Somehow it’s already the second week of Lent. If you are joining in the Love Food Hate Waste Lent Challenge then hopefully you will already have seen a reduction in your food waste (if any) by shopping sensibly and meal planning. This week we’re going to take a look at storing food to keep it as fresh as possible.
Food storage containers are vital to keep your food fresh for longer. There are so many different styles available to suit all tastes but remember to always choose function over form.
Bread Bins
Possibly the hardest working food storage in my kitchen is our bread bin. As long as you choose the right bread bin it really keep your bread fresher than leaving it out.
Points to consider when buying a bread bin are: how big does it need to be to store the amount of bread you use, is it ventilated and does it close well.
The Brabantia Fall Front Bread Bin is large enough for two loaves of bread, is properly ventilated and closes well with a magnetic seal. I also like the flat top design which offers extra surface space.
Dry Food Storage
Hot Drinks
Of course you can always keep food in the packaging it comes home in. Instant coffee for example comes in a very practical jar. However, it is quite common to have storage caddies for these items that do look more pleasing on the eye.
Pasta and Cereals
Pasta often comes in a resealable bag, I always have a small tape dispenser handy in the kitchen for resealing half open packets too. Foil and cling film are also handy tools for instant food storage. I prefer to keep my cupboards tidier by having storage containers especially for grain items such as rice and lentils. Kilner and Mason jars are handy for storage. We also like to keep our cereal in pour-able containers.
Flour and Sugar
It is essential to keep flour in an airtight container as the paper packaging is only strong enough to get the fine grain home (sometimes the packaging splits even before you leave the shop). As well as keeping the flour in one place, the air tight container will also keep out weevils (flour bugs).
Fruit and Vegetables
Most fruit and vegetables can be stored at room temperature. Personally, we store the majority of our fruit and veg in the crisper in our refrigerator. The exception to this is we take a couple of tomatoes out of the fridge daily as they taste better at room temperature. We never store bananas in the fridge as they go black more quickly and can spoil other fruits.
We like to use a banana tree and fruit basket. Our bananas are always stored on the tree and our fruit for the day is put in the bowl daily.
Herbs
Personally, I think growing a herb plant and only cutting when needed is the best way to store your fresh herbs. However, if you do buy in a pack of fresh herbs pop them in some water (like a flower) and they will last longer. This works for celery too but in our case we always use celery up fairly quickly anyway.
In the Fridge
I don’t eat meat or dairy food but keep my vegan equivalents, soya milk, yogurts, margarine, tofu etc in the fridge. A variety of clear plastic containers are handy to store opened food. Pick these up in local home shops or even the supermarket.
There is always a debate about whether to keep sauces in the fridge or not. While I know that sauces can be kept in the cupboard we like to keep ours in the fridge (controversial to some I know- where do you keep yours?).
The good news is the correct food storage not only reduces food waste but it keeps the food tasting better as well!
What are your food storage tips? Remember to sign up to the Love Food Hate Waste Lent Challenge for more daily tips to help you #giveupbinningfood .
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Try and cook extra portions of meals to freeze
Only buy what you need and batch bake -saves waste
Keep cheese in plastic containers to make it last longer and stop it from drying out in its packaging
I store my sliced bread in the freezer and just use it as and when I need it