Storage Tips To Help Food Last Longer

Food prices have noticeably increased over the past few months. We’re definitely spending more on a weekly basis on our standard shop and it’s made me question whether there are cheaper alternatives to what we buy. And because of that I certainly have been thinking of ways to help food last longer. I absolutely hate wasting food, but it happens to most of us.

A recent survey revealed that 4.5 million tonnes of fruit and vegetables are wasted every year in the UK alone. This is a staggering number and something that can be reduced with the right storage tips.

You can meal plan all you want, but if the fresh food you buy goes bad there’s not much you can do to prepare for that. But you can change the way you use your fridge freezer to maximise freshness and get produce to last longer. And there are also some storage methods you can use to help boost produces life.

Help food last longer by checking your fridge freezer temperature

To get the most out of your food, the temperature on your fridge should be between 0°C and 5°C. And your freezer should be between -18°C and -20°C. And every degree counts as the warmer a fridge is the higher chance of heat-loving bacteria growing and your food going mouldy quicker. Your fridge freezer won’t automatically be set at these temperatures so check the manual on how to check and adjust.

Every degree really does count and things like salads and vegetables can last far longer in a cooler fridge, than a slightly warmer one. And I don’t know about you but it’s fruit, vegetables and salads which are the things that get wasted most often in our household.

Organise your fridge to help food last longer

Whatever your fridge is set to different shelves will vary. Typically the lower the shelf the lower the temperature. So make sure you use this to your advantage, regardless of what the drawers at the bottom lead you to think should be stored there.

Raw meat, fish and seafood should be kept between 0°C and 3°C to lock in freshness and avoid bacteria. So they should be kept on the bottom shelf or in a chill compartment if you have one. Butter and cheese are less perishable so can be stored on a higher shelf where it’s warmer. And things like condiments are also a good bet for the higher shelves.

Try to avoid putting a fridge freezer in an outhouse unless it’s properly insulated

Something I didn’t know is that most fridge freezers aren’t designed to be stored in very low or very high temperatures. So unless your garage or outhouse is properly insulated to prevent it getting too cold it may not work properly. Fridge freezers will struggle to maintain a stable and safe temperature in extreme conditions. And this won’t do your food any favours.

Try to avoid stacking too much to help food last longer

When I was living at home and we had to share a fridge every shelf would be so tightly packed. And if you pulled one thing out you could cause an almighty topple. But this isn’t good for the fridge or your food.

If your fridge is packed so full that items are touching the shelf above this can prevent cool air from circulating. This can push up the temperature of parts of your fridge without air flow and bacteria can spread the higher the temperature.

As much as possible keep food in it’s original packaging

Yes food packaging can be excessive and wasteful, but generally it’s designed with food freshness and preservation in mind. Even fruit and veg have strategically placed air holes in packaging which can make a big difference to shelf life. So where possible keep food in its original packaging.

Let leftovers cool to room temperature before putting them in the fridge

This is one I’ve been quite guilty of in the past, but if you’ve got leftovers boxed up ready to go in the fridge make sure they’ve cooled down sufficiently before they go in. If you put them in when they’re still warm it can send the temperature of your fridge freezer skyrocketing.

If you put in warm food it can reduce the freshness of the other food inside that needs stability. And it can cause your fridge freezer to have to work harder to cool down which means more energy used.

Help preserve your potatoes

Potatoes generally come in pretty big bags, and even as a family you might struggle to use them before they start growing bits, and generally going a bit soft. If you make homemade chips, wedges or roast potatoes regularly then you should prepare and freeze them while your potatoes are fresh. Just peel, boil and cut them as you would usually then put them in a ziplock bag and freeze.

By doing this you’re using the potato as it’s finest and you’re making future yous life easier. Whenever you want some chips or potatoes simply pull a bag of the freezer and put them in the oven.

Keep vegetables lasting longer with the water method

Certain veg can loose their crunch and go bad in just a few days. But the water storage method can help preserve their life so you’re less likely to waste any. Before you put the veg in the fridge wash them, dry them and put them in an airtight container with some water in them. Vegetables like high humidity and need some moisture to keep them crunchy for longer.

By doing this you can extend the lifespan of your vegetables so you’re wasting less and therefore spending less.

Help food last longer by using your fridges humidity

As I mentioned above vegetables like high humidity, but fruit prefer lower. Check to see if your fridge has a humidity switch on the drawers and if so split out fruit and veg to be in the right areas. Ideally one drawer with high humidity for veg, and one drawer with lower humidity for fruit.

If you don’t have a switch or only have one drawer it’s best to put veg in there as the drawer tends to prevent moisture from escaping anyway. And your fruit can go on a middle shelf away from the vegetables.

Do you have any tips to make food last longer?

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