Food going bad before you get around to eating it is frustrating, expensive and wasteful. Fortunately, a few simple food storage habits can help everyday ingredients stay fresh for longer.
These 18 food storage tips will help you organise your fridge and pantry, store common ingredients properly and reduce the amount of food that ends up in the bin.
Food Storage Tips to Keep Food Fresh for Longer
- Keep your fridge at the right temperature. A fridge that is too warm can shorten the life of your food. Aim to keep your refrigerator at 5°C or colder and avoid leaving the door open longer than necessary.
- Don’t overfill your fridge. Cold air needs room to circulate. Packing your fridge too tightly can create warmer areas and make it harder to keep everything evenly chilled.
- Store leftovers in airtight containers. Cover leftovers promptly and use clean, sealed containers to protect them and prevent them from drying out or absorbing other smells.
- Label leftovers with the date. A small piece of tape and a marker can save you from wondering how long that mystery container has been sitting in the fridge.
- Use older food first. When unpacking groceries, move older products towards the front and place newer ones behind them. It’s a simple way to stop perfectly good food being forgotten.
- Keep milk in the main part of the fridge. The fridge door experiences more temperature changes as it opens and closes. Store milk and other highly perishable dairy products further inside the fridge where temperatures tend to be more consistent.
Smart Ways to Store Fruit & Vegetables
- Wait to wash berries until you’re ready to eat them. Extra moisture encourages berries to deteriorate more quickly. Keep them dry in the fridge and wash them just before eating.
- Store fresh herbs like a small bunch of flowers. Many soft-stemmed herbs can be kept upright in a jar with a little water. Depending on the herb, they can then be loosely covered and refrigerated.
- Keep potatoes somewhere cool, dark and ventilated. Store potatoes away from direct sunlight in a breathable container rather than sealing them in an airtight plastic bag.
- Keep onions and potatoes apart. Although both like cool, dark storage, keeping them separately can help them last longer.
- Use your fridge drawers intentionally. Crisper drawers are designed to create better conditions for fresh produce. Use them instead of squeezing every fruit and vegetable onto the main shelves.
- Check fresh produce regularly. One deteriorating piece of fruit or vegetable can easily be overlooked. Remove anything that is spoiling before it affects the rest of your produce.
Freezer & Pantry Storage Hacks
- Freeze food in useful portions. Instead of freezing a large amount together, divide food into portions you’re likely to use at one time. It makes defrosting easier and helps avoid waste.
- Remove excess air from freezer bags. Press out as much air as practical before sealing freezer bags. This saves space and helps protect food from freezer burn.
- Freeze items flat when you can. Soups, sauces and similar foods can be frozen flat in suitable freezer bags, then stacked or stored upright once solid to save space.
- Label your freezer food. Write what the food is and the date it was frozen. Frozen leftovers become surprisingly difficult to identify once covered in frost.
- Use airtight containers for dry pantry staples. Properly sealed containers can help protect foods such as flour, rice, pasta and cereals from moisture, pests and spills.
- Check your pantry before shopping. A quick look through the fridge, freezer and pantry before writing your shopping list can prevent buying duplicates and help you plan meals around food that needs using.
Small Changes Can Help Reduce Food Waste
You don’t need an elaborate storage system to make your groceries last longer. Start by keeping track of what you already have, storing food appropriately and using older ingredients before opening new ones.
A few small habits can make your fridge and pantry easier to manage while helping you get more from the food you buy.
Looking for more clever ways to make everyday life easier? Explore more Life Hacks from The Thought Hive.
