Toss It? Tips for Keeping Food Fresh and Safe

Published on: March 6, 2007

It's Spring Cleaning Time! Let's head to those kitchen cabinets and refrigerators and find out what you must have ... and what you've gotta throw away. It's about food, it's about food safety, it's about convenience and it's about making your kitchen less stressful!

Start in the refrigerator:
Check expiration dates carefully and don't assume that just because your refrigerator seems cool that the products will last beyond the expiration date. What we don't think about are the many "un-cool" occasions that our fresh and frozen foods experience from the manufacturer to our home. Trucks that may not be at the correct temperature, foods sitting on loading docks waiting to be unpacked and even the time that it sits in our own shopping carts and the time on the way home can all effect the perish ability of our foods.

Proper air circulation is critical for proper refrigeration and freezing. Look carefully to see where the air vents are and be sure to leave them exposed. Leave spaces between products — don't jam them together — to allow the air to circulate.

The most important refrigerator and freezer accessory is a thermometer. Refrigerator temperature should be between 38 and 40 degrees and freezers at zero.

The doors on your refrigerator and freezer are the most convenient, but also the warmest. Use these shelves for those products that are the least perishable — salad dressings, soda, condiments, etc.

Crispers are designed for fruits and vegetables and usually have different settings for each. Crispers that are too cold may spoil your produce. Be sure to put a clean absorbent paper towel on the bottom of the drawer. Not only will it make cleanup easier — but it will also absorb excess moisture and keep your produce fresher longer.

With a permanent marker, circle or write expiration dates in big letters that are easy to read. Use zip lock type bags to store opened foods. Never put uncovered foods in your refrigerator.

Remember that you cannot see, taste or smell bacteria until it's too late and that can cause serious food illnesses.

The foods: Milk should always be put on a shelf and never on the door.

Eggs should be stored in the container they came in. Never use the plastic egg container that comes with some refrigerators. Eggs need to breathe and the plastic container keeps them from doing so and will cause them to spoil faster. Fresh eggs will last up to three weeks if stored properly.

Condiments kept in the fridge will last up to a year, except mayonnaise and that should be kept only for two months. The most dangerous part of condiments is cross contamination — be sure to always use a clean utensil that has not touched other foods before putting the knife or fork into the jar.

Next is the freezer:
Freezers are known for their mysteries. Go ahead, open your up and count how many unidentified foil packages you have. Be sure to wrap foods in foil and then put in a freezer zip lock type of bag. And again identify what's inside and the date.

Just because it's in the freezer does not mean it will last forever.

Here are some frozen storage guidelines for products that are properly packaged in airtight containers:

Frozen Entrees and dinners: 3 to 4 months
Ground beef or turkey: 3 months
Lunchmeats (unopened): 1 month
Bacon (unopened): 1 month
Whole chicken or turkey: 1 year

Then on to the kitchen cabinets:
Most shelves are jammed with boxes, cans and jars - so many that we can't even remember when we bought each one. Step one is going through what's in your cabinets and checking expiration dates and inspecting packages carefully.

Look for expiration dates. Use a permanent marker to mark the cans and boxes with the date you purchased them in large letters on the side of the can that you can easily see.

Cooking Oils should always be stored in a cool dry place. Unopened oil lasts about 6 months — once opened up to 3 months.
Salad Dressings will last unopened up to a year and after opening should be kept in the fridge up to 3 months.

Put paper boxes of grains — for example, crackers, pasta, cereals, and rice — in airtight containers or large zip lock type bags. Not only will the products stay fresher but will also prevent insects from finding their way in your favorite pasta. The starch that is used to hold together corrugated boxes can be a breading ground for insects both in warehouses and in supermarkets. And when these bugs get hungry they can find their way into packages that you can inadvertently bring home.

Pastas will last about a year unopened or stores in an airtight container.
Egg Noodles will only last about 1 to 2 months after opened.
Rice will last about a year — but be sure to keep moisture out.
Herbs & Spices can be breading grounds for bugs — so handle and store these properly. Whole spices last about 2 years, ground spices between 6 to 12 months. Always store in glass jars — spices in plastic jars or plastic bags don't last as long as the plastic itself allows air to get in. Never buy spices in wooden bins — they are a haven for insects.
Canned foods will last up to 2 years from date of manufacture — not the date you purchased them. Many cans still carry a manufacturing code (instead of a "use by" date). There is no standard, most canned goods follow this system:

If you don't want to take the trouble to decipher, just call the toll free number on the package and the customer service representative will be happy to tell you when it was made.

Never use canned foods that are rusty, bent, dented or bulging — it's a sure sign that bacteria are growing inside.

And for those of you that want to get even more shelf life, here's three products you may want to check out:

VacuWare Fresh Food System is a vacuum sealing system that preserves foods three to five times longer than those stored with traditional methods and is ideal for foods that spoil quickly when exposed to air and contaminants, those that will be stored over long periods of time, and foods that can go stale due to time or humidity. VacuWare retails for $160. www.vacuware.com

QuickSeals converts nearly any packaged food item into a resealable storage container. The product uses a zip slider top and adhesive strips to form a seal with any food bags or boxes. A 20-pack (10 medium size and 10 large size) retails for $3.49, a 6-pack (3 medium and 3 large) $1.29, and a 150-pack (75 medium and 75 large) $24.99. www.quickseals.com

DaysAgo Digital Day Counter is a counter that attaches to any surface with a magnetic or suction backing and counts up to 99 days. You can use it on food containers to let you know how many days ago you opened it, closed it, tried it, sauced it, grew it, etc. As for leftovers, it eliminates the doubt about when to throw it out. Available in Lime, Tangerine, Charcoal and Blueberry colors and each 2-pack sells for $10.00 www.howmanydaysago.com

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