About 2.5 million tonnes of food waste is thrown into Australian landfill every year. That's about 100kg of waste per Australian per year! This contributes to carbon emissions as it decomposes in a landfill environment.
What we can do to cut down on the amount of wasted food is to find ways to preserve it a little longer, before it goes off, so it's still edible. Here are 5 food saving tips you can start doing today!
Reusable Food Wraps
Food wraps are an amazing multi-purpose kitchen item. They can be used to seal bowls of fruit, pack up your leftovers, or hold together your lunch to take to work.
Exposing food to the air is what causes it to go bad. So if you create a barrier between your food and the air it can last a few days longer than it usually would.
Covering your food in wraps could extend its freshness and able it to last a day or two longer.
Reusable Silicone Pouches
A brilliant alternative to food wraps is a sealable silicone pouch to store your food in. Whether it's fruit for a picnic, soup to bring to work, or leftover salad, using a silicone pouch largely cuts down on the amount of air exposed to your food.
Silicone pouches have been found to keep certain food fresh for up to a week! Much better than leaving it on a plate in your fridge.
Freezing Your Food
If you know you're not going to need that food again for longer than a week, then freezing it is your best option to keep the freshness locked in.
For example, avocados can last up to 6 months in the freezer versus 1 week in the pantry, and the same with bread. Parsley can be frozen for about 4-6 months, and celery sticks can last a whole year.
Just be sure to store them in a freezable, sealable container such as a silicone pouch and you're good to go.
Submerge In Water
A neat little trick we use is to store carrot sticks and celery sticks in a mason jar full of water. This cuts out the amount of air exposed to them by 90%.
Usually, carrots can stay fresh for 1-2 weeks in the fridge, but submerged in water that can double to a whole month.
This trick can be used on herbs too, extending their freshness in the fridge from 3-5 days to about 2 weeks.
Boil Or Clean In Hot Water
Cleaning or boiling food at high temperatures can eliminate all the germs or bacteria that cause food to go off.
The more acidic the food, such as fruit, the greater the benefit of heat in keeping your food fresh. Using a veggie wash and brush can be a dynamic duo!
Once your food is cleaned, if it's not being eaten, your next best step is to seal it in an airtight container such as a jar or silicone pouch.
All of these helpful tips can help your food last a little bit longer, so you can get around to eating it before it goes off. Together we can cut down on that 2.5 million tonne of Australian food waste every year.
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