Four surprising ways you can give longer shelf life to food items to cut waste
IT is easy to let food spoil before you get round to using it, and it wastes a lot of money.
The typical household could save hundreds of pounds a year by making better use of their freezer, according to appliance firm AO.com.
Here are a few surprising ways you can give a longer shelf life to some of the most commonly wasted foods . . .
FRUIT AND VEG: Not everyone thinks to freeze fruit and veg but doing so could recoup £272 a year, says AO.
Kate Hall, food waste expert and author of The Full Freezer Method, says: “They won’t defrost well but frozen fruits can be blitzed in smoothies or used in baking, while veg can be used in cooked dishes.”
To prevent clumping, freeze on a lined tray before moving to a freezer bag. Ideally, blanch veg beforehand, and cook straight from frozen for the best quality.
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An exception is potatoes, which can’t be frozen raw.
Kate suggests making a big batch of mash to freeze. Reheat in a pan or the microwave.
EGGS: Chucked every two to three weeks on average, you could save £64 a year by using them up instead.
“People are always surprised to find they can freeze eggs,” says Kate.
To do so, break from the shell and whisk together before freezing flat in usable portions in a freezer bag.
MILK: Consider storing in the body of the fridge rather than the door. This can add up to three days to its shelf life.
You can freeze milk too, saving £33 a year.
Doing so in usable portions is best. Kate adds: “Milk can sometimes look yellow and may split when it defrosts.
“Don’t be put off by this, it’s just the fats separating from the water. Just give it a good shake.”
BREAD: Pop your bread in the freezer in slices, which can be toasted straight from frozen to save £72 a year.
To defrost, keep the bread wrapped while it thaws to stop it drying out.
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