Did you know that every year, the American population throws away nearly 40% of its food? According to the United States Department of Agriculture, this wastes adds up to more than $160 billion wasted each year! As premier caterers in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, this fact is truly upsetting to us!
With Easter around the corner, we thought it was a perfect time to provide you with a few helpful tips on proper food storage. Following these simple tips will help to keep your ingredients fresher, longer, and having your family enjoying those leftovers longer than usual!
Meats and Fish
They don’t give away meats, poultry, and fish at the store, so proper storage is crucial for these items. The ideal temperature for ensuring freshness is around 29 degrees. However, if your refrigerator doesn’t allow you to set the temperature, find the coldest spot, ideally in a drawer.
Another storage tips for meats and fish is to keep these items in their original wrapping. Often, we’ll buy in bulk and break up the serving into smaller portions. However, rewrapping increases the chances of exposing your meats to harmful bacteria.
Dairy Products
Another item that’s popular in the toss-away department is dairy. From milk to cheese, yogurt to sour cream, food in the dairy category tends to turn quickly. Watching expiration dates and rotating your supply is crucial to producing less waste. Here are a few more tips concerning the shelf-life of dairy products:
- Leave items in their original containers
- After opening block cheese, wrap the remaining cheese in foil, loose plastic, or wax paper
- Don’t store your milk and creams on the fridge door – this is the warmest spot and most likely to spoil
- Plastic milk bottles last longer than cardboard
Leftovers
With Easter around the corner, there’s sure to be plenty of leftovers in your refrigerator. Be sure to store these items in leak-proof, air-tight containers to ensure freshness! Although you may be tempted to toss large items (like mashed potatoes) into one container, it’s better to divide your leftovers into smaller, flat containers. By doing so, your food will cool faster, reducing the chance of bacteria growth.
From our family to yours, our Chefs have decided to share family recipes this Easter. Since our caterers are on hold, we’re offering Easter dinner meals to-go. Be sure to check out our special Easter menu and place your orders by April 9th for delivery or April 10th for pick up! Quantities are limited, so don’t wait, call us today at (603) 598-5177.
