Wouldn’t it be great if whenever you’re ready to cook, you’d have all the ingredients you need at your fingertips? And, how nice would it be to cut way down on the food that you have to throw away? And, finally, who wouldn’t like to lower their overall food budget! The team of self-storage deals experts at Hollywood Storage Center of Thousand Oaks have gathered some great ideas on food storage that will help you realize all three!

Cooking Healthy

One of the reasons people end up grabbing less healthy options is that they don’t have all the ingredients they need to whip up a healthy meal. Sometimes they may not have picked up what they need at the store, but other times it’s because the items haven’t been stored correctly which led to early spoilage. Here are the basics of storing items in need of refrigeration.

• Keep it chill – Your refrigerator should be set at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. Beware of overcrowding your fridge as this can block cooling elements and make it less effective.
• Organize like a boss –
• • Upper shelves should store leftovers, drinks, ready to eat foods and herbs.
  • Lower shelves should store eggs, dairy and raw meat.
  • Use the crisper drawers for fruits and veggies – but keep them separate because many fruits produce ethylene gas that promotes ripening in food and can lead to early spoilage.
  • Temperature fluctuates on refrigerator doors the most, so it’s best to store stable products like condiments, juices and water in this area.

Lessen Food Waste

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, nearly 1/3 of all food produced in the world is discarded or wasted for various reasons. So, if you feel you’re tossing more than you should, you’re not alone.

• Learn to preserve –
  • Pickling – This preservation method has been around since, well, pretty much forever and uses brine or vinegar. Here’s a guide with the basic instructions.
  • Drying – Dehydrating foods removes the water needed for bacteria, yeasts and molds to grow and creates shelf-stable items. Buy an electric dehydrator or see these options for drying foods.
  • Canning – This process heats food in jars to temperatures that destroy microorganisms that can cause food to spoil.
  • Curing – This is the addition of a combination of salt, sugar and/or other preservatives to meats with the aim of drawing moisture out of the food. Here’s a How To guide.

• Love your leftovers – Leftovers get a bad rap, but why? They may not look quite as good the second time around, but most foods taste just as good if you reheat properly. Here are some tips for delectable do-overs:
  • Store properly – Consider breaking down leftovers into individual-sized meals that you can easily grab and take to work or eat on-the-go.
  • Reuse creatively – Leftover veggies don’t just have to be eaten as a side dish. Use them in a frittata or in a sauce over pasta.
  • Move away from the microwave – Some foods just taste better when reheated on the stove or in the oven, especially for those people that are sensitive to textures.
  • Refresh – Sometimes just refreshing a meal, like adding cheese or a new sauce or dressing can change leftovers from humdrum to yum!

Lowering Food Costs

Tips for lowering your cost of food are vast and could take up much more than this (relatively) short blog. Here are a few ways to get you inspired.

• Shop smart – Buying in bulk may seem to save money, but not if you can’t consume all that you’ve purchased.
• Keep food pest free – Of course you’ll need to throw away food if critters get to it and that means spending more to replace what was lost. Keep the kitchen tidy, store food in containers with tight lids and deal with any pest problems immediately if the situation occurs.
• Vacuum Seal – Consider investing in a vacuum sealer, particularly if you have plenty of freezer space. With this handy-dandy tool you can buy on-sale cuts of meat, vacuum seal and freeze them to use in the future.
• Freeze bread – Bread is another food that you can buy when it’s on sale and freeze. Once defrosted it’s just as fresh as the day you bought it.

So, there you have it! For a more comprehensive guide, check out this article from Groom + Style website!

Storage is our passion and we love sharing information with you that can help you improve your life. Adding a self-storage unit can also add to your happiness by providing a less cluttered and safe space to store the things you love. We offer the Lowest Price – Guaranteed in the Conejo Valley and get you into a unit that is perfectly sized for your needs. Whenever you need us, just call or drop in. We’ll be waiting.