7 THINGS FANS OF HOME COOKING SHOULD KNOW ABOUT STORING FOOD

Home cooking has great benefits for both your diet and family budget. If you prepare food at home you have a total control over what you are making. Often, producers of ready meals sold at supermarkets or at a fast food restaurant do not get the portions right and sell you a bigger serving than you should consume. Also, processed food is often high in salt, saturated fat and flavour enhancers to make it taste better for the consumer.

By cooking at home your budget can stretch further, too. In her book Cool Cuisine, Chef Laura Stec states that by bringing home-cooked lunch to work you can save you up to $100 per month.

If you are also enthusiastic about home cooking and want to take full advantage of your passion an important thing to consider is a good storage equipment. Many of you, who carry their meals to work, school or even outside for a picnic for a friend know the little accidents that can happen if the food is not stored properly. No one likes to find half of their lunch spilled in the bag or realise that the meal has gone bad and cannot be consumed anymore.

According to US National Center for Biotechnology Information if food is not stored properly it can end up spoiled with germs. Worse still, you won’t always be able to recognise it from the taste or smell.

Consumption of food that has gone off can cause stomach aches, diarrhoea or vomiting, or fever. On the top of that, some germs can cause more serious issues such as kidney failure, blood infection or even paralysis. Food poisoning is most dangerous for babies, young children, older people and people with weak immune systems.

So, how what can you do to store your home cooked meals correctly? Here are some life hacks that will prevent your efforts from being wasted.

Avoid storing large quantities

After you have cooked a large meal do not leave it to cool off in the pot. Instead, divide the food to smaller portions and put them in separate food containers. Not only it will cool off quickly but also it will save you a considerable amount of space in the fridge.

Wait for the food to cool off

Avoid storing very hot food in the fridge. If you put a really warm food in a deep container in a refrigerator chances are that it will not reach a safe temperature to prevent the outbreak of bacteria. A rule of a thumb is to until steam has stopped rising from the food before putting it in the fridge.

Use safe storage equipment

Avoid using food containers which contain  some percentage of BPA.  BPA stands for Bisphenol A, an industrial chemical that has been used to make certain plastics and resins since the 1960s. It can be found in polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins and it is also used in containers that store food and beverages, such as water bottles. Exposure to high amount of BPA is a concern because of its possible health effects  on the brain, behaviour and prostate gland of foetuses, infants and children.

Use dishes which are microwave friendly

Cheap and low quality storage boxes sometimes are not able to sustain the high heat in some types of microwaves. It is well worth buying a container which may be a bit pricey but will not bubble and melt when you are heating up your dinner.

Make sure containers are dishwasher safe

If an equipment is dishwasher safe it means that the item can withstand the heat produced inside the machine or the  possible agitation of being knocked against the other dishes and the racks.

Look for containers with proper lids

A good quality  storage box has a lid that has a strong grip. It will not only prevent food spilling out but also it will provide a barrier to dirt, oxygen and moisture. As a result you will avoid a food spoilage such as change in colour, texture, unpleasant smell or bad taste.

Consider how much food it needs to take

Size of meals during the day varies and so will the size of a container used to store food. Average size breakfast will need about 200ml whereas a box for lunch or dinner will need to accommodate about 400 to 600ml of food.

Lunch Box Bento Food Storage Container by Enzo meets all the standards of a high quality food storage and is perfect for your life on a go!

This quality recyclable and durable lunch box is 100% BPA free which makes it environmentally safe. You can use it to heat up food in a microwave and clean it in a dishwasher as it can withstand temperatures up to 250 F.

The container has 3 compartments nest together which will keep up to 1000 ml of food which ideal if you need to pack breakfast and lunch or if you want to store meal for a picnic. Also, the design of the box will save you space when not in use.

To prevent your food from going off these containers have a new and improved lid with a secure lock which ensures that there will be no spillages or leaks. Also, it will keep delicate ingredients like food or vegetables fresh and contained.

Bento Lunch Boxes by Enzo are containers for everyday use: ideal for food preparation and storing leftovers, great for take-out orders and pre-packaged meals, recommended for appetizers, salads and entrees.

More information about this product and other items offered by Enzo’s Private Selection can be found on their Amazon store.