Waste Less Food
by Stephanie Berenbaum - December 07, 2011
Answers to Your Kitchen Questions
As Fab & Fru as I am, I have a confession: I throw out more food than I would like to admit. Often it's simply because I am just not sure about expiration dates and food safety rules. So, rather than continue to be wasteful, I dug into the book "The Kitchen Answer Book" by Hank Rubin, in an effort to educate myself about food safety and save myself a lot of money in the process!
Preserve Your Parmigano
Fresh Parmesan cheese is delicious - and expensive. To preserve it, make sure you wrap it tightly in plastic wrap - and that you use fresh wrap after each use! Hank also recommends storing it in the warmest part of your fridge (40 degrees).
Mmmm…Mold
If I see even a hint of mold on cheese, I toss the whole thing out. Apparently, not necessary! All you have to do is cut about a half inch off the surface from the affected side, and use the remainder within a week. A definite money saver!
Ice Cream I.Q.
What's the best way to keep ice cream from tasting like the freezer? Fill your half eaten container with plastic wrap each time before replacing the lid. In addition, avoid repeated softening and refreezing and make sure to keep it in main part of the freezer - not the door which is subject to more temperature fluctuations.
Egg-celent Advice
The best way to store eggs? In a closed carton - NOT in that cute little egg holder tray in the door! Door slamming combined with the repeated temperature fluctuations can deteriorate the egg quality.
Stamp of Approval
Ever bought a piece of meat just to realize there is some of that purple USDA inspection stamp still on it? Well I have and it creeps me out to see dye on the meat. But, not to worry - you don't need to cut off the meat where the stamp it - apparently it is just harmless vegetable dye.
Steak Out?
Steak is of course a pricey proposition, so I really wanted to know how long you can keep it in the freezer before using it. The answer is that while they can keep for many months if wrapped well, it is best to use a frozen steak within a month for the best taste and quality.
Chicken
I can't tell you how many times I have bought fresh, packaged poultry, just to forget about it and wonder if it is still good to use later in the week. Well, the recommendation is to use your fresh chicky within 2 days - which is sooner than I thought! Otherwise, wrap it well and freeze the package right away…
Icky Chicken Fact
Last but not least, the answer to an icky issue that I have wondered about for years. What is up when the leg bone of a fully cooked chicken looks bloody? Do I have to toss it? Is it not cooked? Apparently chicken bones contain hemoglobin, the red pigment in blood. And sometimes it comes out of the bone after it is cooked. SO - if you see it, don't panic and think you have to toss it OR put in back in the oven and overcook it. Turns out it is not actual blood you are seeing - just "hemoglobin" - as as unappetizing as all that just sounded, it is not dangerous - just really unappealing!
Prepare to Save!
A little knowledge can go a long way towards saving you food and money. We'd love to hear what your favorite tips are for extending the life of your groceries!
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