Food storage tips to reduce food waste : Some of the ways to preserve food include keeping summer eggs, putting wilted vegetables in ice, and keeping garlic and onions in the dark.
Food storage tips to reduce food waste
Considering the lack of food due to war and pollution caused by food waste, it is time to find ways to store food so that we can reduce food waste. No one should have to endure food insecurity. Especially when supermarkets have to throw away thousands of tons of food products because their expiration date has passed. It’s time we all do our part to reduce food waste. Therefore, in this article, we have brought you 25 ways to reduce food waste. I hope you can try some new ways to reduce your food waste today.
1- Put the bread on the counter
Bread dries out in the refrigerator, so it’s best to leave it on the counter at room temperature. Soft bread lasts three to four days. If you can’t finish it in that time, freeze it! Do the same for the sweets. After doing this a few times, you will notice that even the sweets will remain as delicious as the first day.
2- Let the fruits ripen on the counter
Leave the fruits on the counter to ripen. Do this with mangoes, papayas, pineapples, tomatoes, avocados, bananas, and citrus fruits. If you want to speed up the ripening process, put them in brown paper bags or wrap them in old newspapers. Once ripe, store them in the refrigerator. They will last there for a few more days.
3- Keep the summer eggs
In addition to saving seeds for planting, turn edible seeds into sweet snacks and treats. For example, pumpkin seeds can be used in many recipes. Pumpkin seeds also have the same use.
4- Keep the products away from heat and ethylene gas
Heat also speeds up the ripening process. Therefore, keep your products away from heat sources such as stoves, toasters or ovens. Ethylene gas also has the same effect. This gas is produced by fruits such as ripe bananas, apples, avocados and tomatoes. So keep them away from sensitive crops like broccoli, cabbage, eggplant, beans, lettuce, etc. Activated charcoal can absorb some ethylene gas, so keep it next to the counter and in your refrigerator to generate and help preserve your food. Charcoal also absorbs odors.
5- Store potatoes, garlic and onions in the dark
Potatoes, garlic and onions should be kept away from moisture, sunlight and heat. Store them in an open, dimly lit place or in a paper bag with holes. Potatoes and garlic can be stored for months. Onions should be used within a month. Also, keep potatoes away from onions. Onions produce ethylene gas, which can cause potatoes to spoil quickly.
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6- Wash the leafy vegetables first
Pour cold water over a head of lettuce for a few seconds, then pour off the excess. Then put it in a bag in the refrigerator and empty the excess air. The leaves stay perfectly crisp for a few days. Wash the leaves again when ready to serve and use within a week. If you want your vegetables to last longer, do not wash them and put them in a sealed bag or container. They stay fresh for several weeks.
7- Keep mushrooms dry to reduce food waste
Place the mushrooms in a paper bag in the refrigerator to dry. They can stay fresh there for up to 4 days. If you put them in two bags, they may stay fresh for a few more days. Mushrooms have a short shelf life, so use them immediately after purchase.
8- Put wilted vegetables in ice
If your vegetables are dehydrated and your salad is incomplete. Try putting them in a bowl of ice. Cut them and leave them there for about 15 to 20 minutes. Let the osmosis process do its job and deliver them to you crisp and fresh. Osmosis is a useful method for preserving food, especially vegetables. You can try this with carrots, leafy greens, bell peppers, etc.
9- Put the plants in a glass of water
picking flowers And placing them in a vase filled with some water will prevent the flowers from wilting prematurely. The same can be done for vegetables and table plants. They can be kept in a glass of water. This glass of water can be placed in the refrigerator or outside the refrigerator. But remember to change the water in the glass every day. Store the glass in the refrigerator or on the counter. But be sure to change the water every day.
10- Put the eggs in the carton
Do not store eggs in the refrigerator door. Instead, put the eggs in a cardboard egg comb and place them on a shelf in the refrigerator. They can last up to five weeks there.
11- Prevent nuts from spoiling
You can buy lots of almonds, peanuts, etc. But if you don’t store them properly, they will rot. To avoid this, dry them and remove the outer skin. Store them in the refrigerator in a closed container. They will last for months. Also freeze raw nuts!
12- Put dry milk, sunflower seed milk and flour in the refrigerator
Place the flour of nuts and seeds in the refrigerator. Freeze milks made from nuts. Because they may spoil.
13- Put the oils in a dark place
Keep your oils away from the stove. Keep them away from oxygen, sunlight, heat and moisture. Otherwise, they may also rot. Store them in a cool, dark closet or cabinet or in the refrigerator.
14- Pack the non-perishables
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Pack seeds and legumes in solid containers (such as glass) and seal them tightly. In this way, it will prevent moisture and insects from entering them. Thin plastic bags can allow moths and weevils to enter and reproduce. Many people even freeze their seeds and legumes. In this way, they will also have a longer lifespan. But you have to consider that if your freezer is full, more energy will be used to keep the fridge running and this may increase your carbon footprint. Therefore, it is suggested to buy in small quantities and consume them quickly. In order to reduce your carbon footprint in this regard, it is better to buy from local stores. This is one of the most important tips for food storage.
15- Can it
Canning involves processing food, sealing it in sterilized containers, and boiling the containers to aerate and sterilize everything. Canning is a great way to preserve food and reduce food waste. Tomato salsa, apple pie filling, whole fruits and leafy vegetables are just a few examples that can be canned.
16- insect repellence
In addition to storing food in closed containers, use natural repellants in the pantry and on the counter. Lemongrass and citronella oil have very good repellency for insects.
17- Keep food away from air
Bacteria and mold in your refrigerator need moisture and oxygen to survive and grow. So keep the food dry. If you store food in plastic bags, it is better to vacuum them to remove the air in them. However, we do not consider the use of plastic containers permissible. Plastic containers and plastic bags in turn cause environmental pollution. It is better to use vegetable containers instead of plastic containers. Disposable vegetable containers are freezer and microwave safe and do not leak chemicals into the food.
18- Save extra water for the garden
Use the extra water that you usually throw away from washing rice or draining to water your plants. Let them cool first. Because hot water destroys delicate plants. Liquids used to cook organic grains and legumes are great for watering plants. The remaining cold coffee and tea also does not harm the plants. Diluted pickle juice also works great. Undiluted acidic pickle juice can kill weeds!
19- Turn food waste into fertilizer
Grind up your eggshells and sprinkle them in the garden as a calcium additive. Use coffee grounds to repel pesky insects. You can pour the pulp of fruit juices, smoothies and nut and seed milks on plants. Mix fruit and vegetable scraps with water and pour this mixture near the roots of your plants. This mixture works like instant compost. If you’re worried about pests, mix in some coffee grounds.
20- Compost
Compost by adding food scraps to the garden and covering with soil. A few months later, plant vegetables and herbs in those spots. Sometimes, bury the waste near tree roots as well. But there are many more composting options, even if you have less space. Search for composting methods on the Internet and learn more about this category. Try vermicompost and bokashi compost. Chances are you’ll find a composting option that works for you!
21- Find compost centers near you
If you’re not ready to compost yourself, find compost centers near you that accept your waste. Talk to your local farmers market. Or look for industrial compost facilities in your area.
22- Enjoy fun scrubs
Use your coffee grounds to make wonderful face and body scrubs. When making coconut oil, make a scrub from the remaining coconut pieces. They are on The skin works great. They are a little rough and still have coconut oil in them. Mix coffee grounds, coconut oil and sugar to get a good exfoliator. For a milder scrub, add honey to almond pulp.
23- Use your seed oil
Save seeds such as sunflower, watermelon, tomato and cucumber or turn them into oil. Many of these oils are rich in linoleic acid, which is great for protecting and repairing the skin. Use them as a body oil to moisturize and hydrate your skin. Just make sure they are stored in the dark or in the refrigerator when not in use.
24- Put animal products into the refrigerator immediately
The refrigerator is the most important tool for storing food. As soon as you get home from the store, refrigerate meat, fish, and dairy products to prevent them from spoiling. Or cut them up and put them in the freezer. Meat and fish can stay in the freezer for months. Milk, cheese and butter can also be frozen. Although the cheese dries out and becomes brittle over time. For this reason, it is better to grate the cheese before freezing. In a separate article, we have written all the smart solutions that were available to prevent food waste in the refrigerator. If you would like to know more about this, click here.
25- Share this article
Share the solutions in this article about proper food storage with your nearest and dearest. If we can do our part to reduce food waste, we can all prevent future food shortage crisis together. There are many ways to reduce food waste. Can you think of another course of action? Let us know in the comments too so we can learn together.
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