Spice storage

Always store your herbs and spices away from heat and moisture in an airtight container. This will prevent moisture from collecting in the herbs and causing mold and mildew which can harm your family. It will also ensure they stay fresh and that they do not overdry if in extreme heat. The heat and direct sun can also cause bleaching of the herbs. You want your herbs to be fresh in taste and sight so you can create the best dish possible. So move that spice cabinet to the other side of the kitchen.

Storing Bananas

Cooking tips for storing foods:
Cool Food Storage is very effective! You can save ripe bananas for baking later, just mash them and freeze in the amounts needed for your recipes. If you are short on time just put them in the freezer, unpeeled, and when ready to use let them defrost and peel. You barely have to mash them, because they are already very soft.

Grated Cheese

Put a teaspoon of baking soda in your container of grated cheese. Shake well before freezing and your cheese will not stick together.

Ground Meat Safety

Ground meat will keep safely in the refrigerator for only 1 to 2 days. If you don't plan on using it immediately, put it in the freezer where it will keep for 3 months.

Bread in the Refrigerator

Cooking tips: Don't let bread go to waste, use smart food storage techniques. Bread will keep up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator if you wrap it in foil and store it on a low shelf.

Chicken Safety

Use smart food storage techniques to protect yourself from Bacteria in raw chicken.

-Marinade in which raw chicken has been soaking should never be used on fully cooked chicken.
-Thaw frozen chicken in the refrigerator, not on the countertop.
-Freeze uncooked chicken if it is not going to be used within 2 days.

Apple Storage

If the apples have been stored in your refrigerator, they should be fine to eat for up to 2 months.

Got Milk?

Healthy cooking tips: Expiration dates on milk are usually very conservative. If the milk is properly stored, it should be fine to drink up to a week after the date on the carton.

Tough Tomatoes

The most effective Food storage for tomatoes is in a brown paper bag or closed container. Adding an apple or pear to the container can also hasten ripening. Store the tomatoes in a single layer and with the stem ends up to avoid bruising.

Cucumber Storage

To extend the life of a cucumber once it has been cut open, wrap it in a paper towel and keep it in the vegetable drawer of your refrigerator.

Seasoning Defrosted Food

Freezing may affect some spices, so it's a good idea to check and re-season if necessary when cooking previously frozen food.

Storing Pasta

Store uncooked pasta in a tightly sealed package or food storage container in a cool, dry place. Food stoage works. Store and use non-egg pasta for up to three years and egg pasta for up to two years.

Cheese Storage

Smart Food Storage:

1)The best place to store cheese is in the refrigerator, the closer to the bottom the better...preferably in the vegetable crisper.
2) Hard cheeses will keep in the freezer, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, for two to three months. It is best not to store a soft cheese in the freezer.

Keep Celery Fresh For Weeks

cooking tips:

I found a way to keep celery fresh for 2 weeks or longer. Take it out of the bag it came in, rinse it with water and wrap it in aluminum foil. This will keep it chilled and lasting longer.

Freezing Berries

Cool Food Storage Tip: Freezing berries is easy. Spread berries out on jelly roll pans in a single layer, making sure the berries are not touching. Freeze until firm. When berries are completely frozen, remove from the pan and place in freezer containers of your choice. Freezing the berries individually means you can remove the amount you want without having them stick together.

Nuts!

If I am not planning to use nuts immediately, I like to store them in the freezer to preserve their freshness. They will also crack more easily after freezing.

Marinating: Safety

Don't put cooked meats in the same dish that held the meat\marinade when it was raw. The bacteria from raw meat can contaminate cooked food.

Keeping Raw Meat

Place raw meat on a plate or pan in the refrigerator to keep juices from dripping on other food.

Crisp Celery

Dampen a paper towel, wrap it around your celery, and then wrap completely in foil. It will stay crisp in your refrigerator for at least a month.

Saving Sauce

Place any extra sauce or broth into a plastic ice cube tray. When they are frozen, pop them out and put them in a ziploc bag for smart food storage. If you measure out the sauce or broth before you freeze it, you won't even have to defrost it when you need to use it, just toss it into the pot.