{"id":24,"date":"2014-11-18T02:36:41","date_gmt":"2014-11-18T02:36:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ivaluefood.com\/resources\/?post_type=food-storage&#038;p=24"},"modified":"2016-08-19T18:44:11","modified_gmt":"2016-08-19T18:44:11","slug":"food-storage-guide","status":"publish","type":"food-storage","link":"https:\/\/ivaluefood.com\/resources\/food-storage\/food-storage-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Smart Storage: Quick Reference Food Storage Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Proper storage can go a long way to making foods last longer. Here are some of the best tips to help you store all your food for optimal freshness. Download\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/makedirtnotwaste.org\/sites\/default\/files\/a-z_food_storage_guide-web.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">this guide from our friends at Eureka Recycling<\/a>\u00a0or this <a href=\"http:\/\/savethefood.com\/food-storage\" target=\"_blank\">online directory from NRDC&#8217;s Save the Food campaign<\/a>. <a href=\"http:\/\/stilltasty.com\" target=\"_blank\">StillTasty.com<\/a> is another great food storage resource.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Eggs &amp; Dairy<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Store dairy products on a refrigerator shelf, not in the door where the temperature can fluctuate.<\/li>\n<li>Eggs are safe to eat 3 to 5 weeks beyond the date on the carton. Test freshness by putting an egg in a glass of water. If it rests on the bottom of the glass, flat or at an angle, it\u2019s still good to eat.<\/li>\n<li>Hard cheeses can be frozen.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Fruit<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Some produce emits ethylene gas, which hastens the ripening of other items. Store these ethylene emitters away from everything else: Apples, apricots, avocados, cantaloupe, figs, honeydew, bananas,\u2028nectarines, peaches, pears, plums, tomatoes.<\/li>\n<li>Most fruits can be frozen and used later in baking and smoothies. Peel and chop into bite-size pieces. Freeze fruit In a single layer on baking sheet, then transfer to an airtight container.<\/li>\n<li>Don\u2019t wash berries, cherries, or grapes until it is time to eat them.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"challenge-link\"><a href=\"http:\/\/ivaluefood.com\/challenge\/\"><span>Take the Challenge:<\/span> Learn easy ways to waste less food and save money.<\/a><\/div>\n<p><strong>Vegetables<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Most vegetables can be blanched and frozen to use later.<\/li>\n<li>Save your greens, stalks, and stems to give soups and stews a nutrient boost.<\/li>\n<li>Greens, green beans, corn, asparagus, and okra tend to go bad more quickly than other produce so eat them soon after you go shopping.<\/li>\n<li>Untie greens and herbs before storing so they can breathe.<\/li>\n<li>Store leafy greens and other vegetables that can wilt in an airtight container with a damp towel.<\/li>\n<li>Store sweet potatoes and potatoes in a cool, dark place.<\/li>\n<li>Keep mushrooms in a paper bag in the fridge.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Grains<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Store bread, pasta, and cereal in airtight containers in your pantry or on the counter.<\/li>\n<li>Bread and cereal that is going stale can be baked lightly in the oven to recrisp or frozen and saved to make breadcrumbs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Meat<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Store meat in the coldest part of your fridge; usually the bottom shelf.<\/li>\n<li>Portion out meat and freeze in airtight containers if you do not plan on using it within 2 days.<\/li>\n<li>Freeze bones and carcasses to make stock to use in soups and stews.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Other<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Store condiments and other items that are not highly perishable in the fridge door.<\/li>\n<li>Keep leftovers, condiments that don\u2019t fit in the door, and beverages on the top shelf.<\/li>\n<li>Nut butters and nuts will last longer in the fridge but can be stored in the pantry as well.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/ivaluefood.com\/resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/foodstorage-quickreference-web.pdf\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/ivaluefood.com\/resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Screen-Shot-2016-07-14-at-9.29.32-AM.png\"><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","class_list":["post-24","food-storage","type-food-storage","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ivaluefood.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/food-storage\/24"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ivaluefood.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/food-storage"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ivaluefood.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/food-storage"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ivaluefood.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}