10 Best Food Storage Tips

Which is the most visited room in your house? Your kitchen. Why? Because it stores your favourite item - food! Raw or cooked, your food should always taste fresh and healthy. Imagine biting into a super juicy fruit or enjoying a delicious meal full of flavour. That's what happens when you're good at storing food. Storing food correctly means your yummy meals stay as awesome on day five as on day one. Let's discuss a few effective food storage tips and tricks to explore the right appliances to keep your food fresh longer. 

Importance of Storing Foods in Borosil Containers

Before looking at the food storage tips, let's learn the importance of storing food items in Borosil containers. 

Safety: 

Borosilicate glass is non-toxic and doesn't release harmful chemicals, ensuring your food remains pure and safe to consume.

Temperature Resilience: 

It can withstand extreme temperature changes without breaking, allowing you to transfer hot or freshly cooked food directly.

Transparency: 

Clear borosilicate glass lets you see the contents without opening the container, minimising exposure to air and light.

Airtight Seal: 

Many containers have airtight lids, safeguarding against moisture, air, and unwanted odours to extend shelf life.

Versatility: 

Safe for use in the fridge, freezer, oven, microwave, and dishwasher, making it an all-in-one solution.

Maintains freshness: 

Airtight seals lock in freshness, crucial for perishable items like fruits, vegetables, and cooked meals.

Does not retain flavour: 

Borosilicate glass doesn't retain flavours or odours, ensuring your current dish's taste isn't affected.

Sustainable: 

Durable and reusable, contributing to environmental sustainability by reducing the need for disposable containers.

Elegant Presentation: 

Attractive glass containers enhance the visual appeal of your meals, perfect for special occasions or serving guests.

10 Tips on Proper Storage of Food

Storing the food is essential. Here are the best ways to store food and preserve its freshness:

1. Store grains and pulses in airtight jars: 

Replace plastic jars with 100% borosilicate jars. Their airtight lids prevent moisture from spoiling your food. Borosilicate glass jars don't exude chemicals like plastic containers do, keeping your food safe for consumption. Opt for jars that come in different sizes, so you can use bigger jars for grains you use more often! 

You might wonder why you should switch your pulses to borosilicate jars. The airtight lids of these jars are the gatekeepers of freshness. By locking out moisture and air, they create a protective environment that shields your grains and pulses from potential deterioration. Unlike their plastic counterparts, borosilicate glass jars do not release chemicals into your food, ensuring it remains pure and untainted.

2. Label your containers:

Even though the above-advised glass containers or jars are see-through, not all of your family members can differentiate between the numerous kinds of days. Labelling them will help even a cooking noob feel more familiar in the kitchen. It is like giving each ingredient its little signpost. It's a simple act with incredible benefits. Not only does it save time, but it also prevents any last-minute confusion or misjudgments when you're preparing a meal. You can use permanent markers to label them. You can also make it exciting by assigning each colour to different types of food.

3. Make space by stacking:

If you have a smaller kitchen or less space in your cabinets, it is all the more important to optimise your organisation. Stackable jars and containers are perfect for making and utilising your storage space. But, if you already have spacious cabinets, you can use the space more effectively with the help of a divider. It showcases your ingredients more clearly and protects jars from tumbling or falling!

4. Choose odour-free jars:

They are perfect for keeping your food fresh. With one quick wash, your container looks and smells as good as new and is ready to store more food items. Here's the magic: These jars are made from borosilicate that doesn't hold onto smells. So, if you had garlic in there yesterday and strawberries today, you won't be met with an odd mix of scents. They work like a charm to keep your food flavours pure and distinct. You can switch from storing pasta to cookies without worrying about lingering aromas.

5. Most-used ingredients should be kept nearby:

Keep ingredients you use most often the closest to your cooktop. So even if you forget to keep that specific ingredient ready during prep, it's almost as close as every other ingredient already assembled on your cooktop!

6. Store pre-mixes in airtight jars:

Imagine you are planning to cook dinner but have a packed schedule for the rest of the day. One convenient way would be to prepare everything you need to cook in the morning and store them. Preparing pre-mixes is the best time-efficient strategy. To make sure your pre-mix doesn't spoil, you must store it in airtight containers. 

Also, They keep your mix fresh and rid of any humidity. They trap all the yumminess inside and keep out anything that might spoil your food, like humidity or bad stuff. If you use airtight jars, you can ensure that your pre-mixes stay fresh and unspoilt irrespective of the season outside. 

7. Store leftovers in leak-proof glass containers: 

Leftover foods are the most commonly stored items. God forbid, you drop any curry in your fridge. It's as difficult to clean as it was delicious to eat. Leak-proof airtight glass containers are quintessential in preserving your food from chemicals, preventing leakages, and ridding you of any leftover smell.

Additionally, they're transparent, like little windows into your food world. You can easily avoid opening each box if you forget where you stored your spaghetti. Another great advantage of these containers is that they can withstand temperatures up to 350 degrees C. You can pop them in the microwave to warm up your yummy leftovers directly, and when they need a cosy spot in the fridge, they fit right in. 

8. Turn your 4-step routine into 1-step with glass storage containers:

Your 4-step storing, heating, serving, and cleaning routine can easily be turned into 1 simple step with glass storage containers. They are perfect to store food in, as established earlier. They are microwave proof, so you need not dirty another vessel to warm up your food. Glass containers are sleek and stylish, so perfect to use as serveware. They are easy to clean up and leave no residual odour. Voila! You save time and money by purchasing and cleaning up just one utensil!
The brownie point: you can also use these containers to pack on-the-go lunches or snacks!

9. Snacks and munchies storage:

Most of us love to snack and munch! Popcorn, for example, is one of the tastiest snacks to munch on. Though, it's better for your health to not pop all the kernels at once. Popcorn kernels get infested with bugs easily, so it's most important to store them in airtight jars or containers and safely store them in the fridge or freezer. The worst is when snacks 'sil jaate hai', so easily preserve their crunch in freezer-safe airtight jars!

10. Store beverages in glass bottles:

Have you ever stored juices or shakes in a plastic bottle and couldn't get rid of their smell even after 3 washes? With odour-free borosilicate glass bottles, this problem doesn't even come up! Freshly store buttermilk, juices, shakes, and more in the fridge without worrying about any residual smell.

Types of Storage Containers

You might have got an idea about the general types of storage containers. Here, let's explore a few other types of borosilicate containers that will help improve the shelf-life of the food items. 

Spice Jars and Oil Jars:

Spice jars are compact containers with tight-fitting lids for organising your spice collection. The flavour of the spices reduces if you keep them in the open air for a long time. So, you can use spice jars to retain the flavour and aroma of the spices. On the other hand, oil jars provide a convenient and attractive way to store cooking oils. Since you will store oil in this jar, they provide a durable, tight lid. 

Vacuum Insulated Lunch Boxes:

Vacuum-insulated lunch boxes keep your food hot or cold for hours, making them excellent for packed lunches. These containers have a special vacuum layer that acts as a barrier, keeping the temperature of your food locked in. So, whether it's a frosty yoghurt or a hearty bowl of curry, you can trust that it will stay at the right temperature until you're ready to enjoy it. Also, PUF-Insulated Lunch Boxes serve the same purpose. They use Polyurethane Foam insulation to keep your food at the right temperature. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, A well-organised kitchen is like a haven of efficiency and delight. Imagine walking in and effortlessly finding your go-to snacks, neatly displayed and within arm's reach. This level of organisation streamlines your daily routine and encourages healthier choices. With ingredients, utensils, and cookware in their designated spots, cooking becomes a joyous experience. Beyond the practicality, an organised kitchen brings a sense of calm and creativity, making each visit a delightful journey toward nourishment and culinary satisfaction. So, read the food storage tips and organise your kitchen well, so when you visit it for the eleventh time in a day - your favourite snacks are easily accessible and on full display!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What happens if we don't store food properly?

If food isn't stored correctly, it can deteriorate faster, lose flavour and nutrition, and pose higher chances of bacterial contamination, potentially causing foodborne illnesses. Thus, it's important to understand the best ways to store food.

2. How can I prevent my food from getting spoiled quickly? 

To prevent quick spoilage, store your food in containers that seal out air and moisture, which are culprits behind spoilage.

3. What's the benefit of using borosilicate glass containers?

Using borosilicate glass containers offers benefits like effectively preserving food without chemical releases, maintaining transparency, and withstanding temperature changes.