Jonathan Wilhoite Blog: Keep Your Food Fresh Longer

Thursday, March 3, 2016

Keep Your Food Fresh Longer

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Oftentimes you feel the urge to stock up on fresh produce that could last for several days on end especially when there are instant bargains and makes you think of ways to keep your food fresh longer.

One of the challenges to storing food is that each variety has different ‘best before’ consume dates and often gets ignored when you make your trip to the supermarket either for your regular shopping trip or a quick stop for a fast meal.

Nonetheless, it will always be important to know practical and simple life hacks that could help you keep food fresh longer and also help you save time and money.

Bananas. They turn brown quickly and lose their appetizing appeal when it happens. The best way to keep them staying fresh longer is to cover the banana stems in cling or plastic wrap. This will help prevent ethylene from quickly ripening them. You can also separate the bananas and wrap the stem tips individually to get the same results.
Berries. Keep them fresh longer by making a solution of 1 part white vinegar to 10 parts water and rinsing the berries before putting them into the refrigerator. The solution kills any mold spores on the berries that could allow them to be stored a week or two more in the refrigerator.
Herbs and spices. Bunch your herbs together and place in a jar of water cut-ends down, then cover the top with a plastic bag to keep moisture in before putting them inside the refrigerator. The same can be done for asparagus.
Lettuce. Make sure to pat the lettuce leaves dry using a paper towel then place them in an airtight bag with a paper towel. The paper towel acts as an absorbent to allow the lettuce leaves to stay fresh longer and prevent the leaves from drying out.
Avocados. Maintain the fruits at room temperature until it ripens, before placing them in a bag to put in the refrigerator that would allow them to stay for another three to five days. For fruits that have been sliced, prevent them from oxidizing by wrapping them tightly in plastic.
Tomatoes. Allow the tomatoes to ripen in a cool place arranged in a box or tray. Store overripe tomatoes inside the refrigerator where the cold air will stop it from quickly ripening further.
Vegetables. Bell peppers, cucumbers, celery, etc. Avoid chopping it up until they are ready for consumption. Chopped vegetables dry out or spoil faster.