Are you absolutely freezing food or putting a banana in the fridge? Then you are committing two of the most common food storage mistakes. Because many times a difference of just a few degrees is enough to ruin food.
Food ignorance and original packaging
Every food wants its own access, which is why refrigerators have cooling zones. Light intensity or humidity also plays a role. For example, a temperature variation of 1 to 5 degrees is crucial for proper storage of autumn produce in the basement. And that’s just the beginning.
A common mistake is storing food in the packaging in which it was purchased. For short-term storage, this is sufficient. However, if you are planning anything longer, use glass containers with lids. For many pests, from mice to worms, the bag is no barrier. Plus, the food can’t “breathe” in it and the material retains moisture.
Storage for a long time
No food can withstand freezing for very long. Potatoes break down noticeably and taste like water. Raw meat should not be in the freezer for more than 2 to 4 months, cooked for a year at most. Fruits or vegetables can be safely frozen for 8 – 12 months.
This can even be calculated: every -25 degrees will extend the life by half. Of course, this can only be achieved in special boxes, not in domestic conditions.
Butter and vegetables in the fridge
Whenever you refrigerate meat, it needs to be sealed. If it isn’t, bacteria will inevitably affect the rest of the food. Cooking kills these bacteria, but not everything in the fridge is always cooked.
Cheese meat in oil will keep for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator. If stored outside the refrigerator, salt it and store it at a temperature of 3 to 5 degrees.
Although the refrigerator has revolutionized storage, not everything belongs in it. Not all fruit and vegetables benefit from it.
Tomatoes, for example, become mealy, and so do potatoes. The cold turns starch into carbohydrates, which spoil much faster than, say, in a basement at temperatures below 10 degrees. Bananas and grapes are also damaged by excessive cold.
The refrigerator is equally damaging to baked goods, which need to breathe.