After buying all your groceries, you want to make sure they last as long as you need them too. Unfortunately, food can spoil quickly if you don’t store it properly. Learning the best ways to store your food can help you lose less of it.
Don’t Store Too Much at Once
The amount of food you have is important to monitor for two reasons. First, if you have more food than you can actually eat then it’s more likely to spoil. Make sure you only purchase enough perishable items for you to eat before it all spoils. For example, if you grocery shop each week, only get perishable items that you can eat during the upcoming week. The second reason you should monitor how much food you store is because the amount actually influences whether or not the food spoils. In your fridge, you need to have plenty of airflow. Without this airflow, your food will spoil faster. Don’t overstuff your fridge. Make sure there is still plenty of room for air to move around.
Use Oxygen Absorbers and Mylar Bags
Fresh food is often the priority when it comes to preventing food from spoiling. However, you also need to keep an eye on your dry goods. Over time, these foods can become stale and lose their flavor. One of the best ways to preserve these types of foods is using oxygen absorbers with Mylar bags. Oxygen is one of the primary culprits for spoiling foods. If you have opened packages, boxes, etc. then oxygen is already causing your food to go stale. If you place your packaged foods in Mylar bags and remove the air with oxygen absorbers, you will be amazed at the shelf-life of the food. They are also very useful if you vacuum seal your food. An oxygen absorber can add some extra protection to anything you vacuum seal.
Know How to Store Different Types of Food
Not all food is stored the same way and knowing how to store different types of food can decrease the amount of spoiled food you have. One of the most important things for you to do is store your fruits and vegetables separately. They each release unique gasses that can actually spoil the other. For example, as fruits ripen, they release ethylene which causes foods to ripen prematurely. Having fruit nearby can spoil your vegetables. Additionally, you want to make sure you are storing your meat properly. The meat itself should be stored in a way that will cause it to not spoil. Fresh fish, for example, needs to be on ice. You also want to avoid storing raw meat above other foods so the juices don’t drip down and spoil other food.
Making your food last will save you money and ensure you get to enjoy all the food you buy. Make sure you know how to best store your food so it will last longer. There is plenty you can do to keep your food from spoiling.
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