I have been getting plenty of emails from people asking me about certain tips and hints about various topics. For my dear readers, I thought I would post some of my tips here. Feel free to put your own tips in my discussion forum or email them to me. Everyone loves tips. Thanks. This article will be in a series format. The first article will cover kitchen tips and hints. Come back again next month (November) for more tips and hints!
Dummies in the Kitchen:
A lot of the emails I get are from first-time apartment or dorm dwellers who have little or no kitchen or cooking experience. This section is aimed at you! Of course, the more experienced cooks might gain something too.
Keeping Things Fresh and Edible
- Dairy products expire quickly. Most dairy products only last a week in the fridge. Always check the expiration dates before using any dairy products. Throw out expired products.
- Fresh fruit only lasts a few days on the counter top.
- Do not put bananas in the fridge; it causes them to brown faster.
- Avocados and melons do well in the fridge and most fruits or vegetables with a thick skin.
- Rinse freshly cut apples with lemon juice or salty water to keep fresh. Apples tend to brown quickly.
- Salad and green vegetables expire. Please throw out green leafy vegetables when they become limp and start turning red or brown. You can get sick from eating bad vegetables (sounds strange, doesn’t it?)
- Do not leave dairy products sitting out of the refrigerator for more than a few hours. Left the mayo on the counter all day? Throw it out. Dairy products become expired when opened and left in a warm environment.
- Wrapped in foil doesn’t mean it is safe to eat. Throw out any leftovers more than two days old. If it doesn’t look good, it probably isn’t good.
- Cool Whip will develop mold after a week of opening.
- Cheese should be used within a week of opening.
- Freeze your leftovers if you don’t think you can eat them within a few days.
- If you don’t intend to cook your meats by the expiration date, re-wrap them in freezer paper (or a special freezer plastic bag) and freeze. Leave in the fridge for a few hours when you want to defrost.
- If any part of a food item has mold or green color (and it shouldn’t have this color), then throw it out.
The copyright of the article Tips and Hints -- Kitchen in Apartment Living is owned by . Permission to republish Tips and Hints -- Kitchen in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
