How to Keep Food Fresh Longer

Posted September 27, 2013

Do you ever get tired of having to buy fresh bananas not too many days after the first bunch you bought?  Yep, that’s me.  Since my younger son’s fruit of choice at the moment is bananas (we are working on more fruits), I try to keep bananas in stock.  But, as you all know, really ripe bananas are not exactly the best tasting, unless as an ingredient for banana bread.  So, why do bananas ripen so fast and is there a way to keep them fresh for a longer period of time?

 

 

First, see What Causes Bananas to Ripen so Fast?

 

Now, how can you possibly keep bananas fresh longer?  See Keep Bananas Fresh Longer for instructions and a little science.

 

 

Why stop at bananas?  There are many foods that can stand the test of time better with a little help.  The average American family wastes $1,200 in thrown out food each year, according to Timothy Jones, an anthropologist at the University of Arizona.  Why waste money?  The cost of food is crazy high in my opinion, so here are 37 Tips for Keeping Food Fresh Longer.

 

 

 

 

Here are a few more tips:

 

1.   Store potatoes with an apple to prevent sprouting.

 

2.  Revive droopy greens with ice water.  Restore the crisp texture of your wilted greens by soaking them in an ice water bath. Through a process called osmosis, water travels across the permeable membrane of the leafy vegetable’s cell walls into dehydrated cells, making them look fresh again.

 

3.  Keep berries fresh by washing them in vinegar water.  Wash fresh strawberries, raspberries and other berries in a diluted vinegar bath made from one part vinegar and three parts water to lengthen their shelf life for days or even weeks. This works because vinegar is a natural disinfectant and mold killer.  Dry the berries thoroughly and store in a clean, paper towel-lined container.

 

4.  Freeze flour for a few days to kill bugs.

 

Happy eating and enjoy longer lasting food!

 

 

Read Full Post »