All About Proper Food Storage

According to Money Magazine, the average family throws out 14% of the food that they buy each year.  Wasting food is a waste of money, and it can be completely avoidable.  By following these tips you can make your foods stay fresher for much longer and save money too.



Organize your Fridge

Set the temperature in your fridge to 40 degrees or below.  Any warmer and bacteria can grow.  The ideal freezer temperature is between 0 degrees and 2 degrees.

Check the humidity settings on your crisper and meat drawers.  If you don't have humidity setting in your fridge, check for condensation.  If you have condensation then chances are the drawer is too humid.

Don't mix fruits, veggies and meats in the same crisper or drawer.  Cross-contamination can occur.

A crowded fridge can prevent much needed air circulation and you're food won't stay as cool as it needs to.

Always wipe up spills and messes ASAP to avoid contamination.



Fridge Anatomy
 The best place to put everything in your fridge.

Top Shelf
The top shelf is the warmest part of the fridge.  Best for pre-prepared foods like yogurt, cheese, sauces, cooked meats and leftovers.


Middle Shelf
The best place for milk and eggs.


Bottom Shelf
This is the coldest part of the fridge.  This is the best place to store raw meat, fish and poultry.  Being on the bottom shelf prevents any other foods from being contaminated by any drippings that may come from the meats.


Door Racks
The temperature fluctuates here because it's exposed the most often to outside air.  This is the perfect place for condiments, jams and jellies, fruit juice and butter.


Crisper and Meat Drawers
Of course, we all know what goes in the crisper.  Make sure you use the correct crisper or drawer for the type of food that you are storing.  It helps food last longer if you line your crisper drawer with paper towels to absorb moisture.






Where to store It:  Pantry vs. Fridge

Pantry/Room temperature:  avocados, apricots, bananas, citrus fruits, garlic, melons, onions, pears, peaches, plums, pineapples, potatoes

Refrigerator:   apples, berries, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cherries, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, ginger, jalapenos, leafy greens, mushrooms, zucchini


Now, I'll tell you some tricks on how to store different foods to keep them fresher longer.



Vegetables

Beets, Carrots, Parsnips
Chop off the green leafy parts of these veggies before you put them in the fridge.  It also helps if you wrap them in a moist cloth.

Celery, Broccoli, Lettuce
Wrap these veggies in tin foil before storing in the fridge.  This should allow them to stay crisp for 4 weeks or more.

Asparagus
Store by cutting the stems, then place them in water, throw a plastic bag over them and refrigerate.  They should stay crisp for a week or more.  You can do this with parsley and cilantro too.

Green Onions
Freeze them in a plastic bottle for freshness.

Onions
If you store onions in pantyhose they can last as long as 8 months.

Never store onions and potatoes together.  They both spoil faster.

Potatoes
Store potatoes with apples to keep them from sprouting eyes.

Squash
Rub a whole squash with vegetable oil and then store in the pantry.  This should allow it to last for several months.

Tomatoes
Never store tomatoes in plastic bags.  The ethylene gas becomes trapped and causes tomatoes to rot faster.
Unripe tomatoes should be kept stem side down in a paper bag or in a cardboard box until they ripen.
To help ripen faster, store with fruit.  The gases emitted will ripen the tomatoes.
Ripe tomatoes should be stored at room temperature away from sunlight, in a single layer, not touching one another, stem side up.  
Overly ripe tomatoes should be kept in the fridge.




Fruits

Bananas
Wrap the stems of a bunch of bananas tightly with lots of plastic wrap.  They will keep for 3-5 days longer.

Bananas will last even longer if you separate them and individually wrap each one in plastic wrap.  
Bananas emit more ethylene gas than any other fruit, so keep them separate from other fruits and veggies.

Berries
Prepare a mixture of one part vinegar (white or apple cider) and 10 parts water.  Swirl your berries around in the mixture.  Then, drain, rinse and put them into the fridge.  The solution is diluted enough that you won't taste the vinegar and most berries will last 1-2 weeks using this method.



Dairy & Meats

Bacon/Ham
Smoked meats can be stored in a vinegar soaked cloth wrapped in wax paper in the fridge.  
Bacon can be frozen for up to a month.

Butter
You can freeze butter for up to 6 months.

Cheese
Add a dab of butter to the cut side of cheese to keep it from drying out.  
To store cheese, wrap in wax paper, not plastic wrap, and then put it in a plastic baggie.

Cottage Cheese/ Sour Cream
Place the container upside down in the fridge.  This creates a vacuum that inhibits the growth of bacteria.



Herbs

Herbs
To store delicate herbs, such as parsley, basil, cilantro and chives, cover with plastic and secure with a rubber band, then refrigerate.
Oily herbs can be tied loosely together with string and hang them up in the kitchen.
You can also freeze and preserve fresh herbs in olive oil.  Just use an ice tray.  The herbs will infuse the oil while freezing.  The ice cubes are very handy to use, as well.  You can just pop one out of the ice tray and use it as a base for a sauce.  This method works best with rosemary, sage, thyme and oregano.

Everything Else

Bread
You can freeze bread to make it last longer.  
You can also rub an ice cube over a stale bread and then bake for 12 minutes and it will be just like fresh again.

Brown Sugar
Keeping it in the freezer will stop it from hardening.
If you already have some that has hardened, soften it by sealing it in a bag with a slice of bread or apple, or by microwaving it on high for 30 seconds.

Flour
After you get it home, you can freeze flour for 48 hours to kill any insect eggs that might be present.  Then, place in an airtight container in a cool, dry spot away from sunlight.  
To help ward off weevils, put a bay leaf in the container.

Honey
Honey is the only non-perishable food, so don't throw it out.  If your honey crystallizes or gets cloudy, microwave it in 30 second intervals until the honey is clear again.

Mushrooms
Store fresh mushrooms in a brown paper bag to keep light from shining on them.  If exposed to too much light they can grow mildew.

Nuts
Roast your nuts and then put them in the freezer to use later.



Hope you liked these tips!  Let me know how they worked for you.