8 Tips & Tricks To Make Your Food Last Longer

Is there really such a thing as too many food hacks? Probably not, right? It doesn't matter how old you are – there's always something new to discover and learn in the kitchen. And because food waste is such a huge problem, we've come up with 8 food hacks that will help keep your food fresh for longer. By using these tricks, you'll not only help the environment but also your bank account. Say goodbye to the days when you had to throw away unused food. These 8 genius hacks are sure to help you avoid food waste!

1. Store Onions Properly

You'll Need:

• nylon stockings

Here's How:

Wrap up one onion at a time in a pair of nylon stockings and make a knot between each bulb to separate them. To avoid dents, hang up the onion-filled tights. This trick will make your onions last up to 6 months longer. 

2. Keep Bugs At Bay

You'll Need:

• bay leaves

Here's How:

The best way to save flour and grains from bugs, moths, and worms is to put a few bay leaves in the containers. Bye bye, bugs! 

3. Preserve Leftover Tomato Paste

You'll Need:

• parchment paper
• freezer bag
• freezer

Here's How:

The next time you find yourself at the end of a tube or jar of tomato paste, don't throw away the leftovers! Make small dollops of tomato paste with a spoon or ice cream scooper and put them on a piece of parchment paper. Cut the parchment paper into squares and wrap the tomato paste in it to make them look sort of like hard candy. Put the pieces of "candy" into a freezer bag and then place them in the freezer. The frozen tomato paste will last at least another 5 months.

4. Keep Cheese From Getting Moldy

You'll Need:

• water
• salt
• food storage container

Here's How:

The next time you notice a little bit of mold on your cheese, don't throw it away. Just cut off the moldy piece and put the rest of the cheese in a homemade brine. To make the brine, put some water and salt in a container and then add the cheese. This method is a surefire way to keep your favorite snack food fresh for way longer.

5. Save Wilted Herbs

You'll Need:

• parchment paper
• sheet pan
• oven

Here's How:

Throwing wilted herbs into the trash is a total waste and totally avoidable. All you need to do to save those sad-looking greens from their untimely deaths is to scatter them on a piece of parchment paper and put them in the oven at 125°F. Store your dried herbs in an airtight container and use them whenever you feel like it.

6. Keep Ginger Fresh For Longer

You'll Need:

• Mason jar
• water

Here's How:

Give your ginger root a rough chop, put it in a Mason jar, cover the ginger with water, and seal the jar. This helps the ginger stay nice and fresh for a really long time.

7. Stop Potatoes From Sprouting

You'll Need:

• apples
• dish towel

Here's How:

So this is probably one of the easiest and most iconic food hacks of all time. Literally all you need to do to keep your potatoes from sprouting so fast is to add a few apples to the mix and then cover everything with a clean dish towel. The apples give off something called ethylene gas that prevents potatoes from sprouting.

8. Keep Garlic Fresh For Longer

You'll Need:

• paper bag
• fork

Here's How:

Poke a few holes in a paper bag with a fork. Put the garlic in the bag and prepare to be amazed at how much longer your garlic stays fresh. 

The US alone wastes up to 40 million tons of food every year. Most of the waste occurs because people don't know how to properly store their fresh food or because they don't know how to shop consciously. So, be the change you want to see and try out our eco-friendly food storage hacks today!