22 Ingenious Hacks to Make Food Last Longer

If you, too, have some food reserves set aside, then you probably already understand the value of food. And if you’re like me, then you probably hate yourself every time you waste your food.  Being a prepper has a lot to do with canned goods, but it also has a lot to do with learning how to save space and extend your food’s shelf life.

So if you’re a prepper too or just a concerned citizen who is tortured by the limited shelf life of fresh foods, these tips are for you:

 #22 Bananas

By wrapping the stems of the bananas in plastic wrap, they’ll brown much more slowly.

#21 Herbs

When you want to pick your herbs, you just need a little olive oil in which to freeze them in. Then they last for ages.

#20 Mushrooms

Keep mushrooms in a paper bag, not a plastic bag. A plastic bag will trap moisture and cause them to mildew. Put them in a paper bag in the fridge or in a cool, dry place.

#19 Delicate Herbs

Store delicate herbs like flowers; then cover with plastic, secure with a rubber band, and refrigerate. This is the best way to keep delicate herbs like parsley, basil, cilantro, and chives fresh for the longest period of time.

#18 Onions

Tie a knot between every onion with a pair of nylon stockings. By doing so, the onions will last up to 8 months because they’re in fresh air and not squashed against each other.

#17 Potatoes, Onions, and Apples 

These should always be stored separately from one another. When stored together, their shelf-life is reduced. A system like this, for example, will help. The potatoes are stored in the dark so that they don’t produce germs or toxic solanine.

#16 Keep Guacamole Green

Spray leftover guacamole with cooking spray before putting it back in the fridge. There are a number of ways to keep avocado green, and oil is one of them. You should also keep the pit in the guacamole.

#15 Eggs

Eggs can be frozen of course. Simply crack them into an ice-cube container, add a little salt or sugar (that prevents them from becoming grainy), and use as needed.

#14 Tomato Sauce

Tomato sauce can also be put in a freezer bag and then frozen. After an hour, it should be frozen enough so that you can use the blunt edge of a knife to separate the mass into individual portions. Use the knife to push the sauce back and forth.

#13 Celery and Broccoli

These vegetables last much longer and remain crunchy if stored in the fridge wrapped in aluminium foil.

#12 Vegetables

Vegetables should be frozen after being lightly blanched. This gives them a longer freezer-life. To blanch your vegetables, briefly boil them, and then plunge them into ice water.

#11 Lettuce

Lettuce lasts longer when wrapped in a paper towel because the extra moisture is soaked up by the paper towel.

#10 Apples

Apples can last for a long time when stored properly. In the fridge, they can last up to six months. You just need to keep an eye out for that famous rotten apple and get rid of it. Otherwise, it’ll spoil the rest.

#9 Mince

With the same method used for the tomato sauce, you can freeze and portion the leftover ground meat. Then just thaw and use as required.

#8 Cheese in Buckets

Cheese in buckets lasts twice as long when it’s stored upside down!

#7 Instead of Tupperware 

Instead of plastic containers, store your food in glass jars. It lasts much longer.

#6 Cheese

Store your cheese in special grease-proof paper. It lasts longer and doesn’t taste like plastic.

#5 Pineapple

Remove the crown, and stand the pineapple on its head. It’ll make the pineapple enjoyable for much longer.

#4 Spring Onions

Leave spring onions to grow by placing them in water. When you need them, they’ll be fresh and crisp. With the bulb, you can even grow completely new onions.

#3 Cake

Cake will last much longer when protected by pieces of white bread. They remove the moisture from the surrounding air, and it prevents the cake from drying out where it has been cut.

#2 Carrots

Carrots will last forever if stored in sand.

#1 Berries

When you buy fresh berries, place them straight into a bowl with water and vinegar (ratio 10:1). After five minutes, drain them in a sieve, and let them dry. This kills off the small micro-organisms and makes the berries last longer.

I have something you need to watch. It’s much better than I am at explaining this. Watch it to learn why you need your own sustainable food source and how you can get information to build your own aquaponics system.

This article first appeared on askaprepper.com

Resources:

20 Foods that Will Outlast You

24 Lost Survival Tips from 100 Years Ago – with Illustrations

How to Prepare For the Coming Food Crisis

12 Potentially Life-Threatening Errors You’re Making in Food Preparedness and Survival Strategies