If we could get the food in the fridge to last indefinitely that would be great! Unfortunately, most food does not last as long as we like, and is often forgotten and lost in the back of the fridge, or spoils earlier than we expected.
Don’t let your fridge become a food graveyard, where fruits and vegetables come to die. Fear not! We’ve got some great tips and tricks to help your food stay fresh and live to its fullest potential!
FIRST IN FIRST OUT
If you work in the food or hospitality industry you will know this one well! The concept: make sure the newest foods go in the back of the fridge and shift the older stuff to the front, using those first. Introducing an “eat me first” bin in the fridge can also help with this to prevent the older food from spoilage and getting “lost”.
LEFTOVERS/COOKED FOOD
Keeping leftovers and cooked food in the fridge is a great strategy to have quick nutritious meals ready to go throughout the week. Store cooked food covered in airtight containers on the TOP shelf of your fridge to prevent cross-contamination from other raw foods. Use cooked food within 3 DAYS. If you are planning to keep the food for any longer, pop it in the freezer on day 1 instead. When storing cooked food, cool it down to room temperature before storing it in the fridge to avoid raising the fridge temperature and spoiling other food.
MEAT, DAIRY AND EGGS
Store meat, dairy and eggs on your lower fridge shelves to avoid cross contamination. Most meat can be kept for 2-3 days in the fridge, but monitor and stick to all expiration dates. If you are unsure of how old something is, just remember, if in doubt, throw it out!
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
There’s always high hopes when buying fresh fruit and vegetables, however, they can be a MAJOR culprit for spoilage in the fridge. The factors that affect freshness can vary widely from temperature, moisture, and the time from when it was first picked. Here are a few tips that can help with the freshness of your fruit and veg.
Store fruit and vegetables in the crisper at the bottom of your fridge. You may want to leave some fruits at room temperature to ripen first, but once ripe transfer to the fridge.
To prevent wilting, carrots and celery can be stored in water in an airtight container! You can wrap carrots in a wet paper towel and zip lock bag in the fridge.
Rinsing fresh berries in a vinegar/water solution can stop mould and keep them fresher for longer.
Also read: 5 Awesome Hacks For Organising Your Kitchen
This last tip goes a bit against the grain, but cut your avocado’s across the top instead of lengthways. This exposes less of the flesh and reduces browning when not using the whole avocado. Put the “hat” back on the avocado, wrap in glad wrap or use a zip lock bag, and store in the fridge crisper.
Your fridge is a great tool for keeping fresh and nutritious food on hand. With these tips and tricks, now your food can stay fresher for longer. In the long run, this will actually help you achieve your goals and nourish your body. Happy storing! x
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