The Savings Book

Freezer burns are caused by direct exposure of frozen food to cold, dry air.

This dehydrates the food and causes changes in flavor and color, while still keeping it edible.

Put food in freezer bags or packaging to preserve its taste and appearance.

Food can only be kept frozen for a certain amount of time. In general, cooked foods should not be kept frozen for more than one or two months, fish and red meat for three or four months depending on cut and type.

Butter and portions of poultry will keep for up to about nine months. Fruits and vegetables last longer, between eight months and a year.

Butter left open in the refrigerator is likely to turn yellow within a few weeks.

To avoid this, cut it into cubes and freeze them individually, wrapped in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Or spread them out on a tray until they are frozen, then transfer them to an airtight container.

Vegetables should not all be stored in the same way. Each type of vegetable requires specific tips and methods to ensure optimal freezing and extend shelf life without altering the taste and texture too much.

There are lots of data and tables online providing guidance on the proper freezing times and slicing techniques.

Leafy vegetables, such as chard and spinach, have a delicate structure and lose their crunch when frozen.

Put them in the freezer only if you plan to eat them cooked.

Overloading the freezer can slow down the freezing process and damage the products kept inside.

Try not to freeze too much food all at once.

If you don’t have time to wait for a food item to thaw slowly in the refrigerator, put it in a leak-proof bag and submerge in cold water. This alternative method works best with fruits and vegetables.

Meat and fish should be stored in the coldest part of the refrigerator, usually the bottom shelf.

To avoid contamination and spillage, it’s a good idea to store them in a container.

Refrigerator drawers, or crispers, are designed to maintain a higher humidity than the rest of the refrigerator, helping your fresh produce last longer.

Good organization of food in the refrigerator is very important. If it is overfilled, the temperature can rise and the fans can also be blocked, preventing air from circulating freely.

Always store raw foods such as meat and fish in clean containers or, even better, in their original packaging, which includes the expiration date and other useful information for storage.

To prevent vegetables such as salad and radicchio from wilting and retaining moisture, store them in a tea towel.

After that, place them in the vegetable drawer in the refrigerator, in a container or bag.

Fresh herbs can be stored in a vase with water, as if they were flowers.

The alternative is to wrap them in slightly damp kitchen paper and seal them in a container to go in the refrigerator.

Store bananas at room temperature and away from direct sunlight: they do not ripen properly in the refrigerator and could blacken in a short time.

This does not apply if the banana is overripe; in that case, the cold can help extend its life for a few more days.

Onions are not all the same, but it is a good rule to store them in a dark, cool and dry place, away from potatoes.

Once sliced, you can store them in the refrigerator for several days, tightly sealed in airtight containers.

Tropical or subtropical fruit is damaged when exposed to the cold for too long.

For watermelon and pineapple, if whole, store them at room temperature. Only put them in the refrigerator once cut, covered with plastic wrap.

Bread can typically be kept for two to four days at room temperature; to extend its shelf life, it is important to preserve its moisture as much as possible.

A good method is to seal it in a paper bag, and place it inside a breadbox or similar. Alternatively, it can be frozen.

Some fruits, such as apples, pears and bananas, tend to oxidize and darken quickly once sliced.

The color change does not affect their edibility, but to slow down this process and make sure they look good, you can sprinkle the surface with lemon or pineapple juice.

The “use by” date means that foods can only be considered safe until the date indicated and no later, even if they still smell and look good.

Do not throw away fruit and vegetables with minor imperfections or if very ripe.

Overripe fruit can be used to make smoothies, desserts and jams, while wilted vegetables are perfect for soups, thin or thick.

If a fruit has a blackened or bruised part, it can still be consumed after removing it.

After removing the outermost part with a potato peeler, broccoli stalks are ready to be cooked and blended with sun-dried tomatoes and a drizzle of oil.

You can make a sauce for pasta, rice, barley or spelt, to which you can add the blanched florets.

Some vegetable leaves are versatile and can be used in many dishes. The small ones can be added to raw salads, while the more mature ones can be eaten after cooking.

You can add them to risottos or boil and sauté them in a pan as a side dish.

You can make a hot herbal tea in winter by boiling the well-washed peels of apples and edible (1) lemon and orange peels.

Add spices to the cooking water, such as a cinnamon stick, cloves or cardamom.

Leftover carrot peels can be used to make a pesto.

Wash carrots well before peeling them and blend the peels with oil, salt and a few almonds, adding garlic and chili pepper to taste.

Pumpkin and squash rind is edible and, in some varieties, very tender.

Both can therefore be eaten whole or sliced, with no need for peeling.

Watermelon rind is perfect for making a jam with a delicate taste. Start by removing the green part of the skin and cut into chunks.

Put it all in a pot with an apple peeled and cut into cubes, sugar, water, grated zest, lemon juice, and spices to taste.

Cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, then the jam is ready.

For a zero-waste version of risi e bisi (Italian thick soup of rice and peas), you can also use pea pods. Boil them together with the peas and blend until smooth.

Filter through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the most fibrous parts and add to the rice during cooking.

Parsley stalks are often overlooked, but they can be used in many ways in the kitchen.

They can be added whole to cooking juices, broths and soups to enrich their flavor, or finely chopped to flavor sauces or marinades for meat and fish. If tender, they can also be used for salads.

If the cooking water used for vegetables is not too bitter, don’t throw it away. Instead, use it as a base for preparing soups, risottos, and minestrone.

Crustacean shells, heads, and bones are perfect to make traditional fish stock to flavor risottos or make a pasta sauce.

Storing home-cooked food requires special attention.

To keep the temperature inside the refrigerator constant and avoid condensation, allow the food to cool to room temperature before placing it in a lidded container.

If you have leftover cooked pulses, make a sauce to add to pasta, by heating and blending some of them with a little pasta cooking water.

Alternatively, blend them with a tablespoon of tahini (sesame paste), lemon juice, and a pinch of salt to create a quick hummus.

Overripe but mold-free bananas can be used to make a smoothie, banana bread, or pancakes.

Or blend them while still frozen to make ice cream.

Try using broken biscuits and crumbs left in the bottom of packaging in creative ways, such as adding them to smoothies, yogurt, or ice cream.

If you have dry bread and don’t know what to do with it, try making a refreshing gazpacho by soaking the bread, then blending it with tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and a pinch of salt. Add a drizzle of oil to serve.

Store chocolate in a cool, dry place. If put in the refrigerator or stored for a long time at above 20°C, a white film can form due to fats or sugars moving to the surface.

Don’t worry, it’s still good to eat. If you have lots to get rid of, make a cake, mousse, or chocolate salami.

Leftover red wine can be turned into a great mulled wine.

• (1)To begin with, wash an orange and a lemon, remove the zest and set aside, after checking it is edible.
• (3)Then wash an apple and cut into thin slices. Pour sugar into a saucepan and add cinnamon sticks, cloves, apple, citrus peel and other spices to taste.
• (3)Pour the wine into the pan, cover with a lid and cook without bringing it to the boil to mix all the aromas.

Before you go grocery shopping, it’s always useful to carefully check what food you have at home, to know what you need to pick up and what you already have, maybe hidden at the back of the shelves in the pantry or refrigerator.

Choose recipes that include similar ingredients to optimize food consumption and reduce waste.

For example, if you buy artichokes, use them one day for a risotto and the next for a sautéed side dish.

Some fruit, such as banana, persimmon, apple, peach, kiwi, mango and avocado, continue to ripen even after they are picked.

Try to choose ones that are already ripe if you plan to eat them within a few days. If not, buy them less ripe and let them ripen out of the refrigerator.

A shopping list is a valuable ally against food waste.

If you don’t have this habit, try to include it in your routine.

Packaged products with slightly dented but intact packaging can still be consumed by the expiration date.

If you buy vegetables that you aren’t planning to eat within a few days, freeze them immediately.

Cut them into small pieces, wash thoroughly, blanch quickly if necessary, and put them in special containers or freezer bags, marking the bag with the date you froze them.

That way, they can last for up to a year!

Fruits suitable for freezing include apples, pears, grapes, figs, bananas, and mangoes.

It’s better to keep watermelon, pineapple, and kiwi out of the freezer, because their high water content leads to the formation of crystals that damage their structure.

However, they can be frozen to prevent waste, although it’s best to use them only for smoothies or purees.

When you bring home fresh produce, first eat the items that can only be stored for a shorter time, such as milk and soft cheeses, more perishable vegetables such as broccoli, mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, spinach, berries, and ripe fruit.

Eat longer-lasting foods instead, such as hard cheeses, carrots, peppers, beets, radicchio and fruits such as apples, pears or oranges.

Once in the freezer, fish, and ground beef can last up to three or four months, while cuts of meat such as roasts, steaks and ribs can last up to four months to a year.

Always remember to mark the date you froze it on the packaging, then when defrosting, check for any unpleasant odors or alterations in the color.

Extra virgin olive oil should be stored in a cool, dry place away from heat sources, to prevent it from oxidizing and going rancid.

Place it in dark glass containers to protect it from light.

If you can’t finish your order at a restaurant, ask for a doggy bag to take home the leftovers and eat them another time.

When at a buffet, use small side dishes or dessert plates – you’ll avoid taking too much.

If you find you’re still hungry, you can always go on another round!

For lunch at work, try using a divided container to portion your food as you like and avoid waste.

If there is too much food, you might end up having to throw away the leftovers.

When with friends and family, share the food that’s on the table, this way you’ll have the chance to taste more dishes and reduce waste.

Involving children in meal preparation teaches them the importance of food, how it is produced, and how to reduce waste.

It will also help them discover more easily which ingredients they like least, reducing the amount of food left over on their plates over time.

For your children’s snack at school, give them portions suitable for their needs, to keep their “hunger clock” in balance and prevent them from losing their appetite at mealtimes.