Even if grocery shopping has become more expensive, you can save money and make your food last longer when you bring it home from the store. Here are some recommendations from chefs country-wide.
How To Prolong The Life Of Groceries
Proper storage makes produce last longer. Rece Hogerheide, the executive chef at the Daxton Hotel in Michigan, said there’s no need to store all food in its packaging. Removing the produce from bags is crucial as it traps condensation and ethylene.
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Ethylene makes things rot – some produce more than others. Worst offender? Bananas. Hogerheide warned to keep bananas away. They cause everything around them to ripen faster because they have excess ethylene.
- Onion and potato storage: Keep them away from heat and light
- Soak to prolong freshness: soak carrots, celery, radishes, and citrus in water
- Let the poultry sit in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for 10 minutes, then remove it and store it in the bottom of the fridge.
A Little Prep Goes a Long Way
By switching containers and being thoughtful about which ingredients are stored, you can extend the life of your food in various ways. Use vacuum sealers, food calendars, and make a shopping list with existing ingredients rather than buying new ones.
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What About Bread And Baking goods?
Refrigerate bread. Keep it out only if you plan to eat it that day. Refrigeration or freezing bread won’t affect the texture and will extend its shelf life. Rochelle Cooper, a pastry chef at Washington’s La Collina, said this tip would be helpful to anyone going shopping.
She explained that flour could attract weevils, which eat rice, grains, cereals, and other starches. Cooper advised keeping flour in a bag in the pantry. Their eggs hatch and larvae hang out, eat, and destroy ingredients in your home. Bags keep weevils from going from bag to bag.