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Before the invention of the refrigerator, you had two options for your food: eat it right away or preserve it. Okay, three possibilities because you can also just throw it in the trash when it spoils, and then your kitchen begins to smell like rotten eggs. But, of course, nobody wants that. Wasted food or kitchen smells that beat you to the front door aren’t ideal. Sometimes, the culprit is that your food just goes bad in the refrigerator. If you have an abundance of fresh food in your refrigerator and you know you won’t eat it before it spoils, an excellent option is to preserve food at home.
Many of you reading this will hear the word preserve and have a flashback to Little House on the Prairie, but there are several easy ways to preserve food at home using modern technology, and anyone can do it. Let us help you get the most life out of your food.
Here are ten ways to preserve food at home to keep your food out of the trashcan.
Pickling
Those pickles from the store are delicious, aren't they? Well, we'll let you in on a secret. Those pickles are just cucumbers soaked in vinegar with a fancy label slapped on them. You don’t need to spend your hard-earned money on buying pickles. Instead, you can pickle your own and create unique flavors! (Pepperoni pizza-flavored pickles, anyone?) You can pickle various vegetables, cucumbers, beets, celery, tomatoes, and even eggs. It's a straightforward process, and you just need vinegar and mason jars to do it.
Smoking
No, we aren't talking about a pack of Camel Lites. Smoked meat and fish are not just famous; they are delicious and have been one of the best ways to preserve food for ages. To savor smoked meats, you have to buy a smoker, but you can find them cheaply on Amazon. If you are on a budget, you can also find some fantastic YouTube videos on building a smoker using a barrel or a trash can.
Smoking meat works by simply seasoning your meat and cooking your meat for a long time at low heat. In addition to a delicious flavor, you can rest easy knowing your food is protected from molding or bacteria.
Salting
Salting is an ancient preservation practice that dates as far back as the Egyptians, meaning it’s an oldie but goody. If you want to use it to preserve your food at home, you can use salting to extend the shelf life of meat and produce. There are two options: a dry salting method or a brine soak. Both ways work by drawing all the water out of your vegetables and meats. And as a cooking prep method, it’s an excellent partner to meat smoking, seasoning your food as it cooks.
Dehydration
Who doesn't love beef jerky? Homemade specialty beef jerky has become incredibly popular throughout the years, and it’s not hard to see why! Not only does it save you from tossing out food well before its expiration date, but it’s also a protein-packed everyday snack. Just watch out for the high amounts of sodium.
Becoming a meat curator as a way to preserve food at home is easy. All you need is a way to dehydrate your food. You can either buy one online or use your oven to dehydrate herbs, vegetables, and meats. And best of all, it tastes pretty great when it's done!
Olive Oil Preservation
You may not have heard of this one before, but olive oil preservation can extend your food’s shelf life for up to a year. Most people think of preserving vegetables, but other things that can be preserved including fish, meats, and even cheese! Keep in mind that before you start olive oil preserving everything in your home, you have to first prepare your food. And though it’s an awesome way to preserve food at home, it's not for everyone. After all, not everyone wants slimly cheese.
Canning
Canning is a pastime for many people who enjoy making their own canned goods. You can even make your own homemade jams and jellies and give Smucker’s a run for their money. With canning, you can preserve just about anything; top shelf’s the limit. Corn, green beans, beets, and fresh fruits, are all delicious when canned.
This is the most common and most popular method of home food preservation out there, and those interested have two options to choose from: water baths or pressure canning. Both methods require mason jars, but you'll need to invest in a pressure canner if you want to can meats.
A Homemade Root Cellar
While this sounds like something straight out of “The Grapes of Wrath,” when certain fruits and vegetables are stored in a root cellar, they can last for several months without rotting. In some parts of the country, it’s still a favorite way to preserve food at home. Don't have a root cellar? You can bury a trash can to make your own. It might sound a little crazy, but it works pretty well.
The Waxing Method
Certain types of wax can help food stay fresh for much longer than its typical shelf life. The most common are beeswax wraps and petroleum wax, and you can buy them or make your own. These protective waxes can be used on fruits, vegetables, and cheese. However, this isn't a suitable preservation option for meats.
Freeze Drying
Anything, and we do mean anything, can be freeze-dried. The shelf life on freeze-drying is insane! We are talking decades if done correctly. And if you’re curious, yes, your freeze-dried food could potentially outlast your pets. Talk about some powerful preservation methods. There are machines available for freeze-drying, and they are reasonably priced.
Fermentation
This method is not for the lighthearted as it's complicated and requires a lot of time, hard work, and equipment. If the fermentation process sounds familiar it’s because is used to make our favorite beers and wines. Alcohol is the product of fermentation, and many people now brew their beer at home. But it's not just fermented alcohol. Sauerkraut, a popular addition to kielbasa and other meals, is also accomplished through the fermentation process.
Have you ever wondered how yogurt is made? Yogurt is the result of fermented milk. Many foods will ferment on their own if you don't store them properly. The fermentation process also produces a lot of healthy bacteria that are good for your body. It's a delicate process that needs to be handled with care, so if you give fermentation a try, be sure to research it thoroughly first.
Freshly Fridge
Preserving your food is just another example of cutting down on food waste in your home, a problem we all struggle with. Nobody likes to waste money, and here at Freshly Fridge, we understand this more than most. This is why we created a product that will extend the life of your fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, and even your dairy by more than 50%!
It's a crazy claim, but it’s one we've been able to back with science and practice in thousands of refrigerators nationwide. If you are ready to keep more money in your pockets and less food in the trash can, head here to try our products today!
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