4 Secret Ways To Extend The Shelf Life Of Your Food

Since groceries make up one of the largest components of the average household budget, it is important to know how to save big when shopping for food. Better yet, knowing how to cut down on your wasted food and keep things fresh for longer can help you avoid throwing out expensive food that has gone bad. With food waste becoming such a prominent problem in the developed world, being aware of some basic techniques for food preservation is important.

Extending the shelf life of your food is one of the best things you can do to ensure that you do not waste money and that you can enjoy fresh vegetables and the like with every meal. Following some simple strategies and investing in kitchen technologies like a vacuum sealer machine are great places to start.

Let’s take a closer look at some of these simple strategies to extend the shelf life of your food.

Try Pickling Your Vegetables

Pickling is a process that can keep your vegetables preserved for a long time. While most people know the process as it relates to cucumber or cabbage pickling, virtually any vegetable can be pickled, although some options will be more appetising than others.

To start out, learn the basics of making a salt brine and how to prepare vegetables for pickling. This process takes minimal equipment and, with an investment of your time, you can make delicious pickles that will last for months.

Dry Out Your Fruit

While fruit that sits on the counter can quickly rot if it is not consumed quickly, dehydrating or drying out your unused fruit can make its shelf-life much longer.

You can either buy a dehydrator if you plan on doing this process frequently, though for a more cost-effective option you can simply use the windows of your home to sun dry your fruit. Slice big pieces of fruit into smaller and thinner pieces. Make sure that there is adequate airflow around the pieces, however, or you will find that they simply rot in the sun.

Try A Vacuum Sealer Machine

By removing the air from around your perishable foods, a vacuum sealer machine is a simple yet convenient tool for increasing the shelf life of your produce. This process eliminates most of the oxidation that happens to perishable foods when they are exposed to air. Keep sealed foods in the fridge for best results.

Make Sure To Get Your Five Per Day

Having fresh perishable foods in your pantry for longer can allow you to make better choices when it comes to nutrition. Invest some time in applying these simple strategies and consider purchasing a vacuum sealer to minimise wasteful spending on food and maximise the enjoyment you get out of your perishable items.

Day-To-Day Tips

Sometimes you need a quick preservation tip to save food in the short-term. For example, if you only have the appetite for half of an avocado, you can simply rub some lemon juice on the uneaten half to ensure that it does not brown.

As a rule, it is not a good idea to wash your vegetables and fruits before you put them in the fridge for storage. However, for berries, it can be good to use water and vinegar to prevent mould from accumulating on them in the fridge.

Remember to separate fruits and vegetables in your fridge. Different chemicals are emitted by different types of produce, which can prematurely cause other things in your fridge to decay and rot. Make sure that you do not store incompatible things together to avoid creating a mess and wasting food.