Less food waste

Fresher and tastier for longer: How to store food

After you have planned your shopping, taking the time to store your food properly is decisive in ensuring it stays fresh. Sorting your purchases once you get home will help to keep your fruit and vegetables, dairy products, bread, pasta and meat fresh for longer. Some foods need to be chilled, while others just need to be kept at room temperature. We’ve put together some tips outlining when and how you can store food so that everything stays fresh for as long as possible.

Why exactly does food go bad?

Whether warm or cold, moist or dry, not all foods like the same conditions. If stored incorrectly, food will lose its flavour and spoil more quickly. This is due to the physical, biochemical, chemical and microbial influences and changes to which products are exposed. Food can also be damaged by pests and vermin.

Microbial spoilage is caused by bacteria, mould and yeasts. They cause food to rot, ferment or develop mould and sometimes develop pathogenic substances as a result. These processes and the storage life of food products depend in particular on physical conditions such as warmth, cold and moisture.

In addition, enzymes within food trigger biochemical changes, such as vitamins, pigments and flavourings breaking down. Fat turning rancid is due to chemical spoilage triggered by chemical reactions within food constituents. External factors such as light and air can accelerate this process.

Hygiene, refrigeration and storage: It all starts with shopping.

Before you get your shopping home and start to put it all away in the right place, making sure that everything is suitably hygienic and chilled starts in the supermarket. Key points to remember:

Check that all packaging is intact.
Make sure that chilled foods are kept cool, such as with reusable cool bags, to prevent germs from multiplying when produce gets warm.
Only put frozen and perishable products in your trolley at the end of your shop, just before heading to the checkout. Speaking of the checkout, soft and delicate produce such as eggs, bananas and grapes should be the last things you place on the conveyor belt. This means they will be at the top of your bag and will not get crushed by heavier items.
After finishing your shop and before sorting out your purchases at home, make sure to wash your hands thoroughly to prevent the spread of bacteria and germs.
Keep storage areas such as shelves, pantries and your fridge clean and wipe them down regularly. The best way is to use warm water with a little detergent. Adding a dash of vinegar essence can prevent mould.

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Freezing effectively: How to store food in the freezer

If you want to store food for a particularly long time, your freezer or the freezer compartment of your fridge is the best option. The low temperature and reduced water activity mean that microorganism reproduction is significantly reduced or even eliminated. However, make sure to clean, wash and blanch fruit and vegetables before freezing them. Ideally, you should pack food as airtight as possible and in small portions. It’s also worth labelling bags with their contents and the date to help you keep on top of things. However, even frozen food cannot be stored indefinitely. Fruit and vegetables will keep for 11 to 15 months, fish and fatty meats will keep for 6 to 9 months, and beef and poultry can be frozen for 9 to 12 months.

Freeze first, enjoy later

Turn frozen fruit into delicious smoothies or smoothie-bowls. Our recipe ideas tell you how to.

Rapsberry and goji berry smoothie2go with lime and coconut oil

Recipe

Acai berry smoothie bowl

Recipe

Red fruit and coconut smoothie bowl

Recipe

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Chilling correctly: How to store food in the fridge

Most fresh foods should go straight in the fridge when you get home. A cool ambient temperature of 4 to 8 °C inside fridges helps to keep perishable foods fresh for long periods. This is because the low temperature slows cell metabolism in foods, impedes the growth of microorganisms and curbs chemical and enzymatic spoilage. The “FiFo” principle (first in, first out) can help you keep track of what’s fresh and what isn’t. In other words: Put new food at the back, bring older food to the front.

How to store your refrigerator properly

Fridges have various temperature zones. So, to help foods in the fridge stay fresh for as long as possible, make sure to place them on the right shelf. We set out exactly what belongs where in our fridge tips.

Fridge door

What belongs in the fridge door

The fridge door is one of the warmest areas in a fridge. The temperature here is usually between 8 and 10 °C. It is suitable for storing ready-made sauces, juice, drinks, dressings, milk, butter and eggs

Crisper drawer

What belongs in the crisper drawer

The clue’s in the name: the crisper drawer keeps fresh produce crisp. Crisper drawers are separated from the rest of the fridge, usually by a glass pane, which keeps the temperature at around 9 °C. This is perfect for storing vegetables, salad and various types of fruit. Remember: Produce that is sensitive to cold, such as exotic fruits and vegetables with a high water content, do not belong in the fridge at all.

Bottom shelf

What belongs on the bottom shelf

The temperature of the bottom shelf, just above the crisper drawer, is no higher than 2 to 3 °C. You should store easily perishable food on this shelf, such as meat, fish, poultry and deli salads.

Middle shelf

What belongs on the middle shelf

The middle shelf is usually about 5 °C, making it ideal for dairy products like yoghurt, milk, quark and cream. It’s also the perfect place for cheese and sausages.

Top shelf

What belongs on the top shelf

The top shelf of a fridge is comparatively warm. The temperature here is usually between 8 and 10 °C. You can store butter and jams at this mild temperature. Leftover food you intend to eat soon can also be kept here, as this area is perfect for preserving flavour.

Storing foods at room temperature in the cupboard or pantry

Pasta, rice, canned goods and the like don’t benefit from being stored in the fridge. Instead, it’s fine to store them in a cupboard at an average of 15 to 20 °C. It’s important that food is not exposed to direct sunlight or warmth, e.g. by being kept near a hob or oven. High temperatures and moist air generated when cooking have a negative impact on the storage life of even long-life products. When tidying your cupboards or pantry, remember: put new products at the back and bring older food to the front so that it gets used first. Once you open a packet, seal it securely or transfer the contents to a sealed container. Just like when freezing food, make sure to label containers with dates – so you don’t forget what’s inside.

Storing products in the right place: What food belongs where

Whether warm or cold, moist or dry, not all foods like the same conditions. If stored incorrectly, food will lose its flavour and spoil more quickly. Let’s look at the best place to store different foods so that they stay fresh for longer.

Bread & baked goods

Keeping bread fresh for longer

Keeping bread fresh means preventing it from drying out, such as by storing it in a bread bin or a stoneware container with a lid. Many people store bread in plastic bags. The disadvantage of this is that fresh bread from the baker very quickly turns soft when stored in airtight packaging. For this reason, it’s best to keep crisp baked goods you plan to eat soon unsealed – such as in the bag they came in from the baker.

However, drying out isn’t the only way bread can spoil. If the surroundings are too moist and air cannot circulate, water can accumulate and cause mould to develop, particularly in the case of sliced bread. Any crumbs lying around in a bread bin can also lead to mould growing. Remove crumbs every few days and wipe down the container with some diluted vinegar. In warm, humid weather, you can even keep bread in the fridge if necessary. This protects against mould, especially in the case of white bread. If in doubt, you can always freeze bread and bread rolls before defrosting them at a later date, ideally at room temperature.

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Fruit & vegetables

Apples, carrots, salad etc.: What belongs in the fridge and what doesn’t

Almost all vegetables can be stored in the fridge. Aubergines, tomatoes, potatoes and pumpkins are the only ones you shouldn’t keep cold. Fruit is a little more complicated. Some types of fruit only stay fresh and retain their vitamins when chilled. Others, however, are very sensitive to the cold. As a rule of thumb, you should chill indigenous fruits like apples, cherries and plums. Exotic fruits like mangos, bananas and citrus fruits don’t belong in the fridge. Exceptions to this rule are figs and kiwis, which are quite at home in your crisper drawer.

Over time, some fruits and vegetables develop a ripening gas called ethylene. This causes other fruit and vegetables nearby to age and spoil more quickly. The highest ethylene producers include apples, apricots, plums and tomatoes. For this reason, it’s best to keep them separate.

Dairy products

Yoghurt, butter and milk: How to keep dairy products fresh

Yoghurt, milk and butter should make their way from the supermarket to your fridge at home as soon as possible. Ideally, you should keep them well sealed and in their original packaging: Put butter on the top shelf of the fridge door, and keep yoghurt and milk in the middle of the fridge.

UHT milk only needs to go in the fridge once opened; it can keep at room temperature for several weeks beforehand. You should consume raw milk straight from the farm within 2 to 3 days at most. Pasteurised fresh milk often stays fresh for up to a week when kept sealed and for 2 to 3 days when opened. Due to its high fat content, you can freeze butter before defrosting it in the fridge door when you need it.

Kaas

Kaas kun je het beste op een goed geventileerde en vochtige plek bewaren, roomkaas liever koud

Afgezien van roomkaas moeten alle kaassoorten kunnen ademen en ze moeten daarom niet in een luchtdicht bakje worden bewaard. Voorverpakte kaas kun je het beste in de originele verpakking, in speciaal kaaspapier of boterhampapier bewaren of eventueel in een vershouddoos doen. Op die manier voorkom je dat de geur zich door de koelkast verspreidt en zo kunnen er geen eetbare schimmels op harde kaassoorten ontstaan. Je kunt kaas ook in huishoudfolie wikkelen, maar gebruik nooit luchtdichte plastic bakjes. Leg kaas bij voorkeur op een plateau in het midden van de koelkast. Roomkaas moet juist op een koelere plek worden bewaard, namelijk het onderste plateau in de koelkast. Stukken kaas zijn maximaal drie weken houdbaar in de koelkast. Gesneden kaas en roomkaas drogen na openen uit en verliezen hun smaak, dus die kun je het beste binnen een week eten nadat je de verpakking geopend hebt.

Pasta

De beste plek om pasta, spätzle en gnocchi te bewaren

Gedroogde pasta is tot een jaar houdbaar. Het is belangrijk om de pasta op kamertemperatuur op een droge plek en goed afgesloten te bewaren. Waarom? Omdat gedroogde pasta, net als andere gedroogde producten, heel gevoelig is voor ongedierte, zoals voorraadmotten.
Verse deegwaren, zoals pasta, spätze en gnocchi zijn extreem vatbaar voor bacteriën. In een goed gekoelde koelkast zijn ze 3 tot 4 dagen houdbaar. Een goede bereiding is essentieel om voedsel zo lang mogelijk vers te houden. Zorg dat je pasta al dente, dus beetgaar kookt. Spätzle en gnocchi zijn klaar, zodra ze tijdens het koken boven komen drijven. Pastarestjes kun je op het bovenste plateau in de koelkast bewaren en is dan nog 1 of 2 dagen goed. Om te voorkomen dat gekookte pasta hard wordt, kun je de pasta het beste in een afgesloten bakje bewaren.

Vlees

Tips voor het bewaren van vlees

Vlees, gevogelte en worst kunnen heel snel bederven. Probeer als dat mogelijk is de koudeketen niet te doorbreken of een doorbreking tot een minimum te beperken. Je kunt daarom het beste een koeltas meenemen naar de supermarkt. Leg het vlees thuis meteen op het onderste plateau in de koelkast, omdat dit het koudste deel van de koelkast is.
Als je vlees in een plastic verpakking koopt, moet je dit eerst vervangen voor je het vlees in de koelkast legt. Haal het vlees uit de verpakking, dep het droog met keukenpapier, wikkel het in bakpapier en leg het in een luchtdicht bakje ter bescherming tegen bacteriën. Rundvlees kan 3 tot 4 dagen worden bewaard, kalfs- en varkensvlees zijn 2 tot 3 dagen goed, maar gevogelte blijft niet langer dan 1 à 2 dagen vers. Wees voorzichtig met gehakt. Dat moet je zo mogelijk op de dag van aankoop gebruiken. Ontdooi vlees uit de diepvries altijd eerst en houd rekening met het vocht dat daarbij vrijkomt.

Vis

De beste manier om vis te bewaren

Vis is nog bederfelijker dan vlees. Het is daarom het beste om vis meteen na aankoop te eten. Als je verse vis bij de visboer koopt, laat de vis dan niet zitten in de verpakking waarin je deze gekocht hebt. Doe de vis in een glazen of porseleinen schaal, dek af met huishoudfolie en bewaar de vis maximaal 1 dag in de koelkast.
Voorverpakte vis uit de diepvries kun je in de vriezer bewaren, maar let wel op de houdbaarheidsdatum! Het rookproces zorgt ervoor dat gerookte vis langer vers blijft. Je kunt deze, afgedekt met huishoudfolie, ongeveer 3 dagen in de koelkast bewaren. Ontdooi vis uit de diepvries altijd eerst en houd rekening met het vocht dat daarbij vrijkomt.

Een kleine tip: etenswaren die over de datum zijn hoef je niet meteen weg te gooien

* De meeste producten hebben op de verpakking een THT-datum (‘ten minste houdbaar tot'-datum) staan. Etenswaren bederven echter niet altijd meteen als deze datum verstreken is. Tot deze datum garandeert de producent de kwaliteitseigenschappen van het product, zoals smaak, geur, consistentie en kleur.
* Het is belangrijk om te controleren of op de verpakking een 'ten minste houdbaar tot'- of een 'te gebruiken tot'-datum voor bederfelijke producten zoals rauwe vis, gehakt en vers gevogelte vermeld staat. Producten waarvan de 'te gebruiken tot'-datum verstreken is, moet je niet meer eten en meteen weggooien.
* Kijk, ruik en proef: vertrouw op je zintuigen! Je kunt vaak heel eenvoudig bepalen of voedsel nog goed is om te eten als de THT-datum verstreken is.

Le saviez-vous ?

Aucun d'entre nous n'envisage de jeter un tiers des aliments qu'il achète. Pourtant, les statistiques montrent que c'est précisément la quantité qui finit à la poubelle. Selon les estimations de l'Organisation Mondiale de la Santé (OMS), cela correspond à 1,3 milliard de tonnes de nourriture jetée chaque année dans le monde. C'est un gaspillage de nourriture inconcevable sachant que 690 millions de personnes dans le monde souffrent de la faim.

Did you know...

...how to keep your Avocados from browning?

Braun's kitchen hack of the day: after opening an avocado, simply sprinkle some fresh lemon juice on it to keep it from browning. It stays fresh for longer and even tastes good.

Avocado cut in half with citrus juice dripping on it.

…how to keep your Carrots crisp?

We carrot wait to try this hack at home. Place your carrots in a glass of water to keep them fresh and crispy. Do you already treat your carrots like flowers and keep them fresh in a vase?

en_scs_braun_hack_card-04_Crisp_Carrots_1080 × 1080.jpg

…how to keep your Bananas fresh?

Keep calm and go bananas. Did you know that bananas naturally release a gas called ethylene from their stem, and therefore tend to ripen much faster? Try and cover the stem of the bananas with a small piece of leftover foil, and the ripening process slows dramatically. Have you ever heard about this kitchen hack?

en_scs_braun_hack_card-05_Fresh-Banana_1080 × 1080.jpg

…how to keep your Potatoes from sprouting?

An apple a day keeps the sprouts away. Just place an apple in the same rack with your potatoes. With this little kitchen hack you can keep your potatoes fresh, even if you don't use them up all at once. Have you tried this before?

en_scs_braun_hack_Card-08_Potatoes_1080 × 1080.jpg

…why you shouldn't put hot food straight into the fridge?

Keep calm and stay cool. Your leftover food should always be allowed to cool to room temperature before placing it in the refrigerator. This way, you can make sure to maintain a secure temperature in your fridge as well as save energy. Have you been aware of that?

…how to make limp lettuce fresh again?

Don't throw away that limp lettuce just yet! Did you know you can bring it back to life by soaking it in cold water with lemon juice? This simple trick is a real hit for anyone who loves fresh, crisp greens.

en_scs_braun_hack_card13_Limplettuce_1080 × 1080.jpg

Braun stands for durable products and sustainable design. We believe that, in the struggle to protect the environment and maintain our quality of life, both today and in the future, every action counts – no matter how small.

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Less food waste

Fresher and tastier for longer: How to store food

Why exactly does food go bad?

Hygiene, refrigeration and storage: It all starts with shopping.

Freezing effectively: How to store food in the freezer

Freeze first, enjoy later

Chilling correctly: How to store food in the fridge

How to store your refrigerator properly

Fridge door

What belongs in the fridge door

Crisper drawer

What belongs in the crisper drawer

Bottom shelf

What belongs on the bottom shelf

Middle shelf

What belongs on the middle shelf

Top shelf

What belongs on the top shelf

Storing foods at room temperature in the cupboard or pantry

Storing products in the right place: What food belongs where

Bread & baked goods

Keeping bread fresh for longer

Fruit & vegetables

Apples, carrots, salad etc.: What belongs in the fridge and what doesn’t

Dairy products

Yoghurt, butter and milk: How to keep dairy products fresh

Kaas

Kaas kun je het beste op een goed geventileerde en vochtige plek bewaren, roomkaas liever koud

Pasta

De beste plek om pasta, spätzle en gnocchi te bewaren

Vlees

Tips voor het bewaren van vlees

Vis

De beste manier om vis te bewaren

Een kleine tip: etenswaren die over de datum zijn hoef je niet meteen weg te gooien

Le saviez-vous ?

Did you know...

Braun stands for durable products and sustainable design. We believe that, in the struggle to protect the environment and maintain our quality of life, both today and in the future, every action counts – no matter how small.

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