While we are all trying to improve our diet and control better our food consumption, mostly to be healthier and live longer, all these positive changes in our personal life have somehow impacted our perception of sustainable living. Surely, we all want to get better at it… without too much difficulties.
Did you know that on average a family in New York wastes $1,800 each year through overbuying and food spoilage. And that nearly 37% of food waste occurs in the home.
So, this made us think? What can we do to improve our food consumption? By starting with proper food storage. Knowing how to store your food properly is easy, doesn’t require much effort and is key to preserve our favorite fresh food for longer. And also, save us money and time.
First of all, fruits and vegetables need to breathe, so let’s remove any airtight plastic around.
Can last a few weeks at room temperature. But if you have room, keep them in the fridge and, they will last for months.
Don’t like to be mixed with other fruits. They ripen faster. Also, they don’t like the cold so better not to keep them in the fridge.
Should be kept in the fridge when ripe.
Will last so much longer if you store them in a glass container in the fridge.
Should be stored flat, with a bit of space between them.
Should be stored at room temperature until they are fully ripe. Place them in the lower drawer of your fridge once ripe.
Don’t put them in the fridge if you are not going to use them right away. This will affect their flavor and lead to browning. Just store them somewhere cool but not in the fridge.
Should be cleaned, pat dried and stored in a closed container in the fridge.
Hate to be cold. Keep them wrapped in aluminum foil… no plastic wrap!
Best stored in the refrigerator in a sealed container, submerged in water.
Store at room temperature. The fridge affects a lot of its favors.
Trim just a little bit the bottoms and place them in a humid paper towel. Wrap the top with aluminum foil then refrigerate.
Are best kept in the freezer if you are not going to use them right away. Wash, trim, cut the way you like ready for when you need them and store flat in air-tight zip-top freezer bags.
Should be kept separated. Both onions and potatoes release moisture, which can lead to faster spoiling. Store potatoes in a dark place so they last longer.
Should be stored at room temperature, in the dark.
Need to go in an air-tight zip-top bag and need to be kept in the fridge in the lower drawers.
Can be frozen, placed in a zip-top freezer bag and used whenever you like.
Best placed in a bread box or in a drawer wrapped in linen if you are going to use it quickly. Bread also freezes really well. Cut it into slices, place them into a reusable bag, then defrost some whenever you need it. It’s simple and quick. Either let them defrost at room temperature for about 30 minutes or place them in the oven for 2-3 minutes. They come out warm and lightly toasted, delicious.
Hard cheese can last a very long time, and if it becomes moldy, just scrape it off. Also, it can be frozen. Freezing cottage cheese is more delicate as it will likely change its texture. If you do opt to freeze extra cottage cheese such as ricotta, it is best used after thawing for cooking. First, remove the excess moisture by pressing the cheese with a paper towel. Then, if you have, place portions of ricotta into a silicone cubes freezing stray or pop portions of the cheese into a zip-top freezer bag, flatten everything and remove any air before sealing. Write the date on the bags and keep ricotta in the freezer for a few weeks. When it’s time to thaw the cheese, simply leave it in the fridge for several hours. Please, do not thaw ricotta at room temperature, as this can put the cheese at risk of bacterial contamination.
Can be frozen so that you can grab just a few slices when you need them. Tips: freeze the bacon slices individually between layers of parchment paper,
then wrap the lot in aluminum foil.
Can be kept in the fridge for a few days but also can be frozen. Place it in a zip-top freezer bag, write the date and what’s inside. Anything with meat cannot be stored for more than 3 weeks, fresh pasta dough can last 3 months, soup 4 months, casseroles 6 months.
The next article is about how to reinvent leftovers.
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