Running and managing a kitchen is a very difficult task. Stacking different types of food items to provide three (or more) meals a day, 365 days a year is vital in every household. However, storing all of the food has its own set of dos and don'ts.
Storage is an essential element of kitchen management, be it raw food ingredients, cooked leftovers or frozen foods. An inappropriate storage practice, on the other hand, may cause more harm than benefit. It is well known that if food is not properly preserved, various germs can grow and cause food borne diseases. One can never be too careful while storing food, and there are several common blunders that almost everyone does.
Common Food Storage Mistakes
Here Are 5 Common Food Storage Mistakes and How to Avoid Them:
Using Plastic Containers: Most individuals make the mistake of keeping food in plastic containers for an extended period of time. Plastic's health risks are well documented. Nonetheless, we disregard and use plastic containers because they are easy to handle, readily available, and less expensive to purchase. To keep your stored food healthy, choose glass or steel containers.
Using Non-Airtight Containers: While many foods may be stored without airtight containers for extended periods of time, many foods decay when moisture from the air sneaks in.
Learn how to properly store a specific food. Sliced fruits and vegetables, cookies, namkeen, spices, and other goods require airtight containers to stay fresh.
Leaving The Temperature Unchecked: You should be aware of what should be kept in the refrigerator and what should be kept in the freezer. If prepared foods are to be utilized after many days, they should be stored in a freezer rather than a refrigerator. Same for frozen foods and ready-to-cook meals. FDA advises to keep the refrigerator temperature at or below 40 degrees F and the freezer temperature at or below 0 degrees F.
Saving Thawed Frozen foods: We all tend to thaw a huge chunk of meat, or other frozen food, use a part of it, and store it in the freezer again. You should know that frozen food, once thawed, and refrozen, loses its potent qualities.
Reheating Food All Wrong: This is a blunder that we can all admit to commit. Do you frequently defrost frozen items in the microwave rather than allowing them to come to room temperature? Do you microwave food in plastic containers rather than glass ones? You're already aware of where you're going wrong.
Your health is in your hands. Avoid stale foods, and if you must store them, do it properly.
