Tip of the Day
A Safe Pantry
Yesterday was Clean Out Your Fridge Day. Why not keep the momentum going and celebrate an unofficial "Clean Out Your Pantry Day" today?
Foods stored correctly retain their quality, nutrients and flavor longer, helping you stretch your food dollar! For safe, dry storage, follow these tips:
- Keep your cabinets and pantry clean, dry, dark and cool – preferably away from appliances that produce heat. Between 50°F and 70°F is the best temperature range. For example, the quality of canned foods is lowered when kept at temperatures over 100°F.
- Stored correctly, unopened canned foods keep their nutritional value and quality for more than two years. It's still a good idea to organize your pantry and cabinets with older cans in front for first use.
- Inspect your cans. Never eat food from cans that are cracked, bulging or leaking, or that spurt liquid when opened.
- Store opened packages of dry goods, like rice and pasta, in dry, airtight containers. This keeps the food safe from insects and prevents it from absorbing orders.
- Don't store kitchen chemicals and trash cans in the pantry near food.
For more information on keeping your kitchen safe, visit www.HomeFoodSafety.org.
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