Keep Food Fresh

Keeping food fresh longer saves money, reduces waste, and ensures your meals stay safe and tasty. Learn simple ways to check freshness, store produce properly, and decide whether to keep packaging on or remove it for best results.

Is This Still Good?

Quick checks help you decide if food is still safe to eat without guessing.

Here are reliable points to follow:

Smell first: fresh food has a clean or neutral scent; sour, rancid, or off odors mean toss it.

Look closely: discard anything with mold, sliminess, unusual spots, or major color changes.

Touch test: firm veggies and fruits are good; soft, mushy, or wrinkled ones are past prime.

Taste a tiny bit if smell and look seem okay, but never risk it with meat or dairy.

Storing Vegetables and Fruits

Proper storage keeps produce crisp and nutritious for days or weeks longer.

Key points for success:

Store most fruits and vegetables separately because ethylene gas from some fruits speeds ripening in others.

Keep potatoes, onions, and garlic in a cool, dark, dry place outside the fridge.

Refrigerate berries, leafy greens, and apples in perforated bags or crisper drawers with humidity control.

Wrap greens in a damp paper towel and store in a sealed bag to maintain freshness.

In the Package or Out?

Deciding whether to keep original packaging or remove it affects how long food stays fresh.

Smart guidelines:

Leave berries and mushrooms in their ventilated packages to control moisture and airflow.

Take fruits like apples or pears out of plastic bags to prevent trapped moisture and rot.

Store opened bags of greens or salad mixes in airtight containers with a paper towel to absorb excess water.

Keep potatoes and onions loose in a basket, never in plastic, to avoid sprouting and spoilage.

Mom tip

Store potatoes and onions loose in a cool dark spot, never in plastic. Keep fruits and veggies separate in the fridge, wrap greens in a damp towel, and always sniff or check for sliminess before cooking to avoid waste.

Vegetables

Proper storage keeps vegetables fresh and safe for longer, reducing waste and saving money. Here are clear tips with typical safe use times when stored correctly:

Leafy greens like spinach, lettuce, kale: 5 to 7 days. Wrap in a damp paper towel, place in a perforated plastic bag, store in the crisper drawer at high humidity.

Root vegetables like carrots, beets, potatoes: 2 to 4 weeks. Keep potatoes in a cool, dark, dry spot away from onions; store carrots and beets in the fridge in a perforated bag or loose in the crisper.

Broccoli and cauliflower: 7 to 14 days. Wrap loosely in plastic or place in a bag with a paper towel to absorb moisture, keep in the crisper.

Onions, garlic, shallots: 1 to 2 months. Store in a mesh bag or basket in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area, never in the fridge or plastic.

Bell peppers and cucumbers: 7 to 10 days. Keep in the crisper drawer in a plastic bag with holes for airflow.

Tomatoes: 5 to 7 days at room temperature. Store stem-side down away from direct sun; refrigerate only if very ripe to slow spoilage.

Always check for sliminess, soft spots, or off smells before using.

Fruits/Juices

Fruits and fresh juices spoil quickly without right handling, but smart storage extends their safe use time. Follow these points:

Apples and pears: 2 to 4 weeks. Store in the crisper drawer in a perforated bag to maintain humidity; keep separate from ethylene-sensitive fruits.

Bananas: 5 to 7 days. Keep at room temperature until ripe, then refrigerate to slow blackening of the peel (fruit stays good inside).

Berries like strawberries, blueberries, raspberries: 3 to 7 days. Keep in original ventilated container or spread on a paper towel-lined plate in the fridge; do not wash until ready to eat.

Citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, limes: 2 to 4 weeks. Store in the fridge crisper in a mesh bag for airflow.

Stone fruits like peaches, plums, nectarines: 3 to 5 days. Ripen at room temperature, then move to fridge once soft.

Fresh juices (homemade or store-bought without preservatives): 2 to 3 days maximum. Store in airtight glass containers in the fridge; always smell and check for fermentation or off taste before drinking.

Storing Foods in the Freezer

Freezing is the best way to keep food safe and tasty for months. Freeze at 0°F or lower, wrap tightly to prevent freezer burn, label with dates, and use older items first for maximum quality and savings.

Dairy Products

Milk: 1 to 2 months. Freeze in original plastic jug leaving 1 inch headspace, thaw in fridge, shake well before using (texture may separate slightly).

Cheese (hard like cheddar): 6 months. Wrap tightly in plastic then foil, grate after thawing if texture changes.

Yogurt/Greek yogurt: 1 to 2 months. Freeze in portions, stir well after thawing; best used in smoothies or baking.

Butter: 6 to 9 months. Keep in original wrapper or airtight container; freezes perfectly.

Fruits/Juices/Vegetables

Fruits: 8 to 12 months. Wash, dry, slice if needed, spread on tray to flash freeze, then bag.

Berries: 10 to 12 months. Freeze dry on tray first to prevent clumping.

Fruit juices: 8 to 12 months. Pour into ice cube trays or leave headspace in bottles.

Vegetables (blanched): 10 to 12 months. Blanch 2 to 5 minutes, cool in ice water, dry, freeze in portions.

Leafy greens: 3 to 6 months. Best for soups after freezing.

Grain Products/Baked Goods

Bread/loaves: 3 to 6 months. Slice first, wrap tightly or use freezer bags, toast straight from frozen.

Cooked rice/pasta/quinoa: 4 to 6 months. Cool completely, portion into bags, flatten for quick thawing.

Flour/whole grains: 6 to 12 months. Store in airtight containers to prevent moisture and pests.

Baked goods (muffins, cookies, cakes): 3 to 6 months. Wrap individually, thaw at room temperature or microwave gently.

Meat/Meat Alternatives

Chicken (whole): 12 months; pieces: 9 months. Remove from store packaging, wrap tightly or vacuum seal.

Beef/Pork (steaks, roasts): 8 to 12 months; ground: 3 to 4 months. Double wrap or vacuum seal.

Fish (fatty like salmon): 2 to 3 months; lean fish: 6 months. Glaze with ice water or vacuum seal.

Tofu/lentil patties/veggie burgers: 4 to 6 months. Freeze in single layers first, then bag.

Cooked meat dishes (curries, chili): 3 to 4 months. Cool completely before freezing in portions.