Food Storage Guidelines

Here is a list of food storage guidelines.

Buying foods in bulk is more cost effective. Some of them can last for a few days while some others like root vegetables can last for weeks or months. But if you don't handle and store them properly, they will get spoilt and damaged easily, would be unsafe to eat and go to waste.

So here are several food storage tips that you might find helpful. You may need to use plastic food storage containers, tea or paper towels, plastic bags, and brown paper bags for some of them.

Storing Potatoes

To ensure that potatoes last long, place them in a brown paper bag with holes to allow for air to flow. You could also use a hessian bag or burlap to reduce spoilage. Before you put them into the bag, make sure that any damaged potatoes are not placed together with the good ones. Don't wrap them or they will sprout and don't use polythene bags or they will rot easily. Keep the bag of potatoes in a dry, dark and cool place, away from sunlight, but not in the refrigerator.

How to Store Garlic

Just like potatoes, fresh garlic should be stored in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. If you like, you can buy a garlic pot. Garlic pots are specially designed with holes for air to flow. Otherwise keep your garlic in an uncovered container or a mesh bag, and again, not in the refrigerator.

Storing Eggs

Keep your eggs in the egg storage box in the refrigerator with the rounded ends on top. Keep them away from strong smelling foods because egg shells are porous and will easily absorb flavors and smells.

How to Store Onions

Whole onions should be kept in a mesh bag or basket and placed in a dark and cool place. Before you store them, remove shoots and loose skin. You can also use your old unused panty hose to store your fresh onions. Hang it in a cool place.

Storing Carrots

You can use a plastic container for your fresh carrots and put them in the vegetable bin. Before you keep them, remove the top or root.

Food Storage Guidelines on Storing Apples

One bad apple spoils the barrel. So before you store your apples, ensure that you remove the bad ones. If you want to keep your apples longer, don't wash them prior to storing. Put the good ones in a plastic bag and keep them in the crisper in the refrigerator. Avoid storing your apples together with broccoli, cabbage, cucumbers, cauliflowers and green vegetables because they would spoil faster since apples produce gas. If you don't have space in the fridge, keep your apples in a cool dry place.

Storing Vegetables

Food storage guidelines on storing the different types of vegetables:

1. Leafy Greens
   
   

   Before you store your leafy green vegetables, wash and dry them thorough. A salad spinner will help in straining the water. Then split the leaves and place them in a plastic container that is lined with a tea or paper towel and place them in the vegetable bin in your fridge.

   
   
   
2. Storing Root Vegetables
   
   

   Carrots, potatoes, pumpkins, parsnips, beet root and turnips are some of the root vegetables. Except for potatoes, most of the root vegetables can be stored in the vegetable bin in the refrigerator. You can store a whole pumpkin in a cool and dry place like the cellar and it will last for a while.

   
   
   
3. Storing Mushrooms
   
   

   Wrap your mushrooms with paper bags. If you use a plastic bag, the mushrooms will get mushy easily.

   
   
   
4. Food Storage Guidelines on How to Store Tomatoes
   
   

   Fresh and ripe tomatoes should be left at room temperature for them to last longer and to maintain the flavor. If you have sliced them or they are overripe, then you can keep put them in plastic containers and keep them in the fridge. If you have unripe tomatoes, a little sun can help them ripen. Putting them together with apples and bananas will also help because both emit ethylene gas that will speed up the ripening process.

Food Storage Guidelines on Storing Bread

There are several ways to store bread and keep the fresh longer. One of the methods is to wrap it in a few layers of plastic and then tie it tightly. Place it in a cool and dark place. You can also purchase a bread box to store your bread. Another alternative is to wrap it using aluminum foil. Freezing it helps too. If your bread is already sliced, put the pieces in a plastic bag and freeze. When you want to eat your bread, take the number of slices that you need and pop them into the toaster.

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