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Keeping food in good condition for longer is a great advantage. It not only helps our health and pocket, but it also does it with the planet.
Know some tricks so that the fridge Being our great ally even in the most difficult situations (full fridge, short-lived products, mixed smells, etc.) can make a big difference when it comes to extending the shelf life of food.
In this post we are going to review ten basic tips that will be easy to retain to apply on a day-to-day basis. All are aimed at preserving food in the refrigerator and, in addition to increasing its durability, its objective is both to preserve its organoleptic qualities (those related to the senses: flavor, aroma …) and its nutritional qualities.
By following them, the food will taste better and feed us more, while avoiding throwing more food out of the strictly necessary. Moreover, with good management in this regard, we should not waste any food. Is that possible? Let's just make it possible with tricks like these:
Do not overfill it
The refrigerators that are overflowing have two drawbacks and one advantage. In addition to the comfort that it implies, the positive part is the lower carbon footprint that implies going to buy twice or that the truck that brings the order to our house has to do it more times. Unfortunately, however, there is little more to celebrate.
Besides that the fridge will have more problems maintaining a certain temperature, that is, it will use more energy, the air will also circulate with great difficulty. In other words, higher energy consumption and worse food preservation. As with so many other things, in the middle we will find virtue.
Packings out!
Pizzas, yogurts, meat, fish, eggs or packaged cold cuts In trays, among a myriad of products sold in cardboard packaging, polystyrene, plastics and other materials must be stripped to enter the refrigerator. Some of us will return to introduce them in containers, this time in tuppers (better made of glass for visibility and safety) or in cheese dishes, let's say.
We will improve the sanitary hygiene safety of our refrigerator, since the containers lead to contamination by contact during transport and handling, while we will lighten the refrigerator. The air will circulate better and we will consume less energy.
Do we refrigerate the eggs?
The eggs are not refrigerated in the store, but we must. The reason is simple: in the supermarket they are kept at room temperature to avoid expenses and not submit them to a sudden change in temperature when the consumer takes them away.
In any case, if we prefer the egg cup of a lifetime, let's consume them quickly. They will hold out for a few days without any problem, as the main problem with the eggs is the highs and lows in temperature. Its packaging, the typical egg cupsThey are a source of pollution, and the same is true of the shell. We do not wash them before consuming them or when storing them. Its surface is porous and we would be introducing dirt inside it.
Well clean fridge
Maintain The sanitized refrigerator is mandatory if we want to reduce the burden of pathogens in its atmosphere and surfaces. It will be enough to do a deep cleaning once a month and each time a product passes. The baking soda Mixed with water, vinegar and lemon are very effective green products to keep microorganisms at bay.
Be careful with the butter
The Butter lasts a long time without problems. However, its aroma can be seriously affected if it is not stored properly. If we want to avoid it, let's keep it in an airtight container. It will be much more effective than simply wrapping paper or placing it, so beautifully, on a plate. In this way, it will act as a sponge and will absorb odors and pollution at large. Unless we want one Butter with smell to sardines or garlic, it will be better to cover it.
Where to keep the cheeses?
Outside packaging, and inside the cheese factory. Something similar to butter happens with cheeses. They absorb odors and lose organoleptic qualities within hours. In addition, this way we will prevent it from drying out if the refrigerator is not frost.
What do we do with the fish?
Fish should be stored separately, in the coldest area. The refrigerators minimally modern usually have a space dedicated to it that is very practical. We will avoid odors and cross contamination if we use closed containers.
And the meat?
Like fish, it is a short-lived fresh product that requires more cold than other foods. It will also be better in your tupperware. If we refrigerate the meat or fish once cooked, we can store them in a less cold area of the refrigerator. Let's prevent contact between raw and cooked food and avoid cross contamination.
Fruit and vegetables, well aerated
Inside of refrigerator, fruits and vegetables should not be stacked to maximize their shelf life. In this way, the air will circulate better. Therefore, less quantity will be better.
Keep in mind that fruits can last out of the fridge for a long time. The term will depend on the type of fruit in question, but all of them will end up losing their nutritional quality if they are left too long. Cold helps us control the proliferation of pathogens, so we have to find a balance between their conservation outside or inside the fridge.
Some fruits such as pineapple, bananas and other typically tropical fruits will suffer more in the refrigerator and, in general, many types of fruit will lose their organoleptic qualities in the refrigerator. They will do it progressively, with which we can adjust the quantities that we buy at their times maturation Y consumption.
Tomatoes, a separate case
If we want tomatoes to taste like tomatoes, let's not abuse the cold. The ideal plan would be to keep them out of the fridge. They will hold perfectly for a few days. It will depend on how ripe they are and on the temperature and conditions of conservation of the jewelry or fruit bowl, let's say, but in general they hold up perfectly if we make a weekly purchase.
But why are tomatoes a case apart? Botanically they are a fruit, not a vegetable, and in practice this means that they require special storage conditions. If we put them in the fridge it will lose feasily its flavor and aroma. On the contrary, let's leave them at room temperature and that is how we will enjoy them. Above all, it would be a shame not to do it when they are organic, usually much more fragrant and tasty …
If you want to read more articles similar to 10 tricks to better keep food in the fridgeWe recommend that you enter our Healthy Eating category.
