Organization experts at The Container Store offer these tips for storing leftovers:
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The follow-up
After a meal has been prepared and served, refrigerate or freeze leftovers as soon as possible. A good guideline -- if heated food isn't refrigerated within two hours of mealtime, it's no longer fresh. There's no need to cool warm foods before placing them in a freezer for long-term storage. Remember to label containers with the contents and the date. For this purpose, The Container Store offers erasable food-storage labels.
The right container for the job
The best containers for storing leftover food are air-tight, leak-proof and clear. Some have self-venting lids, which are ideal for reheating quickly. Remember that tomato-based sauces can stain some plastics; choose glass for such foods, such as Anchor Hocking's glass TrueSeal containers.
Inside the fridge
Temperature varies the most in the refrigerator's door storage area, so to preserve freshness, store milk and eggs on a shelf rather than in the door. Take care not to overfill shelves. To keep contents cool, air needs to be able to circulate freely.
In produce drawers, it's best to separate vegetables and fruits and to not wash produce before refrigerating it. Instead of paper towels, try lining the bottom of the fruit drawer with bubble wrap to help prevent the fruit from being bruised.
Only fill containers holding leftovers such as soups and sauces about three-quarters to the top to provide room for expansion, which happens when liquids freeze. Storing these items in smaller quantities helps ensure the leftovers freeze swiftly, which will help to retain a fresher taste.
Making it to go
When packing a lunch, using reusable containers instead of plastic bags will save money and reduce waste sent to landfills. For those taking supper leftovers to work for lunch, segmented containers like the 1.6-quart three-compartment Lunch Bento Box offered by The Container Store can be useful.
Ready to eat
Allow frozen food to thaw slowly rather than immediately reheating it in a microwave. Safe methods for thawing include letting it rise to temperature in the refrigerator, using the defrost setting in the microwave or placing the container in a bowl of cold water changed every 30 minutes for no longer than two hours.
Take care to learn the recommendations for how long different foods should be stored.
When reheating food in the microwave, loosen the lid or remove it, using a spatter guard (such as a paper towel) to reduce mess.
HomeStyle on 02/04/2017