Give your cutting boards a thorough check: Lean Plate blogger Sally Squires says if your cutting boards are worn or have cracks or grooves it’s time to replace them. And if possible, have one cutting board for meat and one for fresh produce.
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Thinkstock
Don’t forget about your freezer: The temperature should be 0 degrees or less. If your freezer doesn’t already have a thermometer in it, then get one. Take a good look at what’s in there and do an inventory. Squires advises that many frozen vegetables can stay in the freezer for 8 months to a year. Most meat and poultry can stay for up to about a year in the freezer. Bacon, sausage and ham are good for only about one to two months. You can keep fish frozen for about two months. If it’s lean fish you can keep it in the freezer for up to six months. Cooked leftovers are usually good for about two to three months. Ice cream is OK for about two to four months—if it lasts that long!
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Thinkstock
Watch the refrigerator temperatures: The temperature should be 40 degrees or less. Fresh eggs are OK for about two to three weeks. Hard boiled eggs only have a shelf life of a week. Egg substitutes last about three days once opened and about a week if unopened. Milk is good for about a week and sometimes a bit longer. Yogurt can stay in the fridge for two to three weeks. Luncheon meats and hot dogs last about a week. Fresh meat lasts around three to five days. Don’t forget to check the dates on your condiments as well including ketchup, mustard, salsa, etc. If it looks or smells funny or if something’s growing in there then get rid of it. And remember that cheese should keep for a couple of weeks.
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Thinkstock
Look at the “sell by” date on packages of food: Check the dates but know that they’re there for the store’s benefit – you have more time after you get it home. The dates on packages are references to peak quality for retailers and are not expiration dates. When you open something, make a note of the date on the package so you know when you opened it.
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Thinkstock
Cleaning out the spice rack: Spices last a lot longer than pre-packaged food and produce. Some of the spices in your pantry can last for years. Ground spices (nutmeg, cinnamon, turmeric) last from two to three years. Herbs (basil, oregano, parsley) last from one to three years. Seasoning blends last from one to two years. Whole spices (cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon sticks) last about four years. Seeds last about four years, except for poppy and sesame seeds, which should be discarded after two years. And extracts last about four years, except for vanilla, which will last forever.
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WASHINGTON — Spring cleaning isn’t just for washing windows, cleaning your closets and dusting your rugs, it’s also a great time to take stock of your pantry and fridge.
Lean Plate Club blogger Sally Squires says one reason it’s important to take stock of your kitchens now is that there are 48 million cases of food-borne illnesses annually, according to the Food and Drug Administration. That’s the equivalent of about 1 in every 6 Americans amounting to 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths.
Squires says part of reducing food borne illnesses is keeping a clean kitchen, practicing good hand washing techniques and being sure not to accidentally contaminate foods at home or at the grocery store. Her advice is to keep fresh meat, poultry and fish away from fresh produce in your cart.
