#food-storage

#food-storage

When disaster strikes - whether through supply chain breakdowns, natural disasters, or other emergencies - your body still needs protein to survive. Protein supports strong muscles, sharp thinking, a healthy immune system, and proper growth in children. In times of crisis, shelf-stable protein sources become more than convenient - they're essential. Stockpiling now, while food is plentiful, can mean the difference between staying strong or wasting away when things go wrong.

Flourless chocolate cakes have an intense flavour, yet provide a blank canvas for all sorts of additions and/or substitutions. With our hedgerows producing untold thousands of tonnes of wild blackberries annually, there's rarely been a better time to embrace seasonal adaptations of this kind. To keep berries for longer, store them in a sealed container in the fridge with a sheet of kitchen towel in there to soak up any excess moisture.

Pistachios are having quite the moment. As the star of the now-famous "Dubai chocolate bar," these shelled glories have really gone viral, so much so that there was even a shortage at one point. If you're someone who hoarded up during the frenzy, you might want to keep an eye on your stash. Contrary to what you might think, pistachios do go bad - and it doesn't take that long for them to deteriorate.

Sriracha is made from a mixture of chili peppers (typically red jalapeño), acidic distilled vinegar, umami garlic, sugar, and salt. Like most chili-pepper-based hot sauces, sriracha is hardy and durable, but not immune to quality degradation over time due to prolonged light and air exposure. Still, dark red tones (even to the point of bordering on dark red-brown) aren't necessarily signs that your sriracha has turned.

Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, homemade yum yum sauce will last for one week. It tastes even better with each passing day, as the flavors have been allowed to meld and chill. But, for foodies playing the long game, start checking on your batch after the seven day mark (that is, if there are any leftovers remaining by then). If your sauce smells at all "off" or has begun to separate, toss it out.

Let's face it: Keeping the kitchen organized is one of the greatest challenges we face in our busy everyday lives, and the pantry is a particularly touchy subject. Keeping a well-stocked pantry is a joy, until it gets full of half-empty bags of beans, messy flour sacks, and who-knows-what-that-is, forgotten out of sight at the very back. If only we could have a perfectly organized pantry with matching containers designed specifically for each purpose!

For fresh tuna fans, nothing beats a well-prepared tuna steak. With a perfectly seared salt-and-pepper crust and a pink, juicy inside, they don't call them steaks for nothing. But cooking tuna at home can feel intimidating for the uninitiated. Perhaps the most important tip you need when cooking with tuna is knowing how to determine if it's fresh. The best method - give it a sniff.

Ladle the compote into ice cube trays and freeze them - then transfer the cubes to an airtight freezer-safe container or resealable freezer bags. It's important to remove as much air as possible - a handheld vacuum sealer works wonders here. If you're filling bags with liquid instead of making cubes, leave a half an inch of space at the top since liquid expands as it freezes. Stack the bags to save space, and to break off pieces easily.

School lunch prep shouldn't feel like solving a daily puzzle where everything goes wrong. The difference between lunch success and cafeteria disaster often comes down to having the right gear.

The IceMule is the best soft-sided, packable cooler that can compress to the size of a medium sweater or function as a carry-on backpack.

The Bentgo Signature Glass Food Storage Set is a unique product, being the first glass storage set with glass lids rather than plastic lids, ensuring a more eco-friendly choice.

Bananas are easy to freeze for smoothies, baking, and snacks if peeled beforehand; freezing with peel makes them sticky and difficult to use later.

Zucchini is best kept fresh for later by freezing it, but it should be cut into smaller pieces and blanched before freezing. Blanching helps maintain taste and appearance, preventing bacterial growth.

To ensure your frozen treats maintain their shape while outdoors, a cooler alone won't suffice; pre-cooling it and time are essential for optimal results.

Fresh-pressed orange juice retains quality for two to three days in the fridge, offering a nutritious option without preservatives, unlike store-bought varieties.

To extend the life of radishes, store cleaned radishes submerged in cold water in a tightly sealed jar in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Refrigerating tomatoes exposes them to cold temperatures that ruin their texture and flavor, making them bland and mushy instead of vibrant and tasty.

Lemon juice deteriorates quickly due to enzymatic bittering when exposed to oxygen, making it less pleasant to taste after just a few days.

Cucumbers should not be stored in their original packaging; instead, they should be wrapped in paper towels and placed in a zip-top bag in the fridge.

Reusable containers are vital for meal prep, yet they can retain strong odors due to their absorbent materials. Ground mustard effectively combats these stubborn smells.

Canned lentils are versatile and nutritious, but leftover opened cans should be stored properly and consumed within three to four days to ensure safety.

If you've ever opened your butter dish only to be hit with a cheesy aroma, you're not alone - and you're not necessarily dealing with spoiled butter.