Food waste is a massive problem in Australia—7.6 million tonnes are thrown away every year, to be exact.
Not only is it sad to see so much food go in the bin, but as grocery prices continue to rise, it will cost you more money.
Here are some hacks to make your food last longer.
How to keep food fresh in the fridge
1. Use alcohol to keep lettuce fresh
A hack for storing lettuce went viral on social media after a chef known as Mr Rice shared how he uses alcohol to keep his lettuce fresh for over a month.
“Believe it or not, this lettuce is more than 60 days old,” he said in a now-viral video.
To show his fans how it’s done, he slices a sliver off the bottom of the lettuce, soaks a paper towel in alcohol and then covers the stem with it. Next, he puts it back in the plastic bag.
“Any kind of drinking liquor (works), but if you don’t have alcohol, you can use cold water,” but it will last a lot longer with alcohol. Additionally, he adds a few drops of alcohol to the existing paper towel every five to six days to ensure the lettuce stays fresh for longer.
Watch Mr Rice’s lettuce hack video.
2. Take spinach out of the bag
It’s common for a forgotten bag of spinach to end up soggy in the bottom of your fridge. To stop this from happening:
- Take the spinach out of the bag and pop it in a reusable container.
- Place a Swedish dishcloth over the top to soak up moisture and put the lid on. Your spinach should now last up to 14 days.
- Read the full instructions to stop spinach from going soggy.
3. Treat herbs like cut flowers
Buying fresh herbs adds up, especially if you need multiple varieties. The best way to keep them fresher for longer is to treat them like flowers and pop them in a glass of water on your bench. Alternatively, you could try growing your own herbs.
4. Store ginger in water
Ginger is expensive and although it’s sold in nobs, generally you only need a small amount in cooking. Store your ginger in water and put it in the fridge, and make sure you change the water every week. According to the Banish Instagram page, your ginger can last at least a month.
5. Freshen stale bread in the oven
Let’s face it; no one wants to eat stale bread if they can help it. But wasting it is worse. You can freshen stale bread: sprinkle some water on top, and pop it over for a few minutes.
6. Store celery and carrot in water
Celery and carrots go bad because they lose water. The best way to store celery is to cut it up and pop it in a container of water in the fridge, and it should stay crunchy for 2-3 weeks. Similarly, you can place carrots whole in a container of water in the refrigerator.
7. Keep berries dry
Washing your strawberries before storing them is a big no-no. In a previous interview with BHG, Sonia Gabauer, Marketing Manager at Driscoll’s, says, “Strawberries should be kept dry and whole in a sealed container or punnet. Strawberries that are washed and stored are susceptible to going soft and mouldy.”
8. Change the way you cut avocado
Avocado is tricky to keep fresh after you’ve sliced it open. But this brilliant tip from Banish will help make your avocados last longer. Instead of cutting it down the centre, slice across the avocado so there’s less exposed flesh. Watch the video here.
9. Freeze eggs
We know eggs are best stored in the fridge, but did you know that you can freeze them? Crack them into a sealable container and put them in the freezer. If you need just the egg whites, you can store and freeze them separately.
10. Revive soggy broccoli in water
Broccoli is best stored in your fridge’s crisper, but if you forget about it and it looks a little worse for wear, we’ve got a great tip for giving it back its crunch. Simply cut its bottom off and place it in a jar of water in the fridge for 30 minutes. Voila – crunchy broccoli.
You might also like:
6 easy ways to reduce food waste in the kitchen
A zero-waste home in the heart of Melbourne
6 signs you need to cut down on food waste
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