How To Store Fresh Food And Make It Last Longer, According To A Chef

Inflation is leading to sharp price hikes in grocery stores across the country. On my last trip to shop for groceries for the month, I was shocked by the sharp rise in even the most basic of items like eggs, milk and bread. And don’t even get me started on the cost of other meats like chicken and ground beef; even the traditionally cheaper cuts are stepping up there.

Because of these cost increases, I’ve been looking for ways to get creative when it comes to making the most of the groceries I buy at the store. And one of those ways was to reach out to an industry expert for food preservation tips so I could make my food last longer.

“The things you struggle with in food preservation are things that break down food, and oxygen is a big thing,” Ash Fulk, executive chef at Fox Lifestyle Hospitality Group in New York City, told me. “At home, you can use a FoodSaver that removes all the oxygen. Oxygen will break down food. It allows the bacteria to grow on the outside of the food, so the less oxygen there is, the less bacteria you’ll have.”

He also recommended using storage containers that significantly reduce the oxygen exposure to food so it lasts longer.

“Any container that can take out the oxygen is the kind you want, and those are the ones that are going to help preserve food,” he said.

But aside from focusing on the types of containers or bags you keep your perishables in, Fulk said the biggest tips for preserving food are to simply cook it and incorporate meal planning into your life so you can have less food waste.

“If you have green beans and they look like they’re getting a little wobbly, boil them or pickle them. You will still have a few days of it. Turn them into something and just be sure nothing ever goes to waste,” he said.

Below we’ve rounded up several articles to help you maximize your groceries and make them last longer than the time it takes to check out the store.

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