Keeping your food fresh long enough to be able to use it can be a challenge. But specific hacks will help you make your food last longer than you may have thought was possible.
Wake Up Your Lettuce
If you had ever bought lettuce only to have it turn brown before you got around to eating it, you are not alone. This is one of the most common reasons foods get thrown away without being used.
The key to preserving lettuce is to keep it close to a roll of paper towels. Bagged lettuce should be taken out of its original packaging and placed in a storage container with one piece of paper towel under the lettuce and one-piece over it. When you do this, you keep moisture away from the lettuce, which will stop it from turning brown. If your lettuce isn’t brown but is just wilted, you can restore it to its original condition by soaking the lettuce in a bowl of ice water for a half-hour.
Keep Fresh Herbs Hydrated
Many recipes call for herbs, making them a staple in kitchens all over the world. As soon as you bring yours home from the store, take them out of the packaging they are in. They should then be wrapped in paper towels that are damp but not soaking wet. Store the paper towel wrapped herbs in a plastic bag, and they will stay fresh longer. Some of the herbs you should store this way include:
Cilantro
Parsley
Sage
Marjoram
Rosemary
Oregano
Thime
But this isn’t the only way to make herbs last longer. They can be frozen for later use, as long as this is done correctly. You can do this using an ice cube tray. All you have to do is put the herbs in and pour olive oil on them. Once placed in the freezer, this keeps herbs fresh until you can use them. They should be stored in a sealed container or bag after they have completely frozen. They can later be thawed in soup or other hot dishes.
Herbs can also be used to make your flavorful butter at home. Once you soften a stick of it, mash your herbs and coat them lightly with sea salt. The next step is to roll them up into the shape of a log, wrap the whole thing in parchment paper, and stick it in your freezer. The butter can then be used to baste vegetables and meat.
Repurpose Stale Bread
Stale bread doesn’t have to go to waste. If you cut the bread into cubes that are 1.5 inches long, you can make your croutons using seasonings and some olive oil. At 350 degrees, they take 15 or 20 minutes to bake thoroughly.
Another way to use stale bread is to make your breadcrumbs. In this case, you’ll want to cut pieces that measure one inch and then crush them in a food processor for no more than 20 seconds. After that, all you have to do is bake it for between five and 10 minutes at 300 degrees.
Keep Tomatoes Out Of The Refrigerator
Tomatoes last the longest when they are stored at room temperature, as opposed to in the refrigerator. Keeping them in an environment that is less than 55 degrees depletes the flavor of the tomato.
Store Grains Tightly
plastic-free food storage products are the best way to keep grains fresh. Foods like popcorn, wild rice, oats, wheat, barley, and quinoa have to be kept away from moisture to preserve them. And except for popcorn, if you have to use grains up in a hurry, they can be a healthy addition to many types of soup.
Preserve Avocados In Lemon Juice
When you only use half an Avocado, the rest can spoil quickly. To prevent this, you can squeeze juice from a fresh lemon onto the exposed Avocado. The citric acid in lemons will help them last longer. They should be tightly wrapped in plastic for safe storage.
Your food will stay fresh for longer if you consistently use these hacks.
