How to Increase the Shelf Life of Your Food

Sometimes it can seem as though you buy food at the grocery store, only to have to throw it away the next day when it has already gone bad. This happens more times than you care to count, and it can really start to have an impact on your wallet as well as your trash can.

You might be thinking that there must be a way to make your food last longer than this; and you would be right. Whether it is because you want to create a long term food storage, or you just want your food to last longer than it does when you buy it from the grocery store, there are some things that you can do. Here are a few ideas to help you out.

Freeze and Refrigerate

We all know which foods go in the fridge, which foods go in the freezer, but have you ever thought about putting other things in there too? Sometimes you can’t get through an entire loaf of bread before it goes stale (or moldy!). But if you freeze it, it’ll last as long as you need it to.

You can even leave it in there and take out slices as you need them. If you do not have room in your freezer, the fridge will also extend the life of your bread. You can also extend the life of most produce by putting it in the fridge. This works for a lot of different food items.

Freeze-Dried Food

Perhaps you have never heard of freeze-dried food, and you can be understood for having a few reservations about it. It all sounds a bit space-aged doesn’t it? The reality is that it is regular food, but it has been frozen and dehydrated using extremely cold temperatures.

What this does is makes it safe to store for decades at a time. No ingredients are lost, and all you have to do is add water when you want to eat it. Nothing is taken away from the taste, and the increasing popularity of such products has meant that there is a competitive market for freeze-dried meals that allows you to choose yours from a selection of quality products. Freeze-dried food is perfect for both long term and short term food storage.

Leftovers

If you don’t want to change where you shop, one option is to select some of the food that doesn’t last and cook it straight away. Then you can store the leftovers for a few more days. Of course, this only works for certain foods, and it is only a short term option. If you are looking to create long term food storage, you will have to try something else.

Canning

That something else could be canning. Fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and all kinds of other foods can be stored for a long time by using the process of canning. Canning is a good way to preserve food, whether homemade or store-bought. The process is relatively simple, especially if you own a scanner. It can also be done without one, however. Canning is a great way to store most types of food and is especially good if you would like to find a way to store fresh produce for longer. If you enjoy pickled food, you can create your own and store it in jars.