Wondering if you've left your leftovers in the fridge too long or if it's safe to eat those eggs you bought last week? We've put together lots of hints and tips to help you out.
Missing a takeaway pizza?
Why not make it with tortillas? Simply add your tomato sauce and topping, put in the oven till the cheese is bubbling and its done! Its super easy, why not get the kids involved and they can choose there own toppings?
Keep your baked treats fresh
To keep your cakes and baked treats fresh, store them in an airtight container with a single slice of bread. The bread absorbs all the moisture and keeps your treats fresh and delicious!
Make your bacon extra crispy
To make your bacon extra crispy, just cook it in the oven instead. 200 degrees for 15-20mins - making sure you rotate the pan a few times while cooking for an even finish.
Keep your broccoli bright green
Plunge broccoli into ice cold water after blanching to maintain a lovely bright colour.
Did you know you can freeze milk?
Milk can be successfully frozen. The fresher it is when you freeze it, the fresher it will be when you thaw it, so freeze it as soon as possible. Milk will expand when frozen so tip a small amount out of the bottle (use it in a hot drink) before freezing. Thaw in the fridge and shake well before using.
When it comes to leftovers, remember the 2-2-2 rule
1. You have 2 hours to get your leftovers into the fridge. 2. You should eat them within 2 days. 3. They will last for at least 2 months in the freezer.
Is it safe to eat eggs after their best before date?
In New Zealand eggs are safe to eat after their best before date, but you need to keep them cool to keep them fresher for longer. To check if an egg is fresh you should do the float test – place it in a bowl of water, if it floats it is no longer fresh enough to eat.
Bread should be stored in the freezer.
The humid climate in New Zealand means that bread often goes mouldy faster than it goes stale. Storing bread in the freezer will stop this from happening and keep your bread fresh. In warm summer months storing your bread in the fridge is safer than storing it in the pantry.
Freeze chilli and ginger
If your fresh chillies and ginger are starting to look a bit tired you can easily freeze them and use them later. You can freeze them and then grate them into your cooking once frozen and they are still just as tasty!
Keep your sauces, pastes and pesto fresh
If you have any leftover curry pastes, or pesto/ pasta sauces you can easily freeze these and save them for later. Spoon them into freezer safe containers and use them at a later date to liven up any meal.
Fresh herbs looking a bit tired?
If you have herbs that are about to go to waste, dry themout in the microwave at 20 second intervals until completely dry (4-6 sessions)and use them to season your dishes for months to come. Or you can create flavouredoil capsules, just tear up your herbs and put them into a ice cube containerand then add your favourite oil and freeze!
How to store your onions and potatoes
Both onions and potatoes need to be stored in a cool, dry place, but don’t store them next to each other. Potatoes give off a gas that ripens to the onions.
Keep carrots fresher for longer
Store your carrots in an airtight container with some kitchen roll in the bottom and they will last up to 10 times longer.
Stop salad leaves from going limp
Take the leaves out and add to a container linedwith kitchen roll, add your leaves and another piece of kitchen roll on topand put the lid on. The box needs to be big enough, so the leaves aren’t squashed.The box will protect the leaves whilst the kitchen roll will absorb any extramoisture.