How to make your food last longer
Tips to extend the shelf life of popular staples, such as bread, flour and fruit.
Dealing with a bulging pantry? Here are our tips to get the longest life out of your cupboard staples and fresh produce.
Best-before and use-by dates: know the difference: Best-before dates give you information about food quality. Food can be eaten and sold after its best-before date. However, it may have lost some nutritional value and might not taste the best. If a food has a shelf-life of two or more years, it doesn’t need a best-before date.
As soon as you open any food’s packaging, its shelf life becomes the same as if the product was unpackaged. How long it’s safe to eat depends on several factors: its water and protein content, quality when you bought it, and how it’s been stored.
Use-by dates are usually on perishable foods such as poultry and deli foods. A food can’t legally be sold after its use-by date and shouldn’t be eaten because it can make you sick.
Bread: Bread keeps the longest in the freezer (though it’s not as convenient, as you have to wait for it to defrost). If you’re a pantry-only fan, it should be kept in its packaging (paper or plastic if it’s homemade) and stored in a cool dry area– ideally in a bread tin if you have one. A good compromise is the middle shelf of the fridge, but it will still get stale as it dries out.
If your bread’s stale, whiz it in the food processor to make breadcrumbs, which you can then pop into a resealable container for freezing. You can use it to crumb meat and fish or add it to dishes (for example, meatballs or pasta bakes).
Tip: Freeze half your loaf and keep the other half out. The half in the freezer won’t get stale or mouldy.
Eggs: Eggs keep longer in the fridge but they can be stored at room temperature (as long as it’s 15°C or lower). Either way, store your eggs in their original carton: it keeps them safe from cracking, slows moisture loss, stops them absorbing other food smells and you’ll know the best-before date.
Tip: Check eggs are safe to eat with the float test. Place the egg in a bowl or cup of water. If the egg sinks, it’s good to eat. If it floats, throw it away.
Flour and dry ingredients: Store your flour in a large, airtight container that your measuring cup can fit in. A container with a screw-top is best, but any well-sealed lid will be fine. Transfer other dry ingredients (for example, baking powder and baking soda) that don’t come in resealable packets to an airtight container. Or use a resealing bag clip.
This help prevents weevils getting into your baking stash. Some people swear that adding a bay leaf will keep weevils away.
Pantry moths are sometimes lurking in your dry goods – sometimes in new purchases. Freezing the ingredients should kill the moths and any larvae. Wrap the goods in a plastic bag and freeze for two days, before then storing in an airtight container.
Sugar: Sugar should be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. It shouldn’t be kept in the fridge because this exposes it to moisture, which can make it go hard.
Sugar doesn’t have a best-before date because it doesn’t grow mould.
Keep reading: www.curtainclean.co.nz...
POTTING MIX QUALITY
If, like me, you are an experienced and avid gardener you know how frustrating it is when those beautiful seedlings recently purchased fail to thrive. Have you ever considered it may not be your fault, you've done all the right things but it may be the new bag of potting mix you bought to plant them in . Have you ever complained to the garden centre? My recent experience showed the blatantly obvious difference between brands. The recently purchased product was nothing more than raw compost, whereas the previous product was a good mix and made the plants thrive. I was the only one to complain, there could not possibly be a problem with the product as they sell pallet loads of it........ Your comments would be appreciated.
Poll: Are our Kiwi summer holidays helping us recharge, or holding the economy back? ☀️🥝
There’s growing debate about whether New Zealand’s extended Christmas break (and the slowdown that comes with it) affects productivity.
Tracy Watkins has weighed in ... now it’s your turn. What’s your take? 🤔
-
72.5% We work hard, we deserve a break!
-
16.4% Hmm, maybe?
-
11.1% Yes!
Secure your homes over summer
Police are reminding people to keep their homes secure during the summer months.
Inspector Glenda Barnaby, Christchurch Area Prevention manager, says daytime burglaries are just as common as nightime burglaries.
“Burglaries can be committed at any time of the day, and coming into warmer months there is more opportunity for thieves."
"Although a majority of burglaries involve forced entry through windows and doors, we are starting to see more incidents at insecure premises. Police deal with cases where burglaries are committed in broad daylight, sometimes even while the victim is at home. Good weather means open doors and windows, which makes homes more vulnerable to burglars.”
Inspector Barnaby says there’s a few things people can do to reduce their changes of a burglary being committed.
⚠️ If you’re going outside for gardening, relaxing in the sun, or working in the garage, take a moment to lock your doors and secure your windows first.
⚠️ Do the same at night when you go to bed - keep your doors and windows secure and close your curtains. Fitting window stays means you can get a breeze coming through, while keeping your windows secure.
⚠️ Get to know your neighbours - let them know if you’re going away and look out for one another.”
If you see any suspicious activity, people or vehicles in your neighbourhood, don't hesitate to contact Police.
If you witness or suspect any illegal activity, please call 111 if it is happening now, or make a report through 105 either online or over the phone, if it is after the fact.
Loading…
