Maximize Groceries To Minimize Food Waste
Whether you’re trying to minimize trips outside the house during the pandemic or just want to stop feeling like you’re constantly throwing away rotten produce, these tips can help you hold on to your groceries a lot longer. Certain produce fairs better when stored in specific ways or temperatures. Additionally, keeping your kitchen organized and clutter-free can help you see what you have so that you don’t overbuy. Either way you’ll feel better knowing that you’re not wasting money, time or trips to public places unless absolutely necessary.
Mushrooms should live in paper not plastic. Not only will the environment thank you for not using more plastic than you need to, but your mushrooms will thank you for living a few extra days (or weeks). Plastic traps more moisture and thus increases spoilage.
There are so many reasons to keep fresh tomatoes on the counter and not in the fridge. They will taste a lot better, last a long longer, and of course, add a splash of vibrant color to your kitchen décor.
Give your bananas a tin foil or plastic hat. Wrap tin foil or saran wrap over the top stem of the banana to trap ethylene gas. It looks funny but more importantly will help keep your bananas around a lot longer and any produce its sitting next to.
Consider potato and onions the ultimate frenemies. They taste great together in dishes but when it comes to storage, onions make potatoes sprout and spoil a lot faster. Instead, store your potatoes next to apples to up their shelf life.
Treat your asparagus like flowers. They might not be as pretty and colorful but it will make your asparagus last a lot longer. Cut the bottoms, place in a glass jar with water, and cover the top with a plastic bag. Place in fridge to keep fresh for a lot longer.
Does one bad apple really spoil the bunch? The answer is yes it does – its not just a saying! Discard any rotting fruits like apples, pears or berries. Overly ripe fruits release excessive amounts of ethylene gas which can age all of it’s neighboring friends.
If you’re someone like us who likes to save time and get everything done before, this tip might be tough but it can save you a few trips to the store. Don’t wash any fruits or vegetables until you’re ready to eat them. Doing so creates an environment that attracts more bacteria and thus spoils your produce faster than you would like.
This little tip will change your life if you love guacamole as much as we do. We all know how quickly cut avocado turns brown due to oxidization. But did you know that if you leave the pit of the avocado in the center of your guac it can make it stay green a lot longer? You can also spray with pam or olive oil which creates a barrier so that the oxidizing does not occur as quickly. Lastly citric acid found in lemon can also delay browning as well if you squeeze some on top before storing.
If you want to channel your inner Julia Child with some fresh herbs, you might be disappointed to see how quickly they wilt. Don’t let that discourage you from showing of those celebrity chef skills – just chop up any remaining fresh herbs you have place in empty ice cube trays and pour olive oil or chicken stock on top. Freeze overnight and then pop the cubes anytime you’re in the mood to whip up something tasty.
Have you ever been in the mood for a nice big salad only to find all of your leafy greens are wilted slimy and just yuck? Well, storing them in BPA free glass mason jars or wrapping in tin foil can actually increase the life span by up to 10 days. Now you have no more excuses to not be eating those greens!
Milk belongs on the fridge door right? Wrong – in fact milk and other foods that spoil quickly should not be stored on the fridge door. I know its super convenient but the anything kept there can have a harder time staying cold, and once its sour you can’t make it sweet again.
When it doubt just freeze! Freezing leftovers is the best way to prevent food waste, especially when it comes to meats and cooked veggies or fruits. You can even freeze milk, eggs (out of the shell), cheese and tuna or chicken salad.
Now is a great time to do some spring-cleaning…of your fridge! Take out anything that’s past expiration, or is on its last leg. This will free up space so you can organize, see everything that’s actually in there and, here’s the kicker, a less cluttered fridge means better cold air circulation or longer-lasting food! An overcrowded fridge can lead to more hot spots.
While our instinct might always be to put everything in the fridge to make it last longer or taste better certain produce actually stands the test of time, and tastes better on your counter.
KEEP THEM IN THE FRIDGE
Apple
Berries
Broccoli
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Cherries
Corn
Cucumber
Eggplant
Ginger
Grapes
Leafy Greens
Mushrooms
Zucchini
STORE THEM ROOM TEMP OR COOL PANTRY
Avocado
Apricot
Bananas
Citrus Fruits
Garlic
Kiwi
Melons
Nectarines
Onions
Pears
Peaches
Plums
Pineapple
Potatoes