6 Fresh Food Hacks to Extend the Shelf Life of Your Fruits and Veggies
The vibrant and bustling United Arab Emirates (UAE) is home to a brilliant selection of restaurants, eateries and grocery stores for home cooks. The city is a food lover’s paradise. However, did you know that food waste in the city is a monumental challenge?
With
a staggering annual cost of $3.5 billion, approximately 38 percent of the food
ends up in the bin. Recent estimates indicate that food wasted is a
jaw-dropping 2.7 kilos per day
average per capita in the UAE, ranking among the world’s highest.
At
home in Dubai, you can help. Mastering the art of food preservation is not only
a valuable culinary skill but a means to save
money and contribute to a more
sustainable future. This article aims to teach you ways to make your
groceries last longer, allowing you to reduce waste and save your hard-earned
dirhams.
6 Hacks to Extend the Shelf
Life of Your Fruits and Veggies
There are plenty of fresh groceries in Dubai supermarkets, giving you a good start at eating fresh. To make the most out of this, here are some methods you can try to keep your fruits and vegetables fresh:
1.
Store
food at the right temperature.
Temperature control is the key to preserving the freshness
of your ingredients.
Most fruits do
well when stored at room temperature until they ripen and then refrigerated to
extend their freshness. This applies to a variety of delicious options like
avocados, peaches, and bananas.
But what about
vegetables? Well, there’s a little more to consider.
Most foods
thrive in the fridge, but some veggies prefer the pleasant climate of your
kitchen. These kitchen counter champions include potatoes, garlic, onions,
tomatoes, sweet potatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, and peppers.
The best way to extend food's freshness is to store it in a cool, dry place or, if applicable, in the refrigerator or freezer. If your kitchen allows, maintaining a temperature between 55 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal.
2.
Keep
ethylene-producing fruits separate.
Here’s a
little-known secret: some fruits release ethylene
gas, a natural plant hormone, which can speed up the ripening of other nearby produce.
To keep your
groceries fresh and perky, you’ll want to store these ethylene-producing fruits
separately to prevent premature ripening in others. Some of the common culprits
are:
●
Apples
●
Bananas
●
Melons
● Peaches
● Pears
To avoid
premature ripening, keep them in these fruits in their own corner of the
kitchen.
Note that some
vegetables are particularly sensitive to
ethylene, so make sure they’re not cozying up to the ethylene producers in
your fruit and vegetable basket. These include:
●
Asparagus
●
Onions
● Collard greens
● Broccoli
3.
Rinse
berries with vinegar.
Whether they’re
plump strawberries or delicate blueberries, berries are a delightful addition
to your diet. But they come with their own challenges, primarily the pesky
issue of bacteria and mold.
A quick rinse
with tap water is a good start to remove visible dirt and grime, especially
when it comes to strawberries. However, you can take your freshness game to the
next level with a berry good trick: a vinegar
rinse:
Mix three parts of water and one part of distilled white vinegar.
Use this mixture to give your berries a gentle bath. This vinegar rinse helps remove bacteria and mold spores that
can cut short their shelf life.
With this simple hack, your berries will stay pristine and delicious for longer.
4.
Properly
wrap leafy greens.
Leafy greens
like lettuce, spinach, and kale are the darlings of a healthy diet, but they
have a delicate side – they can wilt faster than you can say “salad.”
To keep them crisp and vibrant, wrap these leafy greens in a dry paper towel or cloth before placing them in a reusable storage bag in the fridge. This method offers an added layer of protection and prevents moisture from causing premature wilting.
5.
Utilize
vegetable crisper drawers.
The fresh
produce section of your fridge comes with a hidden gem – the vegetable crisper drawers. These
drawers are specifically designed to regulate
humidity, making them the perfect haven for your vegetables.
To take full advantage of this feature, consider lining the bottom of your refrigerator’s crisper drawer with paper towels. They serve as moisture absorbers, preventing excess humidity that can cause veggies to rot prematurely.
6.
Keep
root vegetables cool and dry.
Root vegetables
like carrots and potatoes are culinary staples. To ensure their longevity,
store them in a cool, dark, and dry
place. This trio of conditions helps them stay fresh for an extended
period, ready to become the star of your next meal.
As a rule of
thumb, root vegetables should be stored in wire
mesh or natural fiber baskets at room temperature, ideally in a low-light
environment.
However, there
are some key storage methods you can follow for specific root vegetables:
●
Potatoes: ventilated baskets, metal bins, or a
sturdy cardboard box with holes on the sides.
●
Onions: a basket or mesh produce bag stored in a low-light,
low-temperature environment away from other vegetables.
●
Garlic: a terra cotta pot with a lid and ventilation holes.
● Carrots: in a zipper bag tucked inside the crisper drawer on your fridge, with the humidity control slider set at the lowest setting.
Unlocking
Freshness: A Sustainable Culinary Journey
Mastering
proper storage and handling is the key to food freshness and safety. Explore
the convenience of ordering fresh vegetables online in the UAE, and you’ll
not only elevate your culinary game but also support a more sustainable future.
Bon appétit!
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