With food prices rising, here are tips on storing bulk food items so they won’t go bad
Nothing beats a stir-fry for a simple, quick and healthy dinner. Put a little peanut or toasted sesame oil in the pan or wok, add an assortment of vegetables, toss in meat, chicken, tofu or fish, a favorite sauce and voila.
So why did my recent stir-fry cause faces to pucker? I admit, with embarrassment, that I used oil past its prime. Flavorful and healthy oils, like sesame and walnut, can become rancid after several months even when stored appropriately in dark containers in a cool spot. With specialty oils, bigger is not necessarily better and buying a small bottle might be cost effective.
Fortunately, this is not the case with most other foods. Considering today’s food prices, the savvy consumer needs to know how to store sale and bulk food purchases to keep them fresh and free from food-borne illness. Freezing works well for a wide variety of foods. The tip is to double wrap for freshness and remember portion sizes.
Vitamin E-packed almonds and omega 3-rich walnuts are an example. The food clubs sell giant containers of these heart healthy nuts. Freeze nuts in individual portions, about 25 pieces, and you are ready to toss them in a salad or add crunch to yogurt. Dried fruits are also sold in bulk and although they do not need freezing, storing them in single portions can prevent “waist-fullness.” Toss a few dried apricots in cereal or some dried tart cherries on frozen yogurt for extra nutrition and flavor.
One of my favorites to freeze is Italian food. A pan of vegetable lasagna provides eight servings. Boring to eat every day, but tasty to spread out over a month or two.
For safety’s sake, invest in a refrigerator thermometer to ensure your freezer is below 0° and your refrigerator is below 40°. These temperatures eliminate bacterial growth. For more on the what, when and how to store and freeze, go to http://www.fsis.usda.gov
Sheah Rarback is a registered dietitian nutritionist in private practice in Miami, FL. srarback@hotmail.com
