How to Store Food So It Lasts Weeks  

Have you ever ever opened your fridge and located a carton of moldy strawberries you didn’t get to in time? It’s occurred to the perfect of us. 

Within the US alone, we waste 40 p.c of our meals. That hits us each in our intestine and pockets: The typical American family loses $2,913 a year to meals waste.

Why does this occur? An enormous offender is just not storing meals correctly. Ex: maintaining milk within the fridge door when it must be on one of many cabinets, then questioning why it went unhealthy so quick.

Most of our meals is saved in plastic containers or luggage, which can pace up the decomposition course of. Plastic can be a recognized endocrine disruptor, so limiting your publicity to it’s perfect.  

Right here’s correctly retailer your meals so it lasts weeks, not days, with out plastic.

produce storage 

In the event you throw all of your produce as-is into the fridge after shopping for it, please cease.  

While you maintain your produce in plastic luggage and containers they’re extra inclined to rotting. That is very true of greens which get slimy and shrivel up. 

As a common rule of thumb: 

• Wash produce earlier than you eat it, not earlier than you retailer it. Particularly berries. 

• Earlier than searching for extra meals, make an observation of what you have already got and plan meals across the older meals. 

• Select the suitable containers to maintain meals in tip-top form (extra on this later). 

• Examine labels earlier than placing your meals away, as many merchandise carry storage directions (ex: Peanut butter or jams might say refrigerate after opening). 

Personally, I’ve a number of hacks for maintaining my month-to-month grocery price range to $300 a month. And it helps I meal plan and prep too!

A fast information to storing produce:

• Lettuce – chop lettuce, retailer in hermetic container with a material on high 

• Cucumbers – wrap in material towel and retailer in hermetic container 

• Potatoes and onions – mortal enemies, retailer individually in a cool dry place  

• Herbs – retailer like bouquets of flowers, principally within the fridge. Mint and basil can go in a darkish and funky nook on countertop

• Carrots and celery – chop and retailer in a glass of water within the fridge 

• Mushrooms – brown paper bag within the fridge 

• Berries – retailer in hermetic containers in fridge 

• Citrus – on countertop, but when it begins to get wrinkly, place in a bowl of water in your fridge 

• Apples and bananas – room temperature 

• Avocado – Allow them to ripen at room temperature earlier than storing within the fridge 

• Zucchini, squash – Roam free in crisper drawer  

• Kale, asparagus, broccoli, broccolini – minimize the ends off and retailer it like a bouquet of flowers in fridge 

• Tomato and garlic – retailer on the countertop. Professional tip: Cease garlic from spoiling by tying bulbs in panty hose and dangle them up 

meals storage containers 

Supporting your native farmers market and native refillery make it simpler to store plastic-free. Most produce is package-free and has no produce stickers, and dry items might be positioned inside your individual containers.

However for those who don’t have entry to these, you may nonetheless discover what you want in most grocery shops. Attempt to prioritize package-free produce at any time when you may. Alternatively, follow paper, cardboard, and glass packaging as these are simpler to recycle/upcycle. 

If plastic is unavoidable, goal for merchandise packaging in inflexible plastics #1 (PET) and #2 (HDPE), as these are sometimes thought of extra recyclable than gentle plastics. Although some grocery shops do supply take-back applications for gentle plastics price wanting into.

As soon as you’re house, you’ll wish to switch produce and dry items into the correct containers. Listed here are some plastic-free choices I like to recommend. 

the swag bag 

The Swag luggage are created from unbleached, unseeded cotton and are scientifically confirmed to maintain fruit and veg recent for 2 weeks or extra. They arrive with shade coded trim that makes for simple group and can be utilized to retailer fruits (not bananas!), veggies, leafy greens and herbs.  

To make use of, you’ll wish to machine wash and dry it first, then dampen The Swag beneath faucet. Wring out extra water earlier than packing your produce of alternative and storing it within the crisper drawer. 

On the finish of its life, Swag Baggage are totally compostable. Love a full-circle product! 

silicone luggage 

Silicone luggage, like Stasher luggage, are nice for storing leftovers, marinating meals, and freezing meals. I particularly love utilizing them to avoid wasting up my vegetable scraps for selfmade veggie inventory.  

Stasher luggage are available varied sizes, from a pocket 2-pack to a gallon. And a few luggage even have flat bottoms, enabling them to face up.  

Stasher Baggage are freezer, dishwasher, and oven secure. And on the finish of its life, your bag can be recycled with Terracycle to keep away from waste. 

RELATED: Is Silicone Plastic? Here’s What You Need to Know 

glass snapware and jars 

I like to upcycle empty marinara and jam jars – they’re nice for repurposing across the kitchen! One in all my favourite makes use of for them is storing my herbs and produce like bouquets within the fridge.  

Nevertheless, some produce requires a bit extra space (like chopped lettuce), so investing in glass snapware is useful.  

OXO’s BPA-free borosilicate glass container units are spill-proof and seal with a snap. The 12-piece set is available in quite a lot of sizes, match for any use. They will go from freezer, to oven, to fridge and not using a downside (simply be sure to take away the lid earlier than microwaving or placing within the oven).  

It’s dishwasher secure, plus you may take away the silicone seal to make cleansing straightforward. They’re excellent for nesting and stacking, making them perfect for optimizing cupboard space. 

beeswax wraps 

Beeswrap is an ideal various to plastic wrap, and it may be used to retailer quite a lot of gadgets like produce, cheese, bread, and extra. You can too use it to cowl a jar, a pie dish, a bowl, and even fold right into a snack pouch. 

Beeswraps are created from natural cotton, beeswax, plant oil and tree resin. However they do carry vegan wraps as properly, made utilizing candelilla wax. Each are compostable on the finish of their life! 

To make use of, simply wrap the merchandise of your alternative and safe it utilizing the heat of your fingers. Clear utilizing chilly water, gentle dish cleaning soap, after which air dry. If it now not sticks to itself, it’s time for a refresh (although with correct care, they’ll last as long as a 12 months).  

metallic tiffins 

Metallic tiffins are fantastic for storing meals you plan to journey with, like commuting to work or on a picnic. ECO Lunch Box creates Tri Bentos which might be 3 layers that stack and clip collectively. Constituted of stainless-steel, it’s constructed to final. 

The 3-layer design permits you to pack three separate meals, excellent for if you don’t need flavors mixing collectively. It’s additionally dishwasher secure, making it straightforward to scrub. 

There’s no plastic and its reusable for years to come back. However if you need a leakproof metallic tiffin, attempt their Bento Wet Box, which accommodates silicone gaskets.  

fridge group 

Not each space of your fridge is created equal. Totally different cabinets and drawers must be used to retailer completely different meals for the perfect longevity. 

It’s additionally an ideal concept to have a ‘use it up!’ basket the place you retailer a bunch of meals on the verge of going unhealthy. Preserve this someplace you may simply see so that you bear in mind to succeed in for it. 

The fridge door: That is the warmest a part of your fridge so use it for gadgets which might be much less delicate to temperature. Condiments, sauces, sodas, and bottles of juice do properly right here. 

High shelf: That is the place essentially the most constant temperature is, so something you plan to eat instantly, or leftovers, must be stored right here.  

Backside shelf: These are the coldest, so retailer uncooked gadgets like fish, meat, dairy and eggs right here. It additionally helps forestall cross-contamination. 

Crisper drawers: One is excessive humidity (perfect for thin-skinned veggies and leafy greens), one other is low humidity (perfect for ethylene-emitting fruits). Don’t overpack crisper drawers, as this may additionally trigger accelerated spoilage. Purpose to solely fill 1 / 4 of the best way. I extremely advocate laying some material towels down onto your crisper drawers, as it will assist soak up extra moisture and scale back cleanup. Be sure you substitute it each week. 

Freezer: Be sure you label every little thing you freeze, together with what sort of meals it’s, the date you made/purchased it. Be sure that the older meals face the entrance so you may simply use it up. You may freeze all types of issues from nuts to cake to cooked pasta – not simply fruits and veggies!  

So, what are your ideas for storing meals? Let me know within the feedback!