How to make your groceries last long in Seattle?

How to make your groceries last long?

Are you tired of tossing spoiled food in the dustbin?
Dumping spoiled groceries is equivalent to throwing away your hard-earned money in the dustbin.

Especially at times when food prices are skyrocketing, you would want to consume every bit of your grocery without wasting it. I am sure you must have done your research looking for answers to “How to store groceries for a long time?” or “What groceries last the longest?” 

Well, look no further we have got you covered. Here, are our top Grocery freshness hacks. 

 

• How to keep Rice fresh longer?

  Basmati rice has to be stored in a proper air-tight container to preserve its freshness and avoid spoilage.

• Pests can become a major hurdle while storing rice for longer periods of time. But they can be kept away by putting some dried bay leaves along with cloves in the rice container. The smell of these leaves drives away bugs, thereby protecting your stored rice.  

•   Do keep in mind the “First in, First out” rule while using rice. This avoids leaving the bottom rice unused for a long time.  

• Rice does not like direct sunshine and moisture, therefore remember to store your rice in a dark place. This way you will be able to store rice for a long period of time in Seattle’s humid climate. 

 

• Where should spices be stored?  

You must have always heard your mother or grandmother tell you to keep the spices away from the oven, kitchen stoves, and even the dishwasher. So, where do we store spices then?

Firstly, let’s understand the reason behind these restrictions – moisture, humidity, and heat are not good for spices.  Now, coming back to the answer to the question – Although it can not always be possible to follow all the restrictions and Seattle’s humidity can spoil your spices.

Even then you can still increase the shelf life of spices by sealing them in air-tight steel containers. You can also add silica gel packets to absorb excess moisture from them.

 

•  Create preservatives for dried spices by using herb-infused oils. Take 1 cup of good-quality olive oil, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, some black pepper, red chilies, dried ginger, and 2-3 cloves of garlic. Dry roast the spices, infuse the oil in the cooled-down mixture and keep the jar in the sun for 2-3 weeks. Strain the oil and store it away from the sun. This oil will preserve the spices for several months.  Along with enhancing the shelf life, this method also adds a flavor to your spices. 

• Avoid mixing spices, it ruins the individual aroma of spice and also spoils it.  Using only stainless steel spoons also maintains the taste of the spice. 

 

• Ways to preserve vegetables 

 

  I am sure you must have endless questions when going grocery shopping like  “When do vegetables go bad?”, “Where should they be stored in refrigerators?” “How long can they be stored in the refrigerator before going bad?”
These questions perplex us and make the entire process cumbersome.

Different vegetables have different storage specifications. This is why it is extremely confusing for most of us. Let me help you with some tips.

• Before storing green leafy vegetables,  wash them in cold water and let them air dry before putting them in the refrigerator’s vegetable crisper drawer,  in a perforated plastic bag. This will avoid the building up of moisture and keep your veggies crisp. 

• For root vegetables like carrots and radishes, create a sand storage box where you can layer these veggies with sand. This provides a natural insulator and prevents them from drying out. 

• You must be tired from finding your herbs wilted and dried every time you open your refrigerator to use them. To avoid this is by storing your favorite herbs in mason jars filled with water. This way you can create an indoor herb garden for yourself and pluck out fresh herbs whenever you need.  

 

• You can also create a natural DIY Vegetables Preservative spray by adding a small amount of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice to water. This homemade natural solution sprayed on your vegetables before storing will inhibit any bacterial growth. 

Now, if you came all the way to the end you deserve some brownie tips!
Remember how after Diwali all the leftover laddoos and barfis pose a storing challenge? Who would want to throw away laddoos?

Well, you don’t have to.  

You can dehydrate those sweets to reduce their moisture content and grind them into fine powder. Now you can use this powder as flavoring for other desserts like yogurt.

CONCLUSION – 

While extending food shelf life can be challenging but with these smart grocery storage tips you will be better equipped in handling the crisis. By embracing these smart and creative hacks you will be able to reduce food wastage, save money and enjoy fresh and healthy groceries for a longer time.

Discover a wide selection of fresh groceries and experience the authentic flavors of Indian cuisine at our Seattle Supermarket.