How to properly store the food we use every day
The foods we use every day in the kitchen are delicate. Therefore, they should be protected from moisture, heat, light and bacteria (to keep them fresh and nutritious for a long time). All food can be kept in different containers, foils made of plastic materials, but also cans, jars and baskets.
Spices can be kept outdoors in pottery, porcelain or clay pots
Foods such as flour, sugar, flakes and pasta should be in well-sealed glass jars in kitchen elements (protected from light and heat). After opening, it is best to pour coffee and cocoa into special tin or plastic vacuum containers to preserve the aroma and protect other foods. It is best to keep bread wrapped in a linen cloth, potatoes in a basket, tomatoes in an earthenware dish and soft cheese in aluminum foil. It is important to keep tea that is not in the original packaging or if each bag in the box is individually packaged. Spices should also be kept in well-sealed containers in a dry and dark place. Spices can be kept outdoors in pottery, porcelain or clay pots.
It is best to keep chocolate in a cardboard box in a dark and cool place (never in the refrigerator) protected from other odors. Bread and pastries will be kept fresh for the longest time if they are stored in a dry place in a special wooden box or wrapped in a linen cloth, or in a basket wrapped in a cotton or linen cloth according to the recipe of our grandmothers. Smaller quantities of fruits and vegetables that do not fit in the fridge (peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, pumpkins, bananas, lemons, oranges) are best kept in wooden boxes in a dry and dark place. It is important to know that different types of fruits and vegetables must be kept separate. For example, apple ingredients encourage ripening, so do not keep apples near other fruits and vegetables (especially near potatoes and tomatoes).
Foods that must be kept in the refrigerator
Prepared cold cuts, cooked food or leftovers should be covered with special foil or transferred to containers to preserve freshness and kept in the refrigerator (to preserve freshness) for up to 3 days depending on the type of food. Chopped onions or potatoes should be kept in a vacuum container or in a plastic bag from which air has been expelled.
Fresh herbs and salads can be kept in plastic bags and wrapped in a damp cotton cloth (or kitchen paper) on a glass or porcelain plate or dish covered with a cloth or foil in the coldest part or at a temperature of 0 to 4 degrees Celsius. Thus stored fresh fish can remain in the refrigerator for only 1 day, meat for up to 2 days, and minced meat for up to 8 hours before use.
Hard cheese is stored in a glass container or wrapped in a cotton (or linen) cloth and soft cheese in aluminum foil. Cheese should not be kept in plastic foils that contain small amounts of harmful ingredients that dissolve in contact with fat.
Margarine, butter and fat are best stored in the original packaging (since they absorb odors) in a separate compartment or box. Our grandmothers put a cup of coffee filled with baking powder in the refrigerator – to absorb different aromas.