Many of us, as health-conscious consumers, try to include fresh fruits and vegetables into our daily meals. However, the challenge lies in keeping them fresh for a longer time. If not stored properly, greens get wilted, berries get moldy and carrots become limp which leads to wastage of food and money as well. But wait, you can increase the shelf life of your fruits and vegetables considerably by following some simple storage tips coupled with appropriate refrigeration technologies that ensure you always have a stock of fresh nutritious ingredients at hand.
Essential Food Storage Practices For Keeping Produce Fresh Longer
1. Control Temperature And Humidity Levels
Temperature and humidity are among major determinants when it comes to keeping produce fresh for extended periods. High humidities create a good environment for most fruits & vegetables preventing them from losing moisture content which causes wilting while low humid conditions favored by few items like onions & garlic discourages growth of molds due to excessive wetness.
To save your groceries you need more than an ordinary refrigerator; you need something like Haier 651 L Smart Bottom Mounted French Door Refrigerator which has been designed with advanced features that can regulate humidity levels in different compartments. It comes with:
- Smart touch screen display lights up when it senses human presence
- 100% convertible to full fridge space for more storage
- No wall partition for wider storage space
- Convertible freezer zone to fridge zone with one touch
- Freshness sensor ensures long lasting freshness of food
- Twin inverter technology saves energy and prevents electricity fluctuations
- Triple cooling system with 3 fans precisely controls temperature
- Anti bacterial technology keeps food fresh
- Dual humidity zones maintain freshness of fruits and vegetables
- Digital control panel for controlling fridge without opening door
- Removable anti bacterial gasket for easy cleaning
- Stabilizer free operation protects against voltage fluctuations
- 2 year warranty on product, 10 years on compressor
2. Keep Ethylene Producing Away From Sensitive Produce
Some fruits or vegetables release natural gas called ethylene which if exposed to other produce can fasten ripening process leading to spoilage. Hence, it is important to know what items produce this gas and keep them separate from those that are sensitive towards it. For instance apples, bananas & avocados emit ethylene thus should not be stored together with leafy greens, cucumbers or berries since they are highly reactive to this hormone.
When you purchase a Haier 598 Litres Inverter Side By Side Refrigerator you won’t have such problems because among its many features there is a “convertible” option. This allows for up to 83% of total space allocation into the fridge compartment hence accommodating more food stuffs as well as enabling proper separation of different types of groceries thereby minimizing the effect caused by ethylene gas. It’s features include:
- 83% fridge space, 17% freezer space, convertible for more fridge storage
- Expert inverter technology for energy efficiency and long compressor life
- Digital control panel to control fridge without opening door
- Deo fresh technology absorbs odors and impurities, maintains freshness
- Jumbo ice maker with twist feature for easy ice dispensing
- Made in India, designed for Indian homes
- Removable anti bacterial gasket for easy cleaning
- Stabilizer free operation saves money, protects from voltage fluctuations
- 2 year product warranty, 10 year compressor warranty
3. Use Suitable Containers And Bags
The choice of containers and bags greatly affects how long your produce will remain fresh. For example, airtight containers help retain moisture preventing delicate items from being crushed while perforated ones allow ventilation necessary for mushrooms, herbs etc which require airing.
The bottom-mounted refrigerator of Haier 445L with 2 Star comes with a large veg box and separate fruit box so your fruits and vegetables can always stay crisp. These compartments help to create the perfect environment for them thus keeping them fresh for long. It’s features include:
- 14 convertible modes for flexible storage
- Triple inverter & dual fan technology for freshness & energy savings
- Digital control panel for easy access without opening door
- Stabilizer free operation to protect against voltage fluctuations
- 1 hour icing technology for fast ice making
- Heavy duty inverter compressor for fast cooling and long life
- Spill proof toughened glass shelves and removable anti bacterial gasket for easy cleaning
4. Keep Freshness of Herbs Using Water
Herbs are commonly used in different dishes but their flavor can easily be lost if they start wilting. The best way to store herbs is by treating them like flowers. Cut off the stems, put them in a glass or jar filled with water then keep it in the fridge. This method works well for delicate ones such as cilantro, parsley, mint etc.
5. Practice First In First Out (FIFO)
This means that you should always use the oldest products first while restocking fresher ones towards the back side of your fridge hence minimizing wastage. This ensures that you do not throw away any item because it expired before being used up thereby saving money over time.
6. Understand When To Refrigerate or Leave At Room Temperature
As earlier stated, some produce needs room temperature storage whereas others require refrigeration for better results. Knowing which one goes where can greatly extend its life span.
For instance; potatoes onions and garlic must be kept outside away from light and cold since low temperatures convert their starch into sugar making them taste differently than expected meanwhile leafy greens need immediate chilling after purchase so as not spoil easily along with berries pre-cut fruits & veggies which should also not be left out lest we lose most nutrients contained therein during storage.
Haier presents a top mounted freezer compartment having 240 litres capacity which is frost free and has double doors with 2 star rating suitable for all kinds of homes.The refrigerator boasts five convertible modes making it possible to meet various refrigeration needs . With this appliance you can now cater smartly according to what type or amount of groceries need cool space at any given time. It’s features include:
- 5-in-1 convertible modes for flexible refrigeration.
- Twin energy saving modes save up to 15% (mode 1) and 30% (convertible) energy.
- Stabilizer-free operation saves money, protects against fluctuations, extends lifespan, improves efficiency.
- Turbo icing makes ice 200% faster in just 49 minutes.
- Heavy duty compressor enables fast cooling and long life.
- Automatically connects to home inverter to maintain cooling during power cuts.
- Toughened glass shelves, removable anti-bacterial gasket, 2-year warranty on product and 10-year warranty on compressor.
7. Regularly Check And Maintain Produce
You might still have some fruits rotting faster than others even when you try everything within your power. In that case always ensure to check for any signs of mold, rot or spoilage in general throughout the fridge so that it doesn’t affect the rest of them. Remove anything rotten as soon as possible.Wash the area with warm soapy water and rinse thoroughly then dry before storing fresh items back.
Bonus Tip: Prepare & Store For Convenience
In the current world people have become very busy therefore making it necessary for one to find ways of saving time especially when preparing meals containing vegetables and fruits. To achieve this you can wash, chop store them separately using airtight containers or resealable bags which makes easy picking during snacking moments or cooking sessions
When planning for your produce, think about sizes and how fast you will be able to consume them. Some cut fruits and vegetables such as apples and potatoes tend to brown quickly due to oxidation. In order to prevent this from happening, you could sprinkle a little bit of lemon juice on the cut surface or store them in water until ready for use.
Investing in a refrigerator that has enough storage space and organization can make prepping and storing your produce easier. The Haier 651 L Smart Bottom Mounted French Door Refrigerator provides wider spaces for storage as it doesn’t have a wall partition within the refrigerator compartment. Cleaning is also quite easy with its removable anti-bacterial gasket which ensures hygiene in addition to preventing odors. Some of it’s features include:
- Smart screen with human sensors
- 100% convertible fridge space
- No wall partition for wider storage
- Convertible freezer to fridge zone
- Freshness sensor for food freshness
- Twin inverter technology for energy savings
- Triple cooling system for optimized temperature control
At the End!
If followed properly these seven tips plus bonus ones about prepping produce in advance and choosing an energy saving fridge together with Haier India Appliances will greatly increase shelf life of fruits and vegetables thus reducing wastage of food as well as ensuring continuous supply of healthy natural ingredients. Storage is important for your pocket and health alike but more importantly it’s good for the earth.
Haier India has different types of fridges which are designed specifically for Indian homes that have various needs. Moisture control, convertible compartments among other features found in Haier fridges create suitable conditions necessary for keeping foods fresher over long periods hence upgrading towards better nutrition through healthier lifestyle can start now by simply following these easy steps today!