The United States wastes more food every year than any other country in the world. Around 30-40% of America’s food supply (or 206 billion pounds) is discarded.
If you’re looking to reduce the food you waste and keep your pockets fuller for longer, we can help. Keep reading to learn how to keep your food fresh for longer.
1. Cook & Freeze Meat and Veggies
Don’t toss that package of pork loins you notice is closing in on its expiry date. Instead, cook it up and transform it into something that will last even longer.
As long as you wrap it correctly, most pork can be frozen for around two to three months. Poultry dishes can be left in the freezer for up to six months. You can keep it for longer than that, but its quality may start to diminish.
The same rule applies to veggies that are starting to go off. You will need to blanch the vegetables before freezing them to ensure they maintain flavor and texture.
Check out this cooking blog for more information about freezing meat and veggies.
2. Treat Herbs Like Flowers
Get into the habit of washing and drying your fresh herbs as soon as you’re home from the store. Bacteria and dirt left on the herbs can make them go bad faster. Run them under your tap and spread them out to dry on a clean dish towel.
If you treat your herbs like a fresh flower bouquet, they’ll last much longer. Store your herbs in a glass of water on a sunny windowsill.
Chop them up when you notice them starting to go bad. Add the chopped herbs into an ice cube tray with olive oil on top. They will last several months in your freezer.
3. Know How to Store Your Fruit
Food storage is key to ensuring your fruit lasts longer. There’s nothing worse than bringing home fresh food like a container of juicy berries only to have them go bad the next day.
To prevent your berries from molding too fast, wash them in a water and vinegar bath (3:1). Rinse them off and dry them thoroughly to ensure all lingering bacteria are removed before you put them in your fridge.
Keep your bananas yellow longer by wrapping the stems. Separate your bananas from the bunch and wrap each stem using plastic wrap. Once they have reached your preferred level of ripeness, store them in the fridge.
Keep fruits high in ethylene away from your other fruits and veggies. Apples and bananas emit high levels of ethylene which can shorten the lifespan of your other produce.
Allow fruits like apricots, kiwi, mango, melons, and peaches to ripen on your counter. Once they reach the perfect level of ripeness, store them in the fridge to make them last longer.
Keep Your Food Fresh for Longer
There’s no need for your compost to be full of food every week. Our tips will help you keep your food fresh longer so you can cut back on waste and save money on groceries.
Keep reading our food blogs for more helpful cooking tips and tricks.
Gourmets Food 