Friday, February 15, 2019
10 Grocery Storage Tips to Make Your Food Last Longer
You spend so much on groceries you want to make them last as long as possible. Sometimes we end up wasting the precious food we buy because we can’t get to them as fast as we’d intended. But there are some simple strategies for grocery storage that can help you keep the food you buy at its healthy peak until you’re ready to eat it.
Whether it be the wrong storage temperature, where you’re storing your produce, or how you’re storing it, there are many factors that play into the longevity of your fresh groceries. But, there are convenient ways in which can you ensure you are taking the proper precautions to make those expensive groceries last.
Here are 12 grocery storage tips to make your food last longer:
1. Ideal temps
Grocery storage efficiency is highly based on the way you store your food. Today’s refrigerator-freezers are more efficient and offer you more control than ever before. According to Storing Food for Safety and Quality, you should set your refrigerator to stay below 40 degrees F and the freezer below zero degrees F. At these temperatures, your food stays fresh and free of unhealthy bacteria.
2. Door jam
The temperature of the items stored on the shelves in the door fluctuates more than those inside the refrigerator, which can speed up the spoiling of perishable foods, such as milk and eggs. Use the door shelves for sealed jars and more stable items, such as mustard and pickles. Put dairy products, fresh meats and other foods susceptible to temperature changes in the back—the most consistently cold part of the fridge.
3. Separate but equal
Most refrigerators have separate grocery storage compartments for fruits and vegetables for good reason. Vegetables last longest in humid conditions, but that can lead to mold on fruit. As certain types of fruit ripen, they release ethylene gas that causes vegetables to spoil quickly. And strong-flavored vegetables, such as onions, can influence the taste of sweet fruit. Keep them apart.
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4. Chill and damp
Research conducted by Penn State University investigated the effects of our grocery storage for vegetables. Lettuce, spinach, cucumbers, bell peppers, broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, eggplant and many other tender vegetables stay fresh for up to a week in the fridge. Leaving them in a plastic bag or putting them in the crisper drawer helps maintain the 90 percent humidity that is best for them.
5. Tomato exception
Refrigeration keeps tomatoes from rotting, but their flavor becomes blander and their texture mealier when chilled. Store tomatoes at room temperature and eat them within three to four days.
6. Cool and dry
Grapes, berries and stone fruits such as cherries, peaches and plums need lower humidity to fend off mold and other causes of fast decay. Store them in a drawer where you can set the humidity below 80 percent.
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Read More7. Put down roots
According to Cornell Cooperative Extension, in the cool, dark conditions of a basement or pantry, potatoes (white and sweet), carrots, onions, garlic and other root crops keep for weeks—no refrigeration needed. Winter squash, including butternut and pumpkins, and apples hold up well in these spaces, too. Just be sure all of these items are completely dry when you store them and check periodically to remove any that have begun to spoil so you can get rid of them before the problem spreads.
8. Wash when ready
Wait until you are preparing to eat any produce before rinsing it. Any moisture left behind when you store it can be a breeding ground for mold or bacteria.
9. Freeze in portions
Frozen food retains its nutrients better than aging fresh food. But frozen food can slow you down when you’re in a hurry and repeated thawing and freezing causes the food to lose quality and may even give unhealthy microbes a chance to grow. Break up items you want to freeze into individual portions so you can defrost only as much as you’ll eat at one time.
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Read More10. Thaw safely
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), frozen food can keep for months, but the transition from frozen to ready-to-cook is critical to maintain its quality and safety. Do not leave frozen food at room temperature for more than two hours and beware of trying to defrost it in hot water. Instead, allow food (especially raw or cooked meat) to thaw in the refrigerator or use the defrost function on your microwave oven. Food that’s thawed should be cooked immediately.
11. Four-day max
Making extra portions is a smart way to ensure you have healthy food options to eat when you’re working toward your ideal weight. But leftovers stored in the fridge begin to deteriorate in a few days. Even worse, you may not always be able to tell by appearance or aroma that food has spoiled. Nearly all experts agree that you should discard leftovers after four days, no matter what. The best way to handle leftovers you won’t eat in a day or two is to freeze them right away in single-serving portions.
12. Check the app
Your phone or tablet can be an invaluable tool for keeping your groceries longer thanks to the free FoodKeeper app, created by the USDA, in partnership with Cornell University and the Food Marketing Institute. It gives you storage timelines for a wide variety of products, including those stored in the refrigerator, freezer and pantry. Its handy calendar lets you keep track of when you purchased your groceries and sends you helpful reminders when they are close to the end of their freshness date. The app is available for Apple and Android devices.
The post 10 Grocery Storage Tips to Make Your Food Last Longer appeared first on The Leaf.
from The Leaf http://bit.ly/2IiQmrI
Mega commuters + Working out?
Hi! Long time lurker! I know the simple answer to my question, but curious to hear other people’s experience, and advice. Apologize in advance if formatting is funky, since I’m on mobile (commuting).
I have a long commute. 2ish hours each way. I usually leave the house at 7:20 and get in the office around 9:15. I leave anywhere from 4:00-5:00 and get home around 7 most days.
I typically go to a 6:30 or 7:30 gym class. Which is fine. But lately I’ve been so tired after work and commuting, plus on nights I go to the gym I don’t eat until 8 or 9 PM... so it’s been hard getting myself to the gym at night.
The only morning gym class I could go to would start at 5:45am, which is very very early for me. I’d have to wake up at 5:15 and go to bed so much earlier, and lose some ‘me time’ hours at night in exchange for sleep.
I know exercise isn’t necessary for weight loss, but it does help tremendously in how I personally feel overall. And I know I just have to suck it up and decide to either go at night or in the AM.
Does anyone else have long work hours and still manage to work out? What has been your experience? What has worked, and what hasn’t?
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from loseit - Lose the Fat http://bit.ly/2BBbaVq
Day 1? Starting your weight loss journey on Friday, 15 February 2019? Start here!
Today is your Day 1?
Welcome to r/Loseit!
So you aren’t sure of how to start? Don’t worry! “How do I get started?” is our most asked question. r/Loseit has helped our users lose over 1,000,000 recorded pounds and these are the steps that we’ve found most useful for getting started.
Why you’re overweight
Our bodies are amazing (yes, yours too!). In order to survive before supermarkets, we had to be able to store energy to get us through lean times, we store this energy as adipose fat tissue. If you put more energy into your body than it needs, it stores it, for (potential) later use. When you put in less than it needs, it uses the stored energy. The more energy you have stored, the more overweight you are. The trick is to get your body to use the stored energy, which can only be done if you give it less energy than it needs, consistently.
Before You Start
The very first step is calculating your calorie needs. You can do that HERE. This will give you an approximation of your calorie needs for the day. The next step is to figure how quickly you want to lose the fat. One pound of fat is equal to 3500 calories. So to lose 1 pound of fat per week you will need to consume 500 calories less than your TDEE (daily calorie needs from the link above). 750 calories less will result in 1.5 pounds and 1000 calories is an aggressive 2 pounds per week.
Tracking
Here is where it begins to resemble work. The most efficient way to lose the weight you desire is to track your calorie intake. This has gotten much simpler over the years and today it can be done right from your smartphone or computer. r/loseit recommends an app like MyFitnessPal, Loseit! (unaffiliated), or Cronometer. Create an account and be honest with it about your current stats, activities, and goals. This is your tracker and no one else needs to see it so don’t cheat the numbers. You’ll find large user created databases that make logging and tracking your food and drinks easy with just the tap of the screen or the push of a button. We also highly recommend the use of a digital kitchen scale for accuracy. Knowing how much of what you're eating is more important than what you're eating. Why? This may explain it.
Creating Your Deficit
How do you create a deficit? This is up to you. r/loseit has a few recommendations but ultimately that decision is yours. There is no perfect diet for everyone. There is a perfect diet for you and you can create it. You can eat less of exactly what you eat now. If you like pizza you can have pizza. Have 2 slices instead of 4. You can try lower calorie replacements for calorie dense foods. Some of the communities favorites are cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash in place of their more calorie rich cousins. If it appeals to you an entire dietary change like Keto, Paleo, Vegetarian.
The most important thing to remember is that this selection of foods works for you. Sustainability is the key to long term weight management success. If you hate what you’re eating you won’t stick to it.
Exercise
Is NOT mandatory. You can lose fat and create a deficit through diet alone. There is no requirement of exercise to lose weight.
It has it’s own benefits though. You will burn extra calories. Exercise is shown to be beneficial to mental health and creates an endorphin rush as well. It makes people feel awesome and has been linked to higher rates of long term success when physical activity is included in lifestyle changes.
Crawl, Walk, Run
It can seem like one needs to make a 180 degree course correction to find success. That isn’t necessarily true. Many of our users find that creating small initial changes that build a foundation allows them to progress forward in even, sustained, increments.
Acceptance
You will struggle. We have all struggled. This is natural. There is no tip or trick to get through this though. We encourage you to recognize why you are struggling and forgive yourself for whatever reason that may be. If you overindulged at your last meal that is ok. You can resolve to make the next meal better.
Do not let the pursuit of perfect get in the way of progress. We don’t need perfect. We just want better.
Additional resources
Now you’re ready to do this. Here are more details, that may help you refine your plan.
- Quick Start Guide - Build your foundation!
- Loseit Compendium - Frame it out!
- FAQ - Answers to our most Frequently Asked Questions!
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from loseit - Lose the Fat http://bit.ly/2tpmkrT
Thursday, February 14, 2019
[Daily Directory] Find your quests for the day here! - Friday, 15 February 2019
Welcome adventurer! Whether you're new on this quest or are towards the end of your journey there should be something below for you.
Daily journal.
- [Q&A] "I have a question."
- [Day 1] "I am starting my weight loss journey."
- [SV/NSV] "I have an accomplishment to share."
- [24hr Pledge] "Today I am going to..."
Interested in some side quests?
- [Motivation Monday] Share some motivation, get some motivation.
- [Tantrum Tuesday] Need to vent? People getting on your nerves?
- [Weigh-In Wednesday]
- [Track with Me Thursday] Did we just become best friends?!
- [Free Talk Friday] What's on your mind?
Community bulletin board!
- [Running with Loseit] Run with losers. Avoid arrows.
- [Maintenance Monday] Lost it? Work on keeping it.
- [Wecipe Wednesday] Swap and discuss recipies!
If you are new to the sub, click here for our posting guidelines
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from loseit - Lose the Fat http://bit.ly/2GqRbx0
"Remember when you wanted what you have now."
I saw this quote posted and it struck me because I've been getting so frustrated with myself and how slowly I've been losing weight lately. I thought back two years when I started my weight loss journey, I didn't even think my current weight was attainable. So much so that I set my goal twenty pounds heavier than I am now.
I thought someone else might need a reminder to be kind to yourself and be patient with your body. You have already achieved so much, even if it's sometimes easy to forget. Remember to celebrate the small victories on your way to your end goal.
Trust the process, eat your healthy meals, do your exercises, and don't forget to love the body you're currently in.
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from loseit - Lose the Fat http://bit.ly/2GqR3gP
I weighed 530 pounds 3 years ago. Now I weigh 296. It CAN be lost.
God, it was terrible weighing 530 pounds. I was bed-ridden 24/7, couldn’t even feel my genitals and worked a dead-end job at an MLM from my home office just to make ends meet. But everything changed when, after I met a very belligerent fat-shamer that was brought into my house by my arrogant nephew, I found the one thing that was integral to weight loss for my story: MOTIVATION. I decided that, weight non withstanding, I didn’t want to live the kind of life I was living, typing and scamming for a living. I wanted to be an inspiration for others, and the best way to do that and to inspire myself was, undoubtedly, to LOSE IT. Yes indeed, but it wasn’t going to be easy by any means, especially with my plan to accomplish the task. But I wanted to be a “hero”, if you will, in my eyes. So, everyday from there on out, I dedicated myself to training: 100 pushups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats and a 10 kilometer run everyday, all while eating ONLY fruit and raw eggs. It was extremely difficult, especially at first, but the most important thing was NEVER to give up, going back to the topic of motivation. Even when my whole body was in pain, keeping me awake at night, I still never stopped training the next day. And now, not only did i become the “hero” I wanted to be, but I also fight crime as a LEO in a metropolitan city. Just wanted to share my story; hope it was the right place lol.
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from loseit - Lose the Fat http://bit.ly/2SD2Gru