Moldy cheese, wilted vegetables, or sad, overly ripe fruits, or that thing you found in the bottom of the fridge that may have once been pie? No matter how organized or well planned out our meals are, it has happened to us all at one point in our lives. Having pinned, planned and shopped you walk on over to your fridge, pull it open (feeling very proud about said pinning, planning and shopping, and very proud about the epic salad that will shortly be filling your belly), and now, at the moment of truth, you’re dismayed to find that your basil now looks like a shadow of its self; you have no choice but to dispose of it. That’s your hard earned money going into the trash can.
The good news is that we’ve got technology to help us preserve our foods a little bit longer (yay!), the bad news is that they either aren’t sufficient by themselves or are quite expensive (boo!). Let’s face it, not many of us have an extra $225 laying around to spend on a pressure cooker canner. So what is the meal prepper extraordinaire to do? Go hunting for budget hacks to keep foods fresh, of course.
That said, here are 12 tips for making your groceries last a little bit longer.
What do Apples and Potatoes Have in Common?
Source: Cosmopolitan
It’s simple, Nothing! Apples simply produce ethylene gas which helps keep potatoes from sprouting. Tip: keep your apples with your potatoes and away from other fruits, ethylene gas speeds up ripening, and can make other fruits go bad faster.
Here is a great organic option you might want to consider.
The Paper Towel Lettuce Wrap
Source: Inhabit
Paper towels absorb the excess moisture from lettuce (which can make lettuces and other greens turn to mush), making them last a little bit longer than expected.
If They Won’t Keep, Can’em
Source: Bustle
This is one of the oldest methods of food preservation and, I have to say, to this day it still remains the best option for dealing with overly ripe fruits. There are many different ways to can fruits and veggies and some of it gets a little technical, learn all about it here.
This set of 12 piece mason jars with gold safety button lids will ensure you have an ample supply of containers for your use.
Mushrooms in Paper Bags Keep Moisture Away
Keep the slime and moisture away by storing your mushrooms in paper bags.
To be on the safe side, change them often; a pack of 100 should go a long way. Perforate them and you can use them to store your garlic and shallots as well.
Foil Paper – Broccoli Life Extenders
Source: Allwomenstalk
Source: Just Rent to Own
Who knew there was more to aluminum foil than grilling and foil packets? Extend the life of your broccoli by wrapping them in aluminum foil.
Banana Stems Could do With a Bit of TLC
Source: Lifestyle Food
Ethylene gas is produced during a banana’s ripening process. To make sure it does not extend to the other parts of the fruit, wrap the stems in cling wrap for long lasting freshness.
Treat Your Herbs They Way You Would Your Flowers
Source: Thrive Market
Mason jars make good storage containers for your herbs; put a little water into a jar and drop them in. They should keep for a little while longer and, bonus, they look pretty and make your kitchen smell extra yummy!
This jar right here comes with jar labels and a wire Top Glass Stash for Herbs
Onions and Garlic Love Wire Baskets
Source: Goods Home Design
Onions and garlic do best in a dry and airy environment. Get a wire basket like this three-tier wall mount basket that’s economical and space saving as well.
Seal Those Lemons in Plastic
Source: Tampa Homebody
This sealed plastic bag technique is a no-brainer really; all you have to do is get a plastic bag, pop your lemons in them so they don’t lose moisture and then store them in the fridge. Easy peasy!
For cut lemons, check out this Lemon Saver, otherwise, a double zipper plastic bag should do just fine.
Onion and Avocado, Who Knew?
Source: Today.com
A great way to extend the life of your cut avocado is buying storing it an air-tight container with half an onion.
This storage container here is BPA free, microwave, dishwasher and freezer safe.
What’s a Blue Apple Doing Among Your Vegetables?
Source: Wonderful Engineering
That “Blue Apple” absorbs the ethylene gas (ethylene gas helps fruit ripen… but it also makes ripe fruit spoil faster). Throw it in with your fruits and vegetables and you should see your groceries lasting a little bit longer.
You can find them here.
Parchment Paper Will Do Wonders For Cheese
Source: This Week for Dinner
According to this site, the paper helps “the cheese breathe better and, therefore, last longer“.
What other genius food preservation hacks, have you tried out? Let me know by leaving a comment below!