BASIC FOOD-HANDLING CONSIDERATIONS
1. Purpose
Just a quick bulletin of possible practical use to you -- and a placeholder for subsequent system-building processes.
Specifically, a couple of suggestions to help you save money, minimize food waste, and avoid poisoning yourselves or others.
You open your refrigerator and are confronted with open containers.
- "Now, how long has this been here?"
- "Hmm... looks okay... smells okay... must be okay... I think."
- "Oh, I don't know. Better throw it out, just to be safe."
If this concerns you, then you might consider the following suggestions.
DATE-MARK ALL FOOD CONTAINERS
- Keep a magic marker in the kitchen -- at all times -- even better -- several markers. (Grease pencils are good for writing on moist containers, erasable, and are, thus, very suitable for the whole job)
- When food ARRIVES -- or when you can -- re-write the expiration date ON THE PACKAGE (if available) so all can quickly see it (often they are tiny or hard to find or illegible -- and once you find it, you don't want to have to search again and again -- I don't know why some manufacturers aren't more considerate toward busy folks).
- If there is no expiration date to be found, then write the date of purchase (better than nothing -- food can lurk around for years -- and that's not all that reassuring).
- When you OPEN the food, write that date, too (like "O: 12/5/14") -- you'll be glad.
- WHEN STORING OPENED FOOD, CONSIDER PLACING THE WHOLE CONTAINER OR CONTENTS IN A ZIP-LOCK BAG AND WRITE THE DATES ON THIS.
KEEPING FOOD FROM BECOMING AN ENEMY
Here are a couple of useful Google searches:
Do you have something to add? Please comment below.
David Nelson
All Original Content © 2014, The MENTOR Enterprises / ELMS, All Rights Reserved. BUT, I hereby waive those rights, to this extent: You may freely copy and pass this along -- and are urged to do so -- as long as it's all done free of charge, unchanged, you include this statement, AND you inform me as to how it is being used -- at YOUR convenience but, hopefully soonest.
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