Spy-like Hacks to Keep Food Fresh
One of the biggest challenges we face in the kitchen is keeping food fresh. The refrigerator is our best defence but only if items are sealed properly or freezer burn can occur. And, what about pantry items? They too need a good seal to keep them from going stale. That’s the key. An airtight seal. Try these 3 unique, out-of-the-box tricks to keep your food fresh.
Keeping Chips Crisp and Crunchy
Chips are the number one snack in Canada. Ruffles, Dortios, Lays or Ms. Vickie’s, everyone has their favourite. But, regardless of the brand or even the flavour, if a chip loses its crunch it’s game over. To keep your chips fresh you need a couple of straws. Quirky but very effective, this tip really works. Simply take one of the straws and cut it down one side to create an opening from end to end. Use intact straw across the chip bag opening and roll it closed. Now, slide the cut straw over the chip bag wrapped straw to secure and seal.
Eliminating Freezer Burn
Freezer burn can occur when frozen food is damaged by dehydration and oxidation, due to air reaching the food because it has not been securely wrapped in air-tight packaging. Oxygen molecules can dull the colour and modify the flavour of frozen products. And, while food that has freezer burn is safe to eat, you may find the texture altered and the taste subpar. The answer? An airtight seal. Before throwing freezer bags in the freezer, slowly dip into water from the bottom up until an inch from the top. The water will push the air from the bag allowing you to seal the bag air-free.
DIY Vacuum Pack
If you’re a fan of smoothies, you know how hard it is to keep fruit fresh. Frozen fruit is often the best way to go. Fresh fruit is probably the toughest food item to keep fresh. It can turn in the blink of an eye. Berries in particular are tricky to store. But, no more. Run and grab your hair dryer from the bathroom. Yep. Your hair dryer. This ingenious hack uses the back of your hairdryer to suck air out of freezer bags for an airtight seal regardless of the fruit shape or size. Weird and wacky but it gets the job done!
