Smart shopping is important for creating a healthy diet. You cannot have time to run to the supermarket to buy fresh produce every time you cook a meal. It is important to know how you can preserve the nutrients of food products. The best way of doing that is properly storing them in refrigerators. Proper storage is essential for enhancing the freshness of food and increasing its shelf life. It also helps in decreasing the risk of food contamination and foodborne diseases.
The advantages of storing food in refrigerators are countless that is why food is always stored in under counter fridge and freezers in supermarkets. Here are some tips which will help in ensuring that food stays fresh while they are stored in the refrigerators.
Always Check the Temperature:
Temperature is the most important factor in determining how long the food products are going to stay fresher. You should know the appropriate temperature for storing different types of food products. You can make sure that the temperature is perfect by using the food appliance thermometer. The lower temperature prevents the growth any harmful bacteria. It makes sure that there are no contamination and food stays fresh and nutritious. Never allow the refrigerator to grow warm because it will lead to food wastage.
Avoid Washing Before Storing:
When people buy fresh produce they tend to wash it before putting them in the fridge. It is not a good idea. If you want to stay fresh and last longer than always store them without washing. Moisture is not a friend of fresh produce if you are looking to store them for later use. Always wash it before using them.
Storing the Cooked Food:
Refrigerators also allow you to store cooked food, but it is important to know some basic things if you want to preserve the taste of cooked food. If you are storing cooked food, then make sure that you put in the refrigerator or freezer within the two hours of cooking the food. If you let it sit at room temperature for a long time, it will increase the chances of spoiling the food. Putting hot food directly in the fridge is also a terrible idea so let it cool down a little before putting it in. it is important to choose the containers wisely as well. Shallow containers are perfect for ensuring even and rapid cooling.
Wrapping the Food Properly:
Tightly wrapping the food can have a lot of effect on the shelf life of food and it will also help in optimizing the storage space of the appliance. You can always use sealable bags. Try to get rid of as much air as you can because it will help in increasing the shelf life of food. You can use plastic containers, but make sure that you choose the smallest container that can hold the food.
Is it ok to refreeze?
It is important to remember that freezing the food products does not kill the bacteria. When you take the food out of the freezer it becomes soft which means that if you leave it at room temperature, it could cause the growth of parasites or bacteria. So it is better not to store thawed food again.
The best way of ensuring that you are able to store the food efficiently in the refrigerators is to plan ahead. Make sure you use the products before their expiring date because a refrigerator cannot preserve food forever.