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How to make your food last longer!

Rachel Robson
by Lovemoney Staff Rachel Robson on 03 July 2009  |  Comments 4 comments

Find out how you can make your food last longer and reduce waste - which, in turn, will help you to pocket some extra pennies!

Food is always a good topic to get a discussion going. After all, we all have to buy it and most of us love a good rant about how much money it costs us.

Unfortunately, despite the cost, a lot of food gets wasted each year and many of us chuck food in the bin when it's actually perfectly edible.

So this blog is all about how you can make your food last longer and reduce waste - which, in turn, will help you to pocket some extra pennies!

Here are my six top tips:

1) It's freezing!

It might sound obvious, but if you know you're not going to eat certain foods before the use by date, then freeze them (providing they're freezable of course)! Unless you're definitely going to get through that loaf of bread before it goes stale, you're much better off freezing it and taking out what you need when.

Similarly, if you've got any leftovers, it's a good idea to bung them in the freezer and make use of them when you can.

2) Milking it

If you want to make your milk last longer, transfer it to a glass bottle rather than plastic one. It's also better to keep it on the fridge shelf, rather than the fridge door. The fridge door tends to be at a higher temperature due to constant opening/closing - not good for your milk.

3) Saucy jars

If you've opened a jar of sauce and have only used part of it, you can prevent it from going mouldy by turning it upside down and putting it back in the fridge! That's because no air can reach the lid surface, so no mould can grow!

4) Oh honey!

If your honey has gone a bit sugary, simply pop it in the microwave for a few seconds and watch it return to its usual runny self. You could also place a jar of crystallised honey over hot water and wait for the granules to dissolve.

Store honey in a dry cupboard, and ensure the cap is on tight as honey tends to absorb moisture.

5) Versatile veggies

Don't wash vegetables before refrigerating them. Certain veggies such as lettuce, spinach and broccoli, need to be stored in plastic bags. That's because these veggies lose moisture fast and the plastic bag will help them to retain this moisture.

Other vegetables such as peppers and cucumbers are better off being stored loosely in the fridge, while aubergines, butternut squash and potatoes should be kept in a cool, dry place.

6) Fresher flour

If you want to stop weevils and bugs getting into your flour and other grains, a good tip is to put a bay leaf or two on top of the flour. Keep the flour in an air-tight container in a cool place. And if you're really worried, put the flour into the freezer for a few days to kill the larvae/bugs and then keep cool.

Finally, if you're looking for recipes to help use up your leftovers, check out Lovefoodhatewaste.com for ideas.

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Comments (4)

  • Palefire
    Love rating 10
    Palefire said

    Double savings. Buy special offer stuff and freeze some of it, rather than wasting the saving you made because you end up not eating it all, or cook it all and make use of the left overs:

    1. If you buy a reduced price (short date) bag of lemons/limes with the intent of using the rind and zest for cooking, grate them and juice them, then freeze the zest and juice in an icecube tray. Be careful, though, because it doesn't freeze absolutely solid, so wrap the ice cube tray in a plastic bag to stop any stickiness getting into your freezer! Simply defrost in a saucer when you need it.

    2. If you buy BOGOF veggies and think you might not eat them in time, then, for example, blanch cauliflower florets, carrots, broccoli, cabbage in a pan, quickly drain and freeze in portions.

    3. Never throw away left over mash (I always make too much). It can do so much: Fishcakes, croquettes, bubble and squeak, shepherds pie, or freeze it until you want it again.

    4. Never throw away left over pasta. Mix it with tuna, mayo, sweetcorn and peppers for a quick salad. Other flavours are olive oil, tomato, and feta cheese, or pesto and mozarella, or bacon bits, chicken and cheddar. Or make up your own.

    5. Never throw away left over rice. This sounds a bit yucky on paper, but I guarantee it's nice: Mandarin segments (drained - you will find a tin in the very back of your cupboard!), unsalted peanuts and finely chopped spring onions in your cold rice makes a nice snack or accompaniment to a basic salad.

    6. Most of all, never throw away left over pizza. Pop it in the fridge and eat it cold the next day for your breakfast - YUM!

    Happy savings!

    Report on 08 July 2009  |  Love thisLove  0 loves
  • JCofRamsgate
    Love rating 3
    JCofRamsgate said

    I put half-used sauce jars on their side in the freezer (it's easier to thaw and won 't expand and break the jar). Bread gets sliced as soon as I get home and then lives in the freezer. Milk also lives in the freezer (except for the one in use!). Once I've opened packaged veg and used some I always close the bag tight with a lock-clip, or re-wrap in clingfilm to stop evaporation. Potatoes live in the fridge, as do apples, grapes, in fact all fruit and veg except bananas. It is extremely rare that I have anything go bad. Lakeland sell special bags for keeping veg fresh for longer, and a cushion layer for the drawers that also helps.

    Report on 08 July 2009  |  Love thisLove  0 loves

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