Food waste is a huge problem in the United States. Not to mention, with the cost of groceries skyrocketing it’s so frustrating to have food go bad and wind up in the trash. We’ve put together a few tips and tricks to help your groceries last longer.
- Store dairy products in the back of the fridge. Although the door is convenient and a seemingly perfect spot for the milk, it’s also the place that gets the warmest when the door is opened and could be making it spoil faster. Instead, store milk and yogurt towards the back where it is less likely to reach sub par temperatures.
- Store these fruits and veggies at room temperature. Not all fruits and veggies need to be stored in the fridge. Bananas, kiwis, mangos, plums, pineapples, peaches, onions, tomatoes, potatoes, citrus, and avocados can all be stored safely at room temperature or in a cool pantry. The foods in this group are prone to “chill injury” and do best at room temperature.
- Avoid storing onions and potatoes together. The ethylene gas produced by the onions can cause the potatoes to spoil faster. It will be ok to store your garlic and onions together though!
- Store meat on the lowest shelf of the refrigerator. This is also a food safety recommendation – always keep uncooked meat below anything that is ready to eat, including fresh produce. No one wants to eat strawberries covered in leaked chicken juice.
- Wash produce as you go. Instead of washing produce (especially berries) as soon as you return from the grocery store, wait until right before consumption or chopping. This way there is a smaller chance of mold growing on the damp produce.
- Use plastic wrap on bananas. Bananas can ripen quickly. Consider wrapping the crown of a bunch in plastic wrap. This slows the release of ethylene gas and prevents them from ripening them too quickly.
- Wrap your greens in paper towels. Have you ever seen the slimy residue that forms on lettuce leaves and leafy greens? Not exactly appealing for your lunch. When you purchase greens or lettuce store with a few squares of paper towel to help absorb excess moisture and replace as needed.
- “Front” your food. Food service facilities save money by “fronting” their stock and moving soon to expire ingredients back into plain sight. Similar to the first in first out rule, move the products that have been in the fridge or pantry the longest to the front. Newer product should be stored towards the back.
- Treat your herbs like flowers. Fresh parsley, asparagus and green onions all do better when they are stored in a glass of water in the refrigerator. Basil can be stored at room temperature with stems in the water also. You can loosely wrap other herbs in a damp paper towel.
- Use foil to store celery. Wrap your celery bunches in foil to help it stay fresh and crunchy. It will prevent ethylene gas from entering while keeping the perfect amount of moisture in.