herbs up for three weeks!
13. Storage with the help of a paper towel
Paper towels are more useful than you can imagine. By putting your salad greens in a bowl covered with a paper towel and plastic wrap, your greens will surely stay fresh for longer.
14. Keep apples close to potatoes
If onions are not supposed to get stored next to potatoes, apples should be placed near them. This trick will keep the potatoes from sprouting and always ready to be cooked!
15. Wrapping your veggies in foil
Some veggies are kept fresh by wrapping them in aluminum foil. These are broccoli, celery, and lettuce leaves. The next time you buy these, make sure you also buy aluminum foil so you can store them better.
Soy sauce, when still unopened, can be stored in a cool and dry place. Once opened, you may have the option to place it inside the refrigerator. It retains its taste for longer when kept inside the refrigerator, but keeping it in the pantry is also a good choice.
17. Keeping ginger in the freezer
Freezing ginger is actually a genius way of keeping it fresh and for longer. Slice it into thin layers and place the slices inside a plastic bag. Place it in the freezer so it will remain fresh until the time that you will use it for cooking.
18. One rotten apple spoils the bunch
When it comes to storing fruits, especially apples, it is best to really look at how they look and how they feel. If one apple in the bunch is already soft and looks like it is about to get spoiled, better not to place it with the other fresher ones because it can easily make the other apples spoil faster.
19. How to properly store tomatoes
Storing tomatoes depends on its current state. Green tomatoes are best stored inside a paper bag or cardboard box and not on top of each other. Keep them stored this way until they turn red. Once they turn red, you can keep them on the counter, but make sure that they are not under direct sunlight.
20. Keep mason jars rather than plastic containers
Mason jars are definitely your best buddies when it comes to storing food. Glass containers are best for keeping moisture and with more mason jars in your kitchen, the more possibilities of you keeping hers and peeled produce for longer.
21. Milk lasts longer when frozen
Cereals are not complete without fresh milk. But, sometimes, buying milk at one go can be a difficult option because it can only be stored for a number of days. If you want to buy more milk to keep yourself from going back and forth to the grocery store just for it, you can try freezing your milk to prolong its life.
22. Apples stay fresh longer in the fridge
Apples are fruits that definitely need to be refrigerated. Their freshness stays when stored in cool areas.
23. Roast peanuts before storing them
Before storing your nuts, be sure to roast them. This way, you can store them in room temperature without having to worry about them drying up or getting spoiled.
24. Turning containers for sour cream and cottage cheese upside down
This tip may seem unusual but it does work! Turning the tub of sour cream or cottage cheese upside down will create a vacuum effect inside the container. This will slow down the growth of bacteria which causes these foods to spoil.
25. Mushrooms inside a paper bag
This tip simply helps because the paper bag on which the mushroom is placed will be absorbing the moisture from them. Just remember not to wash or slice the mushrooms before placing them in the bag.
Who said eggs can’t be in the freezer? Actually, placing them in the cold can be a good way to store them. Get an ice cube tray, put raw eggs in it and freeze. You can easily get them when it’s finally time to cook them, plus you get to have ready to cook eggs for longer!
27. Fresh greens inside jars
The best way to store your fresh greens for salads is by storing them inside jars. They are not only pleasing to the eye, but they also remain crisp and green because glass is non-reactive and no chemicals can reach into your food.
28. Honey in glass containers
Oxidized honey? There’s a solution to that! Just avoid putting honey in containers other than glass so it won’t end up oxidizing.
29. What to do with left-over sauces
Do you have left-over sauce in your refrigerator that takes up more space than necessary? Worry no more because there is a much better way of storing it and it requires a small amount of space! Get a ziplock bag, create partitions using a sealer, and pour your sauce in each opening. Put in the freezer and get a bag for every occasion that you need sauce.
If you don’t have any idea on what and what not to put in your fridge, then this list might just be what you need! It even gives you a guide on what to put on a cool pantry or room temperature. It is a simple list that gives a lot of benefit.
31. Keeping green onion fresh for longer
Green onion can be kept for longer by treating like a flower in a vase. Get a tall and clear glass of water that is half-filled and put the onion so it can soak up water and remain fresh for longer compared to just placing it in the fridge.
32. Paper towel for fresher lettuce leaves
Too much moisture can cause lettuce leaves to easily spoil and become soft. To help in slowing down this process and to keep the leaves crisp, just grab the paper towels and wrap it around the veggie.
33. Keeping carrots fresh using sand
What? Sand in your kitchen? Yes, you got it right! You can use sand to keep your carrots fresh. Using a breathable container like a cloth box inside a metal case, you can now bring a little sand in your kitchen where you can place your carrots and keep them fresh for longer!
34. Add butter on cut cheese
Adding butter on the edge of cut cheese will keep it from drying out. This tip will surely keep your cheese for longer and will save you from throwing out leftover cheese.
Although it may seem unusual, not washing fruits and vegetables is actually the right thing to do. You can store them without washing them, unless you are ready to cook them. Washing the produce adds moisture in their peelings which will cause faster spoilage. To keep them for a longer period of time, you must not wash them before storage.
36. Onions and garlic love the dark
Did you know that onions and garlic like cool, dark and well-ventilated storage areas for them to stay fresh for a longer time? This method is called curing and it helps in ensuring that these veggies are kept dry which will also lead to them lasting longer.
37. Potatoes don’t need to be under direct sunlight
Potatoes are not supposed to be left under direct sunlight. Why? Because they might produce chlorophyll and end up being green which is quite undesirable for this type of plant. It only needs to be stored in a cool, dry place and remember, not near any onion!
38. How to properly store an avocado
Avocados are quite hard to maintain, especially when it is already cut open. However, with a spray of lemon or lime, avocado slices can last for longer! Just spray lemon or lime, place the fruit in an air-tight container and leave it in the refrigerator. It can now last for a day, which is a fairly long time for an avocado that’s already been cut.
39. Where to store your veggies inside the fridge
There are places inside a fridge that is perfect for storing vegetables. Basically, you should place them in the part of your fridge that has a higher temperature than the rest of its compartments.
40. The best way to store peeled vegetables
Well, glass jars are totally must-haves in storing food for longer. They are best used for storing peeled veggies. With glass jars, you can do a lot of magic to your food, even those already cut and peeled!
Rice is actually not that hard to store. It does not expire easily but of course, there is always a proper way to store rice. It can be kept for an average of 6 months in your pantry must always be kept in a cool, dry place. Keep rice in an air-tight container to maintain its dryness.
42. This is how you store sugar
Sugar can be used for about a year so it is really something you can keep for longer. However, it is always optimal to keep it inside an air-tight container that is kept away from anything that is filled with moisture. You don’t want your sugar getting clumps because of too much humidity in the room where it is kept.
43. Re-using plastic bags and bottle caps
Storage may require some products to be in separate containers. With this, you may find yourself in need of more containers than what you already have. Worry not because you can always make your own containers with just plastic bags and bottle caps. This image shows the step-by-step and simple way to make them!
44. How you should store strong alcoholic beverages
Strong alcoholic drinks do not expire. Actually, it is said that the longer they stay in the bottle, the better they are going to taste. It is best to keep them in a cool dry place and avoid putting them in a place where too much sun or heat is present.
45. How to store homemade stock
This is a great hack when you frequently use stock and broth. Instead of keeping it inside a container, try to pour it into an ice cube tray and freeze it. This way, you can just get the right amount of stock you would like to use.
46. This is how vinegar should be stored
Vinegar can be stored in a cool and dry place. You must choose your container wisely as this product is acidic. You can place it inside a jar with a tight lid and can even opt to store it in the refrigerator.
47. Maple syrup in glass bottles
Maple syrup can be kept in the refrigerator, once opened for three to six months. If still unopened, you can still place it in your pantry.
48. Onions must not be stored with potatoes
When it comes to storage, it cannot be helped that some veggies need to be stored together. That’s fine as long as you don’t mix onions with potatoes! Why? It’s because potatoes and onions both release moisture which results in spoiling each other faster.
49. How salt should be stored
Salt is easy enough to store and you are probably doing the right thing already. Just place it in a cool and dry container and keep its lid air-tight.
D you have kidney beans in your storage and do not know how to correctly store them? This is the only thing that you need to remember: dry them and keep them in an air-tight container. This will give them a longer shelf life.
51. Keeping the surroundings dry
When storing fruits or vegetables, you must remember one important thing: dry environment. More moisture can result in faster spoilage and you don’t want that especially if you are a vegetarian and you can’t always run to the grocery to buy veggies. Always maintain dryness and you must make sure that fruits and vegetables are dry before storing them.
Vacuum sealers are one of the best things that you could add to your kitchen stuff. You can use it when you store fruits, meats, and many more. This object helps to preserve your food way longer than just placing it inside plastic bags.
These wise tips can actually make a huge difference in our lives. It can save some money and avoid food waste. It doesn’t just help us individually but it also benefits many people around the globe.
Source: Buzzfeed, Bright Side, Cheapism, Vac Master
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