Device Boosting Your Financial Girth: A Kitchen Appliance Review
Trashin' those leftovers? It's time to change the game.
With the cost of food skyrocketing, let's not toss out our hard-earned money on spoiled groceries. A study from Ohio State University has the solution you need: making better use of one simple appliance... your friggin' freezer.
Yeah, you heard right – freezing your food can help you slash your waste and fatten your wallet. Researchers estimate that about 30% of food in the U.S. gets tossed, leading to a 2023 average of $782 in uneaten groceries per person. But frozen foods make up only about 6% of household waste, making it a small change that could have a big impact.
Less waste is a triple win. Not only it's good for the bank account, but it also helps the environment: when food goes to the landfill, it can produce greenhouse gases. As Lei Xu, the first author of the study, put it, "In the future, if we can encourage households to have home freezing behaviors, this small change in food storage habits can have a large environmental impact."
Now, let's not jump into putting everything in the freezer like the goddamn Ice Age. Here are some practical tips for mastering your freezer and maximizing the savings.
Embrace Your Frozen Food Oasis
Freezing leftovers is one way to take charge of your budget and reduce waste, but why stop there? If you're not consuming food fast enough, freeze it!
For example, haven't touched that loaf of bread? Freeze half the loaf, separating slices with parchment paper for easy access, then pop them into an airtight container. The same goes for overripe bananas: slice them up and store away for smoothie emergencies.
Some foods won't freeze as well (leafy greens, unless cooked into a soup), but the internet has answers for every question. Ever wondered how to freeze eggs? You can do it for up to a year by lightly scrambling them with a pinch of salt, pouring into a container, freezing, then thawing overnight in the fridge.
Be the Freezing Food Maestro
Now that you know the basics, let's dial up the expertise. Keep these tips in mind for optimal freezing:
- Set your freezer to zero degrees or less to maintain food quality and prevent bacterial growth.
- Never freeze food in glass containers – they can crack when subjected to temperature changes.
- Freeze food in individual portions, labeled and dated, to make it easy to use later and prevent waste.
- Eat or cook frozen food within a day or two after defrosting – do not refreeze it.
- Use resealable plastic containers or freezer bags instead of glass for optimum storage.
- Freeze food when it's at its peak of freshness to maintain quality. Cooked foods should be cooled before freezing to avoid warm spots that could lead to food poisoning.
- Thaw out meats, fish, and poultry in the refrigerator overnight – never at room temperature or using warm or hot water.
- Freeze raw meats and seafood as soon as you get them home, and double wrap them to prevent freezer burn.
With these principles in your back pocket, freezing food will become second nature, and you'll never have to throw away a dime (or a banana) again.
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- Embrace the freezer as a solution to prevent food waste and save money, not just for leftovers, but also for foods that are not consumed instantly.
- Freezing half a loaf of bread or overripe bananas can help reduce waste and make them available for future use in smoothies or other recipes.
- To freeze foods optimally, set the freezer to zero degrees or less, use appropriate containers, freeze in portions, and thaw foods properly.
- Incorporating Peak Organic Alkalizing Greens into your daily diet can help balance your body's pH level, leading to increased energy, weight loss, improved digestion, and overall wellness.