American women spend about $100 a year on disposable food storage, according to a new poll in ShopSmart magazine from the publisher of Consumer Reports.
ShopSmart offers tips for efficient food storage by avoiding the most common mistakes.
1. Sloppy wrapping: allows air and moisture to seep in.
Easy fix: Make sure lids are on tight.
2. Not removing store wrap: can expose the contents to air through tiny holes or a loose flap and to chemicals from the wrap itself.
Easy fix: Rewrap meat, poultry and cold cuts that come in flimsy wrapping.
3. Oversize containers: leave too much headroom — air between the food and lid — spreading spoilage and freezer burn.
Easy fix: Match the size of the container to the contents.
4. Reusing containers: Containers meant for one-time use such as cottage cheese cartons may not hold up to wear and tear or be safe to re-heat leftovers.
Easy fix: Freebie containers can be used for dry pantry foods.
5. Incorrect fridge temps: can spoil food faster if just a few degrees off.
Easy fix: Keep the fridge at 37 degrees and the freezer at 0.
6. Fridge-door storage: can allow food to be 3 to 5 degrees warmer that the shelves inside.
Easy fix: Keep eggs, milk and fresh condiments in the back of the fridge. Vinegar-based items such as mustard, relish and ketchup can stay in the door.
7. The sniff test: It’s unreliable because food that doesn’t smell can still make you sick.
Easy fix: Pay attention to use-by dates and when in doubt, throw it out.
8. Underwrapping smelly stuff: allows their odors to spread to other foods.
Easy fix: If you can smell it, wrap it until you can’t. Use tight containers.
9. Losing track of leftovers: leaves you eating spoiled food.
Easy fix: Label and date containers, and use them within three or four days.
10. Warehouse overload: is only good if you can eat what you bought before it goes bad.
Easy fix: Repackage food into meal-size packages; freeze what you cannot use immediately.
Sarah Jackson, Herald Writer sjackson@heraldnet.com
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