Finding spoiled food in the fridge is both disappointing and wasteful. Not only is it a bummer to expect to eat a tasty treat and find it rotten, but it’s also not cost-effective to let food spoil. Common foods that spoil frequently include fruits, vegetables, cheese, bread, avocados, milk, potatoes, onions, and bananas, all foods that you probably use every week.
But you can make these foods last longer by using the following eight helpful kitchen hacks.
Don’t Put Milk in the Fridge Door
Most of us use milk on a daily basis with cereal, baked goods, or to drink with lunch or dinner. So, it’s an inconvenience if milk expires too quickly. But, you can actually extend the life of milk by not storing it in the fridge door. Sound odd? It’s not.
Studies have actually found that the changes in temperature caused by repeatedly opening and closing the fridge door can cause milk to sour more quickly. Instead, store it in the center of the fridge.
How Paper Towels Can Help Keep Fruits and Veggies Fresher Longer
All too often we find fruits and veggies have gone soggy in the fridge. The reason: moisture buildup. To keep moisture away from your fruits and veggies, place paper towels on the bottom of your vegetable drawers. The towels will draw in the moisture, keeping it away from your food. This way, your fruits and veggies will last longer.
Apples Help Keep Potatoes Firm
This interesting kitchen hack can actually help keep potatoes firmer: Put an apple into your potato bag. Apples produce ethylene gas, which helps keep potatoes firmer for longer. It also helps stop sprouts from forming on the potatoes. But … do not put apples near other fruits and veggies because the ethylene will make them decompose faster.
Use Lemon on Avocados
For the avocado lovers out there, this hack is priceless! It will help keep your avocados from turning brown too quickly. You can keep your avocados fresher by rubbing lemon or lime juice onto the avocado flesh. This helps to prevent oxidation, keeping the avocado from turning brown right away.
Keep Bread Out of the Fridge
While most fresh food should be kept in the fridge to make it last longer, bread is an exception to the rule. Because of the moisture in refrigerators, bread goes stale quicker while stored in the fridge. So, just keep it sealed up in your kitchen cupboards.
Wrap Your Cheese
Make cheese last longer with this easy hack. Gather vinegar, a plastic baggy, and a paper towel. Apply vinegar to the towel, wrap it around the cheese, and then put it inside the fridge. This helps make the cheese last longer and is said not to affect the taste of the cheese.
Keep Bananas in the Bunch
Bananas last longer if you keep them in the bunch rather than pull them apart. Why? Because if you detach a banana from the primary stem, oxygen penetrates the banana stem. This causes the bananas to become mushy faster.
Hang Onions in Tights
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Some people swear by this unusual hack: Hanging onions individually inside tights or nylons in a dark, cool location helps make them last longer. This helps them breathe better and stay fresh for months. Make sure to tie a knot on each stocking to seal them up.
