Eat*Drink*Cleveland

A hungry girl's adventures in Cleveland and beyond.

If you are like me, you are spending A LOT more time in the kitchen since we are all staying home to help stop the spread of the coronavirus. Now that you are all stocked up and hunkered down, how do you keep all the food that you purchased fresh for as long as possible?

Here are some of my tried and true favorites that will help you be organized and save money. You can extend the life of your food and even grow fresh herbs right on the counter!

I have been using a Food Saver vacuum sealer for years. It helps your food last so much longer and is perfect for packaging meat individually for the freezer. I use it all the time to store chunks of cheese, lunch meat, and bacon. I also have a canister set that I use to store grains, crackers, cereal and more. You can also get containers that are perfect for the fridge or for marinating.
One of the things I struggle most with keeping fresh is herbs. Even though I've tried all the tricks to keep them fresh, they always go bad faster than we can eat them. The AeroGarden is an in-home hydroponic gardening system that easily fits on your counter or a small table or dresser. All you need is an outlet and the AeroGarden does the rest! This product is an absolute must - not just during a quarantine, but also during the winter or even year round if you don't feel like having a garden. It makes growing fresh herbs so easy!
A good set of storage containers is an absolute must. This glass set with snap on lids makes it easy to go from the fridge to the microwave without worrying about the plastic leaching into your food. They stack perfectly so your fridge is more organized and the space is maximized. This XL set is great for bigger quantities like a rotisserie chicken, lasagna or soup.

Reusable silicone bags and bowl covers are earth friendly alternatives to disposables and work great.

We absolutely love our Distillata water cooler! We have the bottom load model which makes it SO easy to refill. It holds a ton of water and they deliver it right to your door. If you don't want to invest in a machine, they also deliver gallon jugs and sparkling water in addition to being able to install whole house filters.

If you are using your time indoors to get organized, these airtight storage containers help keep your pantry items fresh, labeled, and looking good. 
Instead of planning activities, I've been planning meals. This erasable white board is an easy way to keep track of what you're making. If you have kids, get them involved in menu planning and maybe have each person take turn picking the dishes that you make.

If you love fresh berries as much as I do, these produce keepers are a must! Your produce stays fresh much longer which reduces waste and saves you money. I have the whole set and use them for strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and lettuce and have really notices a difference. The large rectangle is perfect for asparagus.

A few years ago, my pantry was devastated by pantry moths. I literally lots HUNDREDS of dollars of food. Ever since then, I ALWAYS have these traps in my pantry. They are cheap and will protect you from an invasion. Especially now with every stockpiled because of the pandemic, these are an absolute must.

What tips, tricks or products do you use to preserve your fresh fruits and veggies? Share your favorites in the comments.

* Disclosure: By purchasing something using the links in this post, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for helping to support this blog, especially since I am currently unemployed. *

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