Why millions of tonnes are lost annually and how to store groceries effectively

A whopping 15 percent of the waste occurs at the agricultural production stage. This is an immense number, mainly when the widespread nature of poverty is considered. Our lack of knowledge in food storage, leading to rapid spoilage, contributes to this scenario. Here, we guide you on how to store food properly to retain its freshness over an extended duration.

Katya Meckle is a renowned TikToker who posts about topics related to healthy eating on her profile. In one video, she revealed a smart trick that keeps bread fresh for around three weeks. With this trick, freezing bread and then defrosting it isn't necessary, although it remains a viable method. All that needs to be done is to keep a slice of celery in the package of bread, which helps maintain its softness while preventing the growth of mould.

The TikToker has also shared her method of preserving bananas. In her view, the top of the banana should be wrapped in aluminium foil, which significantly extends the fruit's freshness. She keeps green vegetables and carrots in clean containers filled with cold water to keep them fresh and crisp for a lengthy period of time. Once the vegetables are consumed, the containers should be cleaned out with apple cider vinegar to kill any remaining bacteria.

As a general principle, meat should be kept in the drawer, which most refrigerators have. These drawers maintain lower humidity and temperature levels, thus preventing the meat from spoiling. The aforementioned drawer or the lowest possible shelf should be used to store cold cuts. Conversely, dairy products need to be placed on the top shelf, where the temperature is the highest. Fruits and vegetables can be stored outside the refrigerator, with the exception of berries, which lose their firmness quickly, and should be stored on the middle shelf in the refrigerator to keep them away from meat or dairy.