Sometimes you go out for dinner a few more times than you anticipated when you planned out your grocery shop.
You really don’t want to waste the fresh food (or the money), but you don’t really know how to keep your fruit and veggies fresh.
Well, here are three tips for doing just that:
Consider storage
Not all food can be stored together.
Some vegetables, such as asparagus and sweet potatoes, are sensitive to a natural chemical known as ethylene, which speeds up the ripening process.
For a longer-lasting shop, be sure to keep foods like these away from high ethylene producers like passionfruit, figs and grapes.
So remember to make use of your veggie crisper and be mindful when putting away your weekly grocery shop.
Certain onions have to be stored in cool, dry places such as your pantry to kept them fresh.
If you’re into meal prep, make sure you line the chopped fruit and vegetables with paper towels before placing them in storage containers, as they absorb the moisture that causes fruit to rot.
Another great storage hack is produce bags. Ones like The Swag deter moisture while allowing your food to breathe and stay fresher for longer.
Consider freezing
Placing some of your fruit and vegetables in the freezer will not only keep them fresher for longer, but also help in minimising overcooking. Just separate the food into zip lock bags, and only defrost what you need, when you need it.
Citrus fruits can last up to three months in the freezer, whilse other fruit can last anywhere between 9 and 12 months.
Crazy!
Vegetables can be kept frozen for up to 12 months.
That’ll definitely help your wallet from hurting.
Just remember, things like lettuce, apples, melons, artichokes, eggplant potato and lettuce can’t actually be frozen. So steer clear of freezing those.
Buy what you need
It sounds simple, but never shop on an empty stomach. You’ll want to buy everything and it will not end well.
Instead, consider bi-weekly grocery shops over going once a week.
It’ll help you become more familiar with what is in your fridge and cupboard and prevent you from over-buying and wasting food.
There is no need to buy five mangoes if you know you’ll probably be sick of them after you’ve eaten the second one.
Whilst these are only small steps to minimising your food waste, it can go a long way overall to saving you money and conserving food.
By Claudia Poposki
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