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Where you keep your food does matter! Eve Persak, a registered dietitian and nutrition advisor for Como Hotels & Resorts and founder of The Home Kitchen Edit (a service that provides nutritional consultation) share with us the best practices for storing food in the fridge, and how best to preserve their nutrients.
Smoothies: Obviously, freshly made smoothies are the most nutritious, as the nutrients, phytochemicals and enzymes are most active and concentrated. After just 24 hours, bacterial growth can become a concern. To save your leftover smoothie, store in a tightly-closed glass jar, and add a twist of lemon or lime. The citric acids act as a natural preservative.
Yogurt: Yogurt is loved for its healthy bacterial count that supports immunity and digestive health. Interestingly, these probiotics double up as built-in preservatives, extending yogurt’s shelf-life and staving off moulds. The challenge here is figuring out when harmful bacteria starts flourishing. Large tubs of yogurt can last for seven to 10 days when tightly sealed and cooled, while small cups can’t last longer than a day. In general, unsweetened plain products tend to live longer than flavoured blends. So how to tell if your yogurt is safe to eat? A little liquid separation at the top is perfectly normal; that’s beneficial whey protein so you should stir in the liquid. But if you notice a large pool of discolouration or visible mould, trash the yogurt.
Sliced fruits: Fruits are best kept whole and unwashed – with skin, rind and peel intact – for as long as possible. When fruits are sliced and exposed to oxygen in the air, their natural enzymes and micronutrients (especially vitamin C) decline rapidly. When kept in the fridge, they are also more prone to spoilage. Slice just before eating whenever possible. If you really have to store sliced fruits, don’t keep for more than three days.
Chocolates and candies: These sweet treats are actually best consumed at room temperature – that’s when your taste buds can detect the most flavours. However, this humid climate (sans air conditioning) causes sweets to melt or soften easily at room temperature. Keep them in the fridge and remove 10 to 15 minutes before eating. To minimise temptation, tuck them in a drawer or corner of the fridge so those sugary items won’t be the first thing you see when you open the fridge door.
This article was first published on Shape Singapore.