Almost everyone has bought a bunch of fresh produce only to watch it spoil within a few days. This short shelf life is enough to make many avoid picking up healthy fruits and vegetables at the grocery store, which can lead them to make unhealthy choices. If you want to buy healthy foods but need to know how to make them last longer, consider the best tips to extend your food freshness to ensure you get the most time and money out of your groceries.
Be Mindful About Buying Food
Many of us wait to go to the grocery store until we’re wildly hungry, which can cause us to buy way more than we actually need. With that said, you should make a list before leaving home to ensure you get what you need and limit unnecessary or bulk purchases. Although you can pick up a few things that weren’t on your list, buying too much food allows it to spoil before you have the chance to eat it.
Pro Tip
Plan your meals in advance to avoid buying things you won’t use—make a grocery trip weekly.
Use Airtight, Glass Containers
Whether you need to store fresh fruit, vegetables, honey, meat, and more, you should always opt for airtight glass containers to maintain the highest quality. With these tips for storing honeycomb, for example, you can keep your natural bee products and other food items fresh for a long period. Unfortunately, plastic food storage containers are more popular, but they don’t offer as many benefits as glass—consider upgrading to glass or ceramic containers in your kitchen.
Choose Frozen Options if Possible
While many people are against buying frozen fruits and vegetables, they’re an excellent way to supplement fresh produce. You can continue purchasing your favorite fresh items, but you can also stock your freezer with extra food because it lasts much longer. With that said, choosing frozen options will keep you from overbuying fresh food produce, and it won’t spoil before you have the chance to eat it.
Use Expiration Dates as a Suggestion
Expiration or sell-by dates are a requirement on food items, but they aren’t always accurate. Rather than immediately throwing stuff out as soon as the date passes, you should use your senses to determine whether it’s actually spoiled. For instance, your meat or poultry may have a sell-by date, but you can tell by the coloring and smell if it’s okay to eat. Fruit and vegetables are generally okay unless they have mold on them or intense bruising.
Now that you have the best tips to extend your food freshness, you can buy fresh produce without worrying about them spoiling within a few days. While fruit and vegetables don’t last forever, they should last more than a few days—proper storage and buying habits are the best ways to ensure your food lasts longer.
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