Less food waste

Zero waste: Keeping food fresh and getting creative with leftovers.

Huge amounts of food end up in the bin every day. Planning your grocery shopping, storing it properly and adopting a more conscious approach to what you eat can all help to reduce food waste. Even small changes can help to cut waste or even avoid it completely. But nobody's perfect: We don't need to achieve a zero waste lifestyle immediately, we all just need to start. Equipped with a few tricks for keeping fruit, vegetables and other precious produce fresh, and even reviving a few things past their best, you can reduce food waste to a minimum or even eliminate it entirely. Why not start getting creative with your leftovers?

Keeping food fresh: How to save food and ensure it stays fresher for longer

By chilling, freezing, pickling and preserving food, you can extend its shelf life and save it from being condemned to the bin.

Best-before dates

Best-before dates are a guideline – and very different from use-by dates

Just because a yoghurt is a few days past its best-before date (BBD), that doesn’t mean you can’t still eat and enjoy it. This date is simply a guarantee from the manufacturer stating that, when properly stored, a product will retain its flavour, aroma and nutritional value up until then. You should not consume chilled convenience products like fresh pasta or sausages long after their best-before date. They may contain germs that you can’t see, smell or taste but could still make you ill. If in doubt, it’s best to throw them away. The same applies to easily perishable produce, which will usually have a use-by date on the packaging. After this date, perishable goods should go in the bin.

Storing and chilling

The FiFo principle and temperature zones in your fridge

Put new food at the back, bring older food to the front. The “FiFo” principle (first in, first out) can help you keep track of what’s fresh and what isn’t. It’s also useful to know that refrigerators have different temperature zones. Above the crisper drawer, the higher the shelf, the warmer it will be. The lowest shelf, just above the crisper, will be the coldest. The fridge door warms up the most when opened. So, to help foods in the fridge stay fresh for as long as possible, make sure you place them on the right shelf. You can find out more about this under “Storing food correctly”.

Freezing

What to watch out for in your freezer

Microorganisms can’t reproduce as quickly in low temperatures. For this reason, the best way to keep food fresh is to freeze it. Here’s some rules for freezing food effectively:

Transport frozen products in cool bags or insulated food boxes to avoid breaking the cold chain.
Defrost frozen products in the fridge and make sure to catch any defrost water to keep everything hygienic.
Freeze food in portions so that you can always defrost just the right amount.
Always freeze food in freezer bags to prevent it from drying out or losing its aroma.
Make sure you note the date on freezer bags – not all food stays fresh in the freezer for the same length of time.

Preserves

Preserving, pickling and fermenting

Yes, it might be something your grandmother used to do, but the art of preserving, pickling and fermenting is very much on trend right now! These methods allow you to store food in a cool, dry place, out of direct sunlight, for up to a year. Always label freshly preserved foods with the date and put them at the back of your cupboard or pantry so that you use the older produce first. Remember that it’s best to dispose of preserves and pickles if the lid is loose, the liquid is cloudy or discoloured, or if they have an unnatural smell.

Preserving

Preserving food in glass jars

You can preserve just about anything, even meat or sausages. Of course, the food has to be fresh and undamaged when you do. Fruit should be raw and vegetables should be raw and blanched. It’s actually quite simple… layer washed and prepared produce in a clean glass jar that has either a clip top or screw top and cover with liquid. Put the glass jars in a cooking pot, making sure they aren’t touching. Fill the pot with just enough water so that it comes about three-quarters of the way up the jars and then heat the pot until the water reaches 75-120 °C. Depending on the food, you should keep it at this temperature for between 10 minutes and 2 hours. Later, as the glass jars cool down, a vacuum forms inside them that keeps the lid sealed air-tight. You should repeat the cooking stage a second time when preserving peas, beans and mushrooms.

Pickling

Pickling food in glass jars

If you want to try something new, why not test your culinary skills with carrots, green beans, beetroot or peppers? These are particularly well suited to pickling. To pickle a kilogram of vegetables, you’ll need to use half a litre of vinegar (5%) and up to half a litre of water containing spices and seasonings. Heat the pickling liquid and pour it into the glasses or stoneware pots, leave it to cool, then heat the liquid again and pour it over the vegetables. The liquid should cover the vegetables by the width of a couple of fingers. You should leave it to pickle for four to six weeks, after which the pickled food will keep for a further 3-12 months.

Fermenting

Fermenting food in glass jars

Fermentation is an age-old method for preserving food and is used to this day to make sauerkraut. For some people, fermented foods are more digestible, for example. Enzymes and microorganisms break down the sugars in the vegetables in a multiple-stage process. This produces both the lactic and acetic acids that give fermented vegetables their typical flavour and stop them from perishing. Ripe vegetables are ideally suited to fermentation. It’s actually quite simple… before you start fermenting, you need to grate, slice or shred the vegetables. Then add the grated, sliced or shredded vegetables to a glass jar, fill with a 5% brine, and leave for a few days or weeks to pickle. If the jar remains well sealed, the fermented vegetables can keep for several months.

Reviving old food

Even when stored correctly, some foods rapidly lose their freshness and take on a chewy or dry, crispy consistency. There’s no need to throw these foods away, though. Here’s how you can refreshen old food in your stock.

Lettuce & herbs

Refreshing salad leaves and herbs

If you want to refresh wilting lettuce, simply sit it in cold water for a little while. This will make the leaves crisp again. You can also heat some firmer varieties of lettuce, such as raddichio, romaine lettuce and chicory. To revive herbs that have become limp, simply cut them as you would do it with flowers and place them in a glass with water. They’ll soon perk up again! You can also use wilted herbs to make pesto or freeze them in oil in ice-cube trays.

Carrots & co.

Putting the bite back into root vegetables

Just like lettuce and herbs, root vegetables such as carrots, radishes and beetroot just need to be given a little water to bring them back to life. However, it can sometimes take rather longer. Ideally, you should leave the root vegetables in a container with water for several hours or overnight – preferably in the fridge. Alternatively, you could wrap them in a damp tea towel. They will absorb the water and regain their crunch.

Fruit

Fruit – an exception

Overripe fruit can’t be refreshed, but you can use it in a number of delicious recipes. Brown bananas, for example, are a perfect ingredient in banana bread or as the base of smoothies – and, in summer, they’re great for making banana ice cream. You can use shrivelled apples and pears to whip up tasty jams, purées, compotes and crisps. However, if fruit is past its best, you should use it quickly before it gets mouldy.

Pane

Inumidire e mettere in forno : il pane duro non ha bisogno di essere buttato

Ci siamo passati tutti, vero? Quella deliziosa baguette o quel panino che abbiamo comprato ieri è diventato duro in un batter d'occhio. Tuttavia, questo non significa che dobbiate buttarli via - potete ancora ricavarne molto. Prendete il vostro pane secco, inumiditelo con un po' d'acqua, mettetelo in forno per qualche minuto e, abbastanza presto, avrà lo stesso sapore del giorno in cui l'avete comprato. Se il pane è diventato molto duro, puoi invece usarlo per fare il pangrattato.

Pasta

Soffriggere o sbollentare : Far diventare soffice la pasta del giorno prima

A seconda di come la conservate, la pasta avanzata può diventare acquosa o seccarsi. Se volete renderla buona come appena fatta il giorno dopo, saltatela semplicemente a fuoco medio in caso di una pasta ammorbidita. Nell'altro caso, se la pasta si è seccata, basterà metterla in acqua bollente per un minuto o due.

Formaggio

Il formaggio indurito torna ad essere meno rigido nel latte

Se si lascia il formaggio in tavola fuori dal frigo per troppo tempo, o se viene messo in fondo ad esso, potrebbe presto diventare secco e duro. È possibile ammorbidire il formaggio indurito immergendolo nel latte per circa mezz'ora - questo ti farà evitare di buttarlo via.

Biscotti, torte & pastine

Come le mele possono salvare gli snack

I biscotti sono naturalmente abbastanza secchi, ma possono diventarlo ancora di più, indurendosi, se conservati a lungo. Se ti piacciono i biscotti un po' più morbidi, basta mettere una mela affettata nella biscottiera per qualche ora. La frutta darà ai biscotti un po' di umidità e li ammorbidirà di nuovo. Potete farlo anche con torte e altri prodotti da forno.

Cosa fare con gli avanzi? Diventa creativo con i rimasugli

Verdure affettate, patate di ieri, mezzo budino - se non stai attento, il tuo frigorifero sarà pieno di avanzi. Dovresti sempre dare una seconda possibilità al tuo cibo, perché spesso ti permette di diventare creativo. Non buttare gli avanzi nella spazzatura, mettili in una padella e inventa qualcosa di nuovo. Cucinare gli avanzi insieme alla famiglia e agli amici può essere molto divertente!

Qualunque sia il cibo, qualunque sia l'occasione, c'è sempre una ricetta da abbinare. Per esempio, gli avanzi di pane, pomodori e rucola possono diventare una deliziosa panzanella. Potresti forse preparare un salutare dessert trasformando la frutta avanzata in un frullato o in una macedonia? E quel peperone affettato che ti è rimasto può essere combinato con il mezzo barattolo di mais dolce e riso di ieri per creare un gustoso curry vegetariano.

Hai ancora della zuppa avanzata da ieri, ma non abbastanza per una porzione completa? Nessun problema! Basta usare l'ultimo goccio di zuppa come salsa per la pasta o i noodles. E, se non è ancora abbastanza, aggiungi qualche verdura tritata e magari un po' di brodo vegetale.

Dai un'occhiata alle nostre idee di ricette per ulteriori ispirazioni su come usare gli avanzi in modo creativo.

Zero sprechi : Altre cose che puoi fare per evitare che il cibo venga buttato via

Se stai mangiando in un ristorante e la tua porzione era troppo grande, chiedi semplicemente se puoi portare gli avanzi a casa in una doggy bag. In alternativa, puoi chiedere una porzione più piccola in anticipo.

Comprare cibo da mangiare il giorno stesso o il giorno dopo? Cerca di scegliere prodotti con una data di scadenza vicina.
Sii più intelligente quando sbucci e affetti, spesso mettiamo nella spazzatura più verdura di quanto sia necessario. I gambi dei broccoli, per esempio, hanno lo stesso sapore delle cimette.
Hai mai pensato di fare un'insalata con le foglie di ravanello o di cuocere le bucce di banana in una torta?
Affetta i cipollotti in anelli e congelali in una bottiglia di plastica. Potrete poi usare la giusta quantità ogni volta che ne avete bisogno.
Se hai aperto un barattolo di cibo e te ne serve solo metà, travasa semplicemente il resto in un contenitore pulito e richiudibile. Questo lo manterrà fresco più a lungo.
Ti piacerebbe organizzare una festa per cucinare gli avanzi? Cucinare insieme agli amici ti permette di combinare i tuoi avanzi e di preparare piatti creativi.
Vai in vacanza ma il tuo frigorifero è ancora pieno? Nessun problema! Bussa semplicemente alla porta del tuo vicino e offrigli quello che hai.

Braun Bell Frozen virgin strawberry peach margarita 16x9.jpg

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 save Bananas that turn brown?

You don't like ripe bananas? Don't worry, many people don't. But with our #braunhack there is no need to waste a good fruit. Simply slice and freeze a banana to have it available whenever you need some. Why not try a freshly made and cool smoothie for instance to start your day right?

…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

…how to make stale bread fresh again?

Did you buy too much at the bakery the other day? Don't worry, sprinkle your bread with water and bake it in the oven. With this little trick your baked goods will be fresh and warm again, just in time for Sunday brunch. Try it yourself.

en_scs_braun_hack_card09_bread_1080 × 1080.jpg

Good design should be effective. So are our tips for reducing food waste, which we hope provide practical, useful examples of how we can show great appreciation for our food with even the smallest effort. Together we can achieve a lot with small changes.

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Food preparation

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Food preparation

Cooking

Breakfast

Garment Care

Get inspired

Support

Less food waste

Zero waste: Keeping food fresh and getting creative with leftovers.

Keeping food fresh: How to save food and ensure it stays fresher for longer

Best-before dates

Best-before dates are a guideline – and very different from use-by dates

Storing and chilling

The FiFo principle and temperature zones in your fridge

Freezing

What to watch out for in your freezer

Preserves

Preserving, pickling and fermenting

Preserving

Preserving food in glass jars

Pickling

Pickling food in glass jars

Fermenting

Fermenting food in glass jars

Reviving old food

Lettuce & herbs

Refreshing salad leaves and herbs

Carrots & co.

Putting the bite back into root vegetables

Fruit

Fruit – an exception

Pane

Inumidire e mettere in forno : il pane duro non ha bisogno di essere buttato

Pasta

Soffriggere o sbollentare : Far diventare soffice la pasta del giorno prima

Formaggio

Il formaggio indurito torna ad essere meno rigido nel latte

Biscotti, torte & pastine

Come le mele possono salvare gli snack

Cosa fare con gli avanzi? Diventa creativo con i rimasugli

Zero sprechi : Altre cose che puoi fare per evitare che il cibo venga buttato via

Did you know...

Good design should be effective. So are our tips for reducing food waste, which we hope provide practical, useful examples of how we can show great appreciation for our food with even the smallest effort. Together we can achieve a lot with small changes.

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