Should I keep it or toss it? That question is often asked when it comes to leftover food and many other products in our kitchen.
We tend to hang onto things much longer than we should and this could be affecting our health.
Kitchens are often the center of our homes. But it’s quite possible you’re hanging onto things far longer than you should which could affect your health.
How about cutting boards? Should they be tossed out? Does it matter if they are made out of wood, plastic?
If your kitchen is like mine, then you likely have plenty of stuff that’s been forgotten, expired or overlooked and needs to get purged.
If your cutting board has a lot of cracks, it’s time to get a new one. It doesn’t matter if the cutting board is made of plastic or wood, those deep grooves are places bacteria love to live in.
How long can vegetables/fruit keep on the counter versus in the fridge? How can I maximize the life and nutritional value of vegetables/fruit?
This question is trickier because the answer varies depending on the food. For instance, Clementines, lemons and limes will last longer if stored in your fridges’ crisper drawer. But root vegetables will do better if stored in cool, dark and dry places. And apples can be stored either on the counter or in the fridge. So you really need to do your research if you want to maximize the life of fruits and vegetables.
How long after the pull date I can keep milk and eggs. Also, how long can cooked meat be kept in the fridge?
First of all, the dates on foods can throw a lot of people off – manufacturers use them so you know when the product is at its peak quality. It’s not a safety date unless it’s infant formula.
Eggs can last between three and five weeks from the day you bought them and milk can last for 5-7 days past the “best by date” but only if you’ve stored these properly in the fridge.
When it comes to cooked meat, eat or freeze any leftover food after 3 or 4 days. If you keep it any longer, the risk of food poisoning increases.
