Assorted berries
Have you ever stocked up your fridge with tons of
healthy fruits and hearty veggies, only to watch them grow moldy and decompose
just a couple days later? And during a time like right now when you're not
going to the grocery store as often, going to grab a slice of bread just to
uncover that it has mold on it already is not ideal. Not only is that a major
waste of money, but when your fresh food supply is limited, you're going to
want to make it last as long as you can.
Here, we've rounded up the best tips and tricks so you
can keep all that food you've just stocked up on fresh for as long as possible.
And next time you hit the supermarket, be sure to avoid doing any of these 10
Things You're Doing That Frustrate Grocery Store Workers.
Bread
Nope, it's not the fridge! You should keep your loaves
stored on the counter, tightly wrapped and out of the light, or inside of a
bread box. If your counter gets a lot of exposure to sunlight and you don't
have a bread box, you can store the tightly wrapped bread in the pantry where
it's dark and room temperature. If you cannot gobble up the loaf bread between
three and five days, you'll want to freeze the remaining slices.
Potatoes
You'll want to place whole potatoes in a
well-ventilated container, like a basket or a mesh produce bag (even a large
cardboard box will do). Store in a cool, dry, dark place, like a pantry,
cupboard, basement, or garage.
Avocados
If you have an avocado that's not ripe yet, the best
place for it is on a counter. You'll want to keep the avocado away from other
fruits and vegetables that might be on the countertop, though. Avocados produce
ethylene gas, which can make other foods ripen faster.
Bananas
When they're still in the peel, bananas should be kept
on the counter with the stems wrapped. If you're saving part of an opened
banana, keep it in the fridge. And keep bananas away from your other produce,
as they produce high amounts of ethylene gas.
Milk
The trick to keeping milk fresher for longer is
mastering the placement of the milk in the refrigerator. Cow's milk should be
kept between 32 degrees Fahrenheit and 39.2 degrees Fahrenheit in order to
prevent spoilage, so the more the milk is exposed to warm air, the faster it
will lose its freshness. The coldest parts of your refrigerator will help keep
milk from spoiling longer, so keep milk in the back and bottom portions.
Coffee beans
You might not be able to take a trip to your local
coffee shop right now, so you're left to brew your own cup of Joe. For best
results, you'll want to store the beans in a cool, dark place like your
cupboard or pantry, located away from the stove and any other heat-generating
appliances. Don't think you have to put them in the fridge—coffee actually
absorbs odors from the environment, so if your refrigerator is packed with
aromatic foods, your coffee will begin to take on those flavors if it's not in
an airtight container.
Fresh baked cookies
There's a good chance you're baking more now that
you're living that quarantine life, so you want these cookies to last right?
Well, your best bet is to store the homemade cookies in a sealed air-tight
container with parchment between the layers and a slice of white bread in the
container. Yep, a slice of bread! So why is that? The moisture from the bread
will help keep the cookies soft. If you prefer crisp cookies though, you can
skip the bread and leave the container slightly open so air can circulate.
Peanut Butter
Your best bet is to store that jar of peanut butter
upside down, especially if it's natural peanut butter. Since natural peanut
butter consists of just peanuts and sometimes a sprinkle of salt rather than a
slew of added hydrogenated oils, you'll notice a thick pool of oil floating at
the top. This oil separation is totally natural, but you're just going to have
to do a lot of stirring when it comes time for a scoop. The solution? Popping
the jar in your pantry upside down will help evenly distribute the plant oils.
Wine
If you're thinking of putting those bottles of red
wine in a rack on top of the fridge, just don't. See, you can end up getting
more heat on top of the fridge, which is bad for the wine. Instead, you're
going to want to be sure to keep that bottle in a cool, dark place around 60
degrees Fahrenheit. A low spot in your pantry would work great! And while
you're at it, here are 15 Clever Ways to Use Leftover Red Wine.
Ketchup and mustard
Although restaurants keep their condiments on tables,
you're going to want to keep ketchup and mustard in your fridge at home. It's a
smart move to preserve the condiments' shelf lives and keep them fresh.
Onions
When you get back from the store, it's best to store
these in a dark, cool place such as a pantry, basement, or garage. This gives
the onions a shelf life of up to four weeks. It's also imperative to store the
uncut onions in a mesh bag or open basket rather than a plastic bag because
plastic bags don't have the proper ventilation to help the onions last longer.
Once you slice and dice up the onions though, you'll
want to store cut onions in a sealed container or plastic bag in the
refrigerator for 7-10 days.
Salad greens and fresh herbs
Store salad greens and fresh herbs in tightly-sealed
bags filled with a small amount of air. If you leave your herbs in the package
you bought them in, they'll have a greater chance of going bad before you get
to use them.
And with chopped salad greens, store them in the
fridge in a bowl lined with paper towels and cover with plastic wrap.
For more tips on keeping your herbs fresh, don't miss
The Single Best Way To Store Fresh Herbs.
Celery
Weird, but true: Aluminum foil will keep celery fresh.
Wrap celery in aluminum foil before storing it in the veggie bin of the fridge.
Pineapples
To store pineapples, cut the leafy top off and place
the pineapple in the fridge upside down.
Mushrooms
Store mushrooms in a brown paper bag in the fridge or
another cool, dry area.
Strawberries
Moisture causes mold, so do not wash berries until
you're ready to eat them. Keep them in the fridge in a container that leaves
room for airflow so they don't get moldy.
Root vegetables, including ginger and
turmeric
Store roots such as ginger and turmeric in the
freezer. They'll actually fare better in the cold.
Tomatoes
Keep tomatoes away from salad greens. They'll do best
at room temperature, away from sunlight—and you're better off not storing them
in plastic.
