Many of us are guilty of mindlessly packing our fridges after a big shop without giving it much thought. But experts at Martin Lewis’ MoneySavingExpert have now urged the public to think twice about their food-storing habits as it could help to slash grocery bills.
The financial gurus drew attention to a number of items which should and shouldn’t be kept in your fridge in order to keep them fresh for longer. Not only will this lessen the need to go shopping but it’ll also cut back on food waste too.
A staggering 9.5 million tonnes of food worth billions of pounds is binned every year, according to Business Waste. A significant portion of this, if not recycled, could end up in landfill, adding to the growing issue of greenhouse gas emissions.
“It’s a source of much debate,” experts at MSE acknowledged. “But the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) charity, which knows its onions when it comes to food waste, gives this advice about storing different foods to keep them fresh for as long as possible.”
Believe it or not, WRAP reportedly insisted that eggs, oranges, potatoes and almost every other fruit and vegetable should go in the fridge. At room temperature, Allrecipes claims that oranges typically stay fresh for around a week, but in the fridge they can last for a staggering four weeks.
Meanwhile, refrigerating eggs is deemed necessary in some countries to reduce your risk of getting sick. Speaking about the US, Healthline explained: “While refrigeration does not kill bacteria, it reduces your risk of sickness by limiting the number of bacteria. It also impedes bacteria from penetrating the eggshell.
“…Once eggs have been refrigerated, they must be kept refrigerated to prevent condensation from forming on the shell if they warm up. This moisture makes it easier for bacteria to penetrate the shell.”
Aside from this, WRAP also stressed that onions, whole pineapples, bread and bananas should be kept well away from the fridge. Instead, they should all be stored somewhere cool and dry, though they did suggest that it’s perfectly fine to freeze bread as well.
The MSE experts added: “To stop bread going stale in the first place, put it in the freezer the day you buy it. Then take it out a couple of slices at a time for toast or sandwiches.”
