{"id":33842,"date":"2023-01-30T02:32:00","date_gmt":"2023-01-30T02:32:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/?p=33842"},"modified":"2023-01-31T02:32:44","modified_gmt":"2023-01-31T02:32:44","slug":"how-to-keep-food-fresh","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/how-to-keep-food-fresh\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Tips & Tricks to Keep Food Fresh for *Much* Longer"},"content":{"rendered":"

To maximize nutrient intake while saving money, learn how to keep food fresh with must-follow tips from culinary experts. Plus: how to store potatoes, onions, apples, berries, and other fresh foods to max out their shelf lives.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

As much as we love a night on the town, those restaurant outings don\u2019t always love us back. Compared to dining out, cooking at home has been linked to better diet quality<\/a>, improved mental health<\/a>, and more money in your bank account<\/a>\u2014not to mention more time to invest in things other than worrying about what to wear. (That can\u2019t be just us, right?)<\/p>\n\n\n

That said, stocking up on ingredients to cook more homemade meals<\/a> means that you\u2019re at increased risk for food waste: a massive problem in the US and globally. A staggering 199 billion pounds of food is wasted each year in the US, according to estimates by Feeding America<\/a>. This accounts to about 40 percent of all food grown or manufactured that\u2019s later wasted rather than put to good use\u2014and about 39 percent of the tossed food is falling victim to spoilage in our homes (rather than on farms or in restaurants, schools, hospitals, and other commercial uses).\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

If you buy in bulk or live in a small household, it can feel especially daunting to try to make it through your fresh produce<\/a>, meats, and dairy<\/a> items before they go bad. With this in mind\u2014and since we\u2019re on a collective quest to shift more towards a whole foods, plant-based diet<\/a>\u2014we\u2019re rounding up our very best tips to keep fresh food fresh longer. With these pointers from culinary pros in your arsenal, you\u2019ll have more time to meal prep and enjoy, rather than falling victim to the hands of time.<\/p>\n\n\n

How to Keep Food Fresh, According to Pros<\/h2>\n\n\n

1. Live by \u201cFIFO”<\/h3>\n\n\n

This is food industry speak for first-in, first-out. \u201cWhile the practice doesn\u2019t necessarily extend the life of fresh foods, it ensures you\u2019re correctly rotating your fresh foods, which should help minimize food waste<\/a>,\u201d confirms Stephanie Michalak White<\/a>, a Dayton, Kentucky-based chef instructor for culinary arts and plant-based culinary arts at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n

When you put something new in, whether it\u2019s produce or leftovers, position it further back and bring something older towards the front, recommends Lauren Grant-Vose, founder of Zestful Kitchen<\/a>. \u201cThis allows you to keep eyes on your inventory and helps you keep track of what’s fresh and what’s a bit older and ready to be used.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

2. Create a showcase kitchen<\/h3>\n\n\n

As far as those first-out items go, <\/strong>Kristen Hong<\/a>\u2014a Dublin, California-based blogger at hellonutritarian.com<\/a> and the author of Fridge Love<\/em><\/a>\u2014likes to create an ingredient “showcase” where she takes the fresh produce out of the crisper drawers and positions it at eye level to make it look inspiring to use. \u201cIt gives you a feeling of possibility when you open the fridge and see all your beautiful, colorful produce<\/a> first thing,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Couple<\/figure>\n\n\n

3. Stay whole<\/h3>\n\n\n

While it can be tempting to meal prep<\/a> up a storm and wash and chop everything so it\u2019s ready to cook with in an instant, Grant-Vose suggests keeping things “whole” as long as you can. \u201cIf you’re planning to make something with shredded cabbage, for example, avoid shredding it too far in advance. The same holds true for whole heads of broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, cucumbers, lettuce, apples, pears and beyond,\u201d Grant-Vose adds.<\/p>\n\n\n

4. Know when to hold \u2018em and when to cold \u2018em<\/h3>\n\n\n

Placing fresh foods in cool, dry storage versus the refrigerator\u2014depending on what\u2019s best for each\u2014can make a major difference in their lifespan, Michalak White advises. (Much more on that below.)<\/p>\n\n\n

\u201cTomatoes are best at room temperature on the counter. If you place them in the refrigerator, they may get mealy. Other items, like mushrooms, should be refrigerated and may spoil quicker outside the refrigerator,\u201d she says. Why are some items so temp<\/em>eramental?\u00a0 \u201cThis is predominantly due to different temperatures and humidity and moisture needs to keep ingredients as fresh as possible,\u201d Michalak White explains.<\/p>\n\n\n

5. Gear up and get organized<\/h3>\n\n\n

You don’t go on a massive shopping spree at The Container Store to become a food storage pro, Hong says. \u201cI highly recommend starting off with pasta sauce jars. Raid your own recycling bin! I’ve done the comparisons in my own fridge and pasta sauce jars work just as well as Mason jars for produce storage.\u201d However, if having a fully matching fridge inspires you to stress less and cook more, feel free.<\/p>\n\n\n

Michalak White adores stackable, reusable glass containers with lids, and swears by masking tape and a permanent marker to label and date everything. If you do decide to up the ante, Grant-Vose has tested many items and can verify that the OXO Good Grips GreenSaver Produce Keeper<\/a> extends the life of berries\u2014that is, if you have room for it in your fridge. To keep food fresh longer without needing plastic wrap, she says she’s \u201cobsessed” with Food Huggers Silicone Food Savers<\/a>. “Beeswax wraps are also a great alternative,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n\n\n

6. Remember these counter and fridge frenemies<\/h3>\n\n\n

You’ll want to identify ethylene-sensitive produce and ethylene-rich produce, Grant-Vose says\u2014and tgen keep differing types away from each other. \u201cEthylene-rich produce like apples, avocados, stone fruits, tomatoes, melons, potatoes, and ripe bananas can cause ethylene-sensitive produce to ripen or deteriorate quicker,” she explains. “To be safe, just store these away from other produce, by themselves. The easiest rule to follow is to just store like produce together.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

Keep in mind that most of the testing regarding ethylene is usually based on food storage on a massive industrial scale, Hong counters, which means that \u201cethylene interactions will never be as pronounced in your home fridge as they would be in a cold-storage room. Plastic produce bags mitigate ethylene interactions. If you only have large crisper drawers, go ahead and keep a set of plastic produce bags for storage and wrap separate items individually, then store as you like.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

7. Utilize paper towels<\/h3>\n\n\n

They\u2019re not just for soaking up spills any more. \u201cPaper towels are a great way to extend the life of produce,\u201d Grant-Vose says. \u201cBerries, leafy greens<\/a>, snap peas, and herbs can all benefit from a paper towel being placed in the storage container. Replace it with a fresh one occasionally if needed to absorb extra moisture.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Fresh<\/figure>\n\n\n

Tips for storing Your Go-To Foods<\/h2>\n\n\n

All that said, there\u2019s no single food storage hack that reigns supreme for all fresh fare\u2014so we\u2019re breaking down individualized advice for some of the most popular and nutrititious picks below.<\/p>\n\n\n

Tip:<\/strong> Need to fill in some dietary gaps? HUM’s Base Control contains 22 vitamins and minerals that support overall health and well-being.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Worth noting: \u201cEvery fridge is different. Plus, where you live and the time of year that it is will impact the overall shelf life you can expect from your fresh foods,\u201d Hong says. Follow these general best practices, then check out the food spoilage section below, so you can perform a quality check wisely.<\/p>\n\n\n

How to store potatoes<\/h3>\n\n\n

Store in a cool, dry place away from sunlight, such as a low cupboard or pantry shelf. You can also peel and chop potatoes and store them covered in water in your fridge for three to five days; simply rinse once more before using.<\/p>\n\n\n

How to store onions<\/h3>\n\n\n

Store in a cool, dry place away from sunlight, such as a low cupboard or pantry shelf. Since onions are ethylene-sensitive and potatoes are ethylene-rich, it\u2019s best to keep these two away from each other if you want to keep each fresh longer.<\/p>\n\n\n

How to store apples and pears<\/h3>\n\n\n

Based on Hong\u2019s home tests, apples ripen six to 10 times faster at room temperature than refrigerated. If you’re eating them within seven to 10 days, feel free to keep them at room temperature but away from direct light. For optimal lifespan, store both apples and pears in the produce drawer of your refrigerator; they should last for 10 days (pears) to six weeks (apples).<\/p>\n\n\n

How to store leafy greens<\/h3>\n\n\n

Grant-Vose uses her OXO Good Grips Salad Spinner<\/a> often and suggests reaching for it to speed up leafy green<\/a> prep. Place the greens in the salad spinner and fill with cold water. Using clean hands, gently agitate the greens to help dislodge any dirt, then lift the basket out and dump the water. Place the basket back in the spinner and spin the greens dry. Store the greens in a large food storage container with a lid, with sheets of paper towels between layers to absorb excess water. Flip the container about every day or two. (This will deter water from pooling and will rotate weight concentration.) Eat leafy greens within seven days.<\/p>\n\n\n

How to store berries<\/h3>\n\n\n

Don\u2019t wash berries before storing them. Either keep in the plastic container the berries are sold in, or transfer to a glass container with a lid. Refrigerate in an area that\u2019s distant from the airflow vents (likely near the front of any shelf) for up to seven days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Woman<\/figure>\n\n\n

How to store fresh herbs<\/h3>\n\n\n

For leafy herbs like cilantro and parsley, rinse under a gentle stream of cold water, then shake or spin dry. Trim the stems (like a bouquet of flowers) and place the herbs, stem-side down, in a jar filled with an inch of water. Cover loosely with a plastic produce bag or reusable silicone bag to create a \u201ctent.\u201d Change the water every three to five days; these herbs should last up to two weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n

For hardy herbs, such as rosemary and thyme, rinse under a gentle stream of cold water, then shake or spin dry. Wrap in a slightly damp paper towel, transfer to a zip-top plastic or reusable silicone bag, and store in the refrigerator crisper drawer for up to three weeks. (Chives, although tender, should be stored like a hardy herb and will last up to a week under these conditions.)<\/p>\n\n\n

Basil is the one exception to these refrigerator rules. Trim the stems, then place the basil, stem-side down, in a jar filled with about an inch of water. Store, uncovered at room temperature and out of direct sunlight; it should last up to two weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n

How to store meat<\/h3>\n\n\n

Store meat in the package you purchased it in. Place the packages on a small baking sheet (to catch any potential leaks) and store on the lowest shelf in the refrigerator, as far away from the door as possible. (We recommend this location since it\u2019s the coldest place in the fridge.) If you don\u2019t plan on using the meat within two days, transfer it to the freezer. The day before you plan to use frozen meat, move it back to the refrigerator and allow it to thaw overnight on a small baking sheet back on the lowest shelf in the refrigerator, away from the door.<\/p>\n\n\n

How to store cheese<\/h3>\n\n\n

Wrap blocks of cheese tightly in plastic wrap, then transfer to zip-top plastic or reusable silicone bags. This should prevent them from drying out prematurely and\/or melding flavors.<\/p>\n\n\n

How to Know If Your Food Has Gone Bad<\/h2>\n\n\n

The number one factor that degrades our produce is temperature, Hong says, and it can make other factors\u2014including humidity, water, and oxygen exposure\u2014create more damage.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

\u201cYour nose will tell you if something is not quite right. Trust the smell for checking meat, seafood<\/a>, dairy products, or produce\u201d Grant-Vose says.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

You can also use visual and textural cues. Ask yourself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n