With the on-going hype of terms like gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan non-GMO and organic, our grocery bills are skyrocketing. And when foods are that expensive, you'd want to make them last for as long as possible to get the most bang for your buck.
We all need food to survive, and sustain biological activities in our bodies, but most of us don't put any thought into what we should eat to live a longer, healthier life.
MaraZe/Shutterstock Cheese should be kept in a specialty cheese paper
Even the most nutritious foods can lose their health benefits once they exceed their shelf life, and despite our efforts to keep them fresh for longer, these ingredients can go bad pretty quickly, leading to food wastage and putting your health at risk.
Here are some common mistakes people make that reduce the shelf life of foods and how you can avoid them.
Don't Store Eggs Outside the Carton
Shutterstock | Storing eggs in their original cartons can make them last longer
Eggs can have a long lifespan if you handle them correctly. For example, storing them in their original cartons can make them last longer in comparison to storing them in the egg compartment inside the fridge.
This might come as a surprise to most people who've grown up with the belief that storing eggs in the fridge prevents them from going bad, but in reality, leaving them in the fridge can form condensation on the shells which weakens their protective layer and makes the eggs more vulnerable to bacteria.
Don't Place All Your Fruits in One Basket
Konstanttin/Shutterstock There are certain fruits that should never be packed with others
We've all heard the adage, 'Don't put all your eggs in one basket,' but this also applies to fresh produce, especially fruits because they expel a special type of gas called the ethylene gas which helps in ripening them. But putting them too close to one another can lead to a buildup of this gas, and cause the foods to become overripe quickly.
Keep Butter Away from Other Foods
Butter is one of the most common foods in the fridge, and it is one of those ingredients that can keep for a long time when stored properly. But unless it is kept in an airtight container, butter can take on the smell of other foods around it, which is why it is best to store it in the freezer or away from strong-smelling foods.