Storage: How should you store food?

In the past decade, I have had many conversations about what we should eat. I have had very few conversations about how food should be stored.

But the nutrition value of food changes depending on how you store it.

Fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy, oils, and spices all require to be stored differently.

Fruits and vegetables are still alive when harvested. They breathe, they oxidize. Storing them in airtight containers or wrapping them in plastic suffocates them.

Your refrigerator has a crisper drawer with air circulation. Use that. Store apples and bananas separately. They release ethylene gas, which can cause other produce to ripen and spoil quickly.

Leafy greens lose nutrients fast. Wash, dry, and store them in a container lined with paper towels. Replace the towels every couple of days.

Root vegetables like carrots and beets store well in a cool, dark space. Keep them dry.

Grains and legumes attract moisture and pests. Store them in airtight containers in a dark, cool pantry. Avoid plastic if you can. Glass or metals are best.

Sunlight and heat destroy vitamins, especially B vitamins.

Dairy needs constant refrigeration. Store it at the back of the fridge, not the door. The temperature fluctuates near the door.

Don’t keep dairy in the open for long. Even an extra minute at room temperature degrades quality.

Cooked food needs to cool before storing. If you store it hot, you cause condensation, which grows bacteria.

Store in shallow containers so it cools fast.

Finally, do not keep forgotten food in your refrigerator. It spoils and spoils everything around.

Spices and oils are fragile. Store them away from heat and light. Most people keep it around the stove. Oils turn rancid and spices lose their nutrition value.

If you are obsessed with high quality food, like I am, store it right. You will protect the nutrients that you are chasing when trying to find the food that heals your mind and body.

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