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There’s nothing worse than doing your weekly grocery shop, only to run out of food by Wednesday. So, before ‘hangry’ takes over, here are 6 hacks to help you make your groceries last longer, save money and produce less waste. It’s a triple win.
Watching that stone baked, whole grain sourdough you picked up from your local artisanal bakery go mouldy 2 days after purchasing is far from ideal. Store bread in the freezer instead to increase longevity. You’ll have to thaw pieces before eating, but using the defrost setting on your toaster will make that a quick and easy process too.
Store leafy greens in containers layered with paper towel. The paper towel will stop your leafy greens from absorbing moisture and wilting, ultimately keeping them crisp and fresh for longer.
Instead of wasting any leftovers at the end of the week, get creative and start cooking. Some ideas to help you get started and draw inspiration from are healthy fried rice, a spicy pasta bake, stir fry or quiche.
You’ll be surprised at how much longer fresh produce can last with these simple storage hacks:
Store potatoes and onions in a cool dark place (like a cupboard) to stop them from sprouting too quickly.
Cut celery and carrots and then store them in a container filled with cold water to keep them nice and crisp.
Keep items with a typically short shelf life (e.g. milk, cheese and eggs) on the middle shelf of your fridge. This way they will last longer in a consistently cool temperature, rather than the fluctuating temperature when stored in the fridge door.
Store nuts in the freezer to keep them nice and fresh.
Place your asparagus (standing up) in a jar with a little bit of water at the bottom and then store in the fridge.
Keep tomatoes and citrus fruits out of the fridge and store them on your countertop or in your fruit bowl.
Unfortunately, it only takes one bad apple or mouldy strawberry to quickly turn the rest bad too. Inspect your fruit regularly and pick out any pieces that have started to grow mould or go bad, that way you’ll have the rest for longer.
But don’t just wash them in water, instead soak them for 5 minutes in a mix of 3 parts water to 1 part white vinegar. This will remove any bacteria from your produce and ultimately make it last much longer. Make sure to give your fruit and veg a quick rinse with water after soaking to remove any vinegar residue. Leave your fruit and veg to dry completely before storing appropriately.
Now, with a little preparation, you can finally stop wasting food each week, save money and feel healthier.