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Don’t you think too much about whether vegetables and fruits are best placed on the top shelf or which part of the refrigerator will keep the meat at the optimal temperature? Unfortunately – still few people know the rules of proper placement of products in the nooks and crannies of the kitchen. We often eat products that should be more fresh, and all this significantly translates into our health.
Loose products – into the container
Products with a long shelf life, such as flours, groats, flakes, should be kept away from moisture. Therefore, the best storage for them will be separate containers (ceramic, glass or plastic with a seal). It is best to keep the packaged products in a dark, airy and, of course, dry place. If you do not have a vessel to which you can pour the product, you will definitely need plastic clips for fastening open packages. The length of storage of dry products is also very important. When you buy them, it is best to use them for 3 to 5 months (flour, flakes) or up to about 10 months (groats, rice, pasta).
The dry products also include spices – these are certainly worth pouring into special, small containers. They are usually used quickly in the kitchen, but if you are not sure about the freshness of the product – evaluate the smell of the spice after rubbing it between your fingers (body temperature will enhance the effect of essential oils).
Coffee and tea – quick absorbers
These popular drinks shouldn’t be put in the kitchen by chance, unless you don’t care about their flavor – but we don’t believe it! These are products that are particularly sensitive to the presence of other foodstuffs and take over aromas very quickly. Interestingly, not only other products affect the aftertaste of coffee and tea, but also the material of the container in which they are stored. It is obvious that we need a container to protect the products from moisture. Interestingly, these drinks are not made of metal packaging, and if you want to use a plastic container, be sure to choose an opaque one. Access to light, but also oxygen or temperature changes activate oxidation processes – the oxidation of delicate coffee beans or tea leaves. So, put the prepared containers with dried fruit in the kitchen cupboard.
Bread – special considerations
It is best to use a haversack for storing bread. If, on the other hand, you do not have space for this equipment in the kitchen or you simply do not like this type of product, find a secluded, dry place for bread at room temperature. Don’t keep the bread in a plastic bag – ideally you should wrap it in a linen or cotton cloth to prevent mold from growing rapidly.
Fridge – it is also (too) warm here
Items stored in a refrigerator usually have a short shelf life. For this reason, they are among the most wasted food. We know that in the era of packed graphics, it is not easy to control the expiration dates on the packaging of all the products you buy. However, getting into the habit of following a few rules will save you time and money, as it will help you reduce food waste. The more so as a refrigerator is a device in which the temperature may vary depending on a specific shelf or drawer. Below, we disassemble the refrigerator into its main parts:
Fridge door shelves:
Here, the temperature is usually the highest in the entire device, which is why it is a good place to store bottles and cartons with drinks or milk, as well as sauces such as ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, pesto. We also put butter on the door, here we should also store eggs. Often, manufacturers of household appliances place special inserts for storing eggs on the refrigerator door. Some oils also require a low temperature of storage, and the vast majority of them should not be stored in places with a temperature above 20 ° C on a daily basis. So if you do not have a cellar or a storage room at home, it is worth allocating a place in the refrigerator for oils, for example linseed or grape seed.
Lowest shelf:
In turn, they are characterized by the lowest temperature in a refrigerator, around 2-3 ° C. For this reason, it is a good place to store products sensitive to spoilage and bacterial growth – raw meat and fish. Important Note – Before putting these items in the refrigerator, do not wash them – this will prevent microbial growth to some extent.
Middle shelves:
The temperature here is 4-5 ° C and it is a place intended for placing dairy products, sausages and meat products. As the temperature here is average, it is the right shelf for storing ready meals and soups.
Top shelf:
It is characterized by the highest temperature values in the entire device. It is great to store here products that do not require very low temperatures. Most often, preserves are stored here in jars (after opening but not yet used), for example jams, compotes, preserved products (cucumbers, peppers). It can be used to store ready-made cream dough. It is also an additional place for drinks and ready meals, if it is missing on the refrigerator door or on the middle shelf.
Lower chambers:
There are pull-out containers in every larger refrigerator, usually designed for storing fruit and vegetables. However, not all items in these categories can be hidden here. Delicate fruit such as raspberries, blueberries, strawberries and green leafy vegetables such as lettuce will certainly feel very comfortable here. What not to hide in the bottom drawers? First of all, the legumes, zucchini, tomatoes, cucumbers and exotic fruits stored here will deteriorate faster.
Freezing – (not) to repeat
To ensure that the food placed in the freezer does not endanger your health, you need to remember a few of the most important rules:
- Almost all products are suitable for freezing; except for those that have already been thawed once, as well as salads, cream, soft fruits (for example, mangoes and bananas, unless the purpose of freezing is to prepare them for making homemade ice cream) and cruciferous vegetables
- Green leafy vegetables should be blanched before freezing
- Place food ready to eat in the freezer before the expiry date
- Do not freeze non-cooled or slightly warm products – this will adversely increase the temperature in the freezer
- It is worth using vacuum packaging, containers or bags for freezing; meat in particular is best divided into individual portions prepared for cooking
Although the above rules should not be new to an ambitious hostess, it is worth remembering them once in a while – even when doing general cleaning in the kitchen and implementing the missing ones. Although bacteria that want to lead the way in the kitchen will not thank us for it, our body will certainly do it – suffering from gastrointestinal problems less often.
Bibliography:
http://www.izz.waw.pl/pl/eufic?id=127 [dostęp dn. 1.12.2017r.]
http://www2.mz.gov.pl/wwwfiles/ma_struktura/docs/p… [dostęp dn. 1.12.2017r.]
Photos:
https://www.pexels.com/photo/bazaar-bottles-busine…
https://www.pexels.com/photo/aroma-aromatic-assort…