The life-prolonging, magical box famously known as the refrigerator is supposed to keep produce and foods fresh and safe to eat.
However, if you are someone who likes to do huge grocery hauls and cook your food in batches but take longer than the average person to finish them, you might find more food going into the rubbish bin than into your stomach – even with the help of the fridge.
So, to prevent anymore wastage of food and money, try these food storage hacks to maximise your fridge’s function!
1. Let your food breathe
Store your produce in a way that allows it to breathe, while keeping moisture levels low to slow down mould growth.
For example:
- Keep cheese in parchment paper in the fridge.
- Place counter foods like bananas and potatoes in a cool, dark and well-ventilated place.
- Store fruits and vegetables in mesh bags or containers with holes. Line a layer of paper towel in the bags or containers to absorb extra moisture from the produce.
2. Air tight containers
For leftovers, airtight containers are the only way to go. This keeps bacteria out besides maintaining the moisture of food and preventing odours of different foods from mixing together.
For example, cakes tend to dry out quickly and the smell of kimchi can spread if they’re not sealed properly.
If you’re storing your food in the freezer, ice can also form inside the container if it’s not airtight.
3. Cool the food first
When storing leftovers, it is important to cool them down before popping them into the fridge.
This is less for the food you’re storing and more for the food already in the fridge! Smaller foods like pieces of fried chicken, a slice of pizza or single portion meals are ok lah, but you shouldn’t store food in larger quantities such as stews and soups whilst they’re still hot as they can increase the fridge’s temperature.
This can cause other foods in the fridge to warm up a little too, making them go bad sooner than they otherwise would.
4. Avoid the danger zone
Bacteria grow rapidly between the temperatures of 4° C and 60° C. This means that you MUST refrigerate your leftovers within 2 hours of preparation.
Chill your leftovers like soups and big pieces of meat rapidly to a temperature of below 4° C using these tips:
- Divide or cut up the leftovers into smaller portions.
- Put food like soups in shallow containers.
- Use an ice bath.
5. Do not overcrowd
If you fill up every inch of your fridge with your grocery and food haul, the air flow inside can be blocked.
This creates hot spots and cold spots throughout the appliance which slows down the cooling of food and creates a warm, inconducive environment for food storage.
Have you been doing all the above? Try them out and let us know if they work, or if you have other food storage hacks. Long live produce and leftovers!
Also read: M’sians Are Shocked After Realising That Buah Kurma Must be Washed & Peeled Before Eating
