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How to Keep Foods Fresh Longer

By , About.com Guide

Tired of buying foods, only to have them go bad before you manage to get them eaten? Improper storage could be the cause. Adopt the following storage habits, and your foods will stay fresh days – if not months – longer:

Apples

ApplesPhoto © Flickr user Andrew_Mason
Store apples on the counter, away from other produce.

Bananas

BananasPhoto © Flickr user *clairity*

Store bananas at room temperature until they ripen. Store ripe bananas in the refrigerator to impede further ripening. Freeze over-ripened bananas for use in banana bread and other baked goods.

Note: When you refrigerate or freeze bananas, the peel will turn black, but the fruit will still be good.

Bread

BreadPhoto © Flickr user How_Can_I_Recycle_This
Store bread in a breadbox or on the counter.

Butter

ButterPhoto © Morguefile user ronnieb
Store butter in its original packaging inside the refrigerator compartment (not inside the door). Butter can also be frozen for up to six months.

Cheese

CheesePhoto © flickr user Quinn_Dombrowksi

Remove cheese from its original packaging. Then, rewrap it in a piece of plastic wrap or wax paper, and seal it inside a plastic bag.

Eggs

EggsPhoto © Flickr user cursedthing

Store eggs in their original carton inside the refrigerator – not inside the refrigerator door.

Flour

FlourPhoto © Flickr user blair_christensen
Freeze flour for 48 hours to kill any insect eggs that might be present. Then, place in a tight-sealing container; and store in a cool, dry spot away from sunlight. Keep whole-grain flours in the refrigerator or freezer to extend their life.

Garlic

GarlicPhoto © Flickr user CarbonNYC

Store heads of garlic unpeeled in an open container in a cool, dry place. For long-term storage, garlic can also be dried and braided.

Bloomingfieldfarms.com: How to Braid Garlic

Honey

HoneyPhoto © Morguefile user keyseeker

Store honey in a cool, dark place in an air-tight container.

Lettuce

LettucePhoto © Flickr user psd
Remove the lettuce from its store packaging. Then, wrap it in paper toweling, and place it in an open storage bag.
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