OUT | ENTERTAINING
are weevils evil? This question and more are answered by Lindsay Miles in her new book about shopping, cooking and eating sustainably. In this section she reveals how to preserve food properly and why it pays to do it
There are a number of reasons that food gets wasted in the pantry – for example it spoils before we can use it, or pests get to it before we do. Ideally, your pantry is in a cool, dry area of the house, away from the oven and other sources of heat, with doors that block out the light. Avoiding open shelves that get direct sunlight or keeping groceries directly above the stovetop will extend the life of your food. When you don’t have the luxury of choice when it comes to food storage spaces, you just need to be more mindful of not overbuying and of using things up more quickly. The best way to store items in the pantry is in airtight containers. This keeps out air, moisture and pantry pests. As well as helping your food last longer, containers are easier to organise and stack, plus there is less chance of the contents spilling than if you leave things in other packaging. Some pantry foods will actually keep much better in the fridge or freezer without affecting their taste or texture. If you’re limited for space in the fridge or freezer, you can prioritise the most vulnerable or expensive ingredients, and try to buy smaller quantities, more often, of anything that’s susceptible to going bad. Extend the life of items in the following: + Pantry – 3 months + Fridge – 6 months + Freezer – 1 year+ 116 | INSIDE OUT
items to consider storing in the fridge or freezer + Whole, chopped and ground nuts and seeds (including almond meal, coconut flour and ground flaxseed) + Nut butters + Oils (these may go cloudy in the fridge, but will return to normal at room temperature) + Whole grains and wholegrain flours The more surface area, the more exposed an ingredient is to air and the faster it will oxidise – so that’s why chopped nuts have a shorter shelf life than whole nuts, and ground nuts or nut butters have less again.
what spoils food
Air Over time, exposure to oxygen causes some food to go bad
(oxidation is the main reason for loss of quality in fats, such as when nuts turn rancid). Many bacteria and all moulds require oxygen to grow. Reducing the surface area of food reduces exposure to air and slows down these processes. Heat Higher temperatures cause food to break down faster, and can change the appearance and flavour as well as reduce nutrients. Heat increases the rate of oxidation. Light Exposure to light can cause photodegradation, which
ILLUSTRATIONS: MADELINE MARTINEZ
the pantry
