There is nothing more frustrating than prepping your salad only to realize your three-day-old lettuce is already wilting, or reaching for a handful of berries that are already a little mouldy (especially when you realize it too late). Expired produce is a major source of food waste, not to mention a waste of your hard-earned cash. No need to resign yourself to a dry-food-only diet, though. These food hacks will keep your produce, dairy, and grains fresh all the way up to their best-by date.
Material required: Cold water, Vinegar, Jar, Paper towels, Olive oil
Store in cold water: Vegetables like carrots, celery, lettuce and potatoes can be stored in a jar or a container filled with cold water. But, to prolong the freshness of these vegetables, make sure you change the water every two days. This way, you can keep the ingredients fresh and handy for whenever you need them.
Cut the root: Some root vegetables like turnip, asparagus, green onions can quickly go bad. To make them last longer, cut the roots of these and store them in water.
Freezing: If you have any leftover fruits or veggies that can be kept in the refrigerator, then transfer them in a container and store them in the deep freezer. This way, they won’t rot, and you can use them later as well.
Use vinegar: In a jar or a container, add water and some vinegar; and in this mixture, you can dip any kind of berries, apples, green onions, bell peppers, tomatoes or pears. Let the fruits and vegetables soak in this mixture for five minutes, and then rinse it under fresh water. Now, you can store this in your fridge for longer span.
Wrap in paper towels: Paper towels are one of those things that we all have in abundance. If you are only using it to just clean your countertops, then you are in for a surprise. You can also use these paper towels to store the vegetables. This hack works the best for green leafy vegetables. Leafy vegetables are more prone to soaking moisture from the environment. So, wrapping it in paper towel helps prevent excess moisture.
Freeze fresh herbs in oil: Herbs are a great way to add flavour and freshness to your meals, but it always seems impossible to use them all up before they go bad. Instead of waiting for that extra basil to inevitably perish in your fridge, freeze it in oil so you can use it later. All you have to do is chop up your herbs, spoon them into an ice cube tray, top with olive oil, and pop into the freezer. Later on, you can use your frozen herb cubes to flavour sauces, soups, pasta dishes and more.
