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9 clever hacks to make food last longer as grocery prices rise

Food waste is a huge problem! - by Livia Gamble
  • 05 Aug 2022
9 clever hacks to make food last longer as grocery prices rise

Food waste is a massive problem in Australia - we waste 7.6 million tonnes 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 store food properly

1. Take spinach out of the bag

keep food fresh
Instagram/@Banish

It’s common for a forgotten bag of spinach to end up soggy in the bottom of your fridge. To stop this from happening:

  1. Take the spinach out of the bag and pop it in a reusable container.
  2. 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.
  3. Read the full instructions to stop spinach from going soggy. 

2. Treat herbs like cut flowers

waste less food
Getty

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.

3. Store ginger in water

make food last longet
Instagram/@Banish

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. 

4. Freshen stale bread in the oven

waste less food
Getty

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. 

5. Store celery and carrot in water

waste less food
Instagram/@Banish

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. 

6. Rinse berries with vinegar

waste less food
Berries

Soak berries in a container or water with two Tbs vinegar to keep them fresher for longer. Rinse well in a collider and put on a paper towel in an air-tight container. Pop them in the fridge. 

7. Change the way you cut avocado

waste less food
Instagram/@Banish

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. 

8. Freeze eggs

waste less food
Getty

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 think you need just the egg whites, you can store and freeze them separately. 

9. Revive soggy broccoli in water

waste less food
Instagram/@Banish

Broccoli is best stored in the crisper of your fridge, 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. Simple cut its bottom off and place it in a jar of water in the fridge for 30 mins. 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

Livia Gamble
Based in Newcastle, Livia Gamble will not sleep until she has discovered every possible way to use bi-carb soda and vinegar. When she isn’t reporting on ways to improve your home and garden, she can be found knitting socks (by choice) and will never say no to pizza.

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