# 10 Genius Food Saving Hacks

- Link: https://stayathomemum.com.au/lifestyle/home/10-genius-food-saving-hacks/
- Published: 2022-01-18T07:00:00+11:00
- Author: Clare Whitfield

## _You have seen all our great methods for storing all your fresh fruit and vegetables, now here we have some of the great food saving hacks for all the other areas of your 󠀁[kitchen](https://stayathomemum.com.au/my-lifestyle/frugal-articles/26-kitchen-and-pantry-staples-for-the-frugal-home/)󠁿!_

## **1. Once it’s Open, Used or Cut keeping it fresh longer**

[⌊Food storage shelving pantry⌉⌊Food storage shelving pantry⌉[

via blog.builddirect.com

 * Don’t ever let milk expire. If it is about to go off and won’t get used, freeze
   it in snap lock bags. You can definitely rely on Glad snap lock bags for this
   method – make it in one cup measurements and use it for baking later on.

 * Freeze leftover sauces or liquid stocks in ice cube trays so you can pull out
   portion sizes of sauce when needed.

 * To store guacamole and prevent it from browning. Pour a thin layer of water on
   the top of it before sealing it under Glad wrap and putting it in the fridge.
   When you want to use it just drain the water off the top.

 * To store pesto and prevent the top from browning – cover it in a thin layer of
   olive oil, and either stir in or drain off the oil before serving, depending 
   on your preference.

 * To make sour cream and cottage cheese last longer, all you need to do is turn
   the containers upside down, which will create a vacuum. This prevents bacteria
   from growing.

 * Keep your bread fresh and lasting longer by putting a celery stick in the bag
   with the bread. The bread slowly absorbs the humidity from the celery, keeping
   it soft. The taste of celery is so mild it doesn’t affect the taste of the bread.

 * Adding a pinch of salt to a bottle of milk when you first open it will help it
   last a bit longer.

 * Flat soft drink? Yikes! To keep the soft drink fizzy for longer, shake it before
   putting it back in the fridge. It is likely’to explode and go everywhere, so 
   always open with caution.

 * Keep cut cakes fresh by securing slices of bread to the cut side with toothpicks.

 * To keep dry goods fresh longer, always transfer them to an airtight container
   after opening. If you use things slowly always note the use by date on the container.

## **2. Use Your Storage The Right Way**

[⌊Pantry storage jars with labeled contents for food saving hacks⌉⌊Pantry storage jars with labeled contents for food saving hacks⌉ ](https://i0.wp.com/stayathomemum.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/611lQiYc0kL._SL1000_.jpg?quality=89&ssl=1)

via [http://www.amazon.com](http://www.amazon.com)

 * Air can affect’the surface of your ice cream, which causes freezer burn. One 
   way to stop this is to cover the entire surface with baking’paper. Storing the
   whole container of[ ice cream](https://stayathomemum.com.au/recipes/make-three-ingredient-condensed-milk-ice-cream/)
   in a snap lock bag can also prevent it from turning into an ice cream brick.

 * When opening frozen vegetables or oven bake chips, cut the top part of the bag
   all the way into a long thin strip. Use that strip to tie the bag up again.

 * Re-seal plastic bags airtight with a piece of aluminium foil and a hot iron.

 * Store plastic wrap in the fridge to make it easier to work with.

 * Always push the little tabs in on the sides of your aluminium foil, Glad wrap
   and baking paper. The tabs hold the roll in place so it won’t’come out of the
   box.

 * Placing fruit in a paper bag can hasten the ripening due to a build-up of ethylene
   gas inside.

 * Store your dried herbs and spices in a cool dark place because humidity, light
   and heat can cause it to lose its flavour. Tic-tac containers are great for storing
   spices and dried herbs.

 * Before pouring that spaghetti bolognese into your airtight plastic containers,
   use some oil spray or cooking spray onto the container to help prevent staining.

## **3. Save Time**

[⌊Eco friendly food storage containers for saving leftovers and meal planning⌉⌊Eco friendly food storage containers for saving leftovers and meal planning⌉ ](https://i0.wp.com/stayathomemum.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/pf-food-equation.jpg?quality=89&ssl=1)

via [http://www.beachbody.com](http://www.beachbody.com)

 * If you make a lot of smoothies, buy your ingredients in bulk. For ready to blend
   ingredients, you can have it portioned by cutting it into chunks and freeze them
   in snap lock bags.

 * Need to cut heaps of grape or cherry tomato all at once? One trick is to lay 
   them on a plate with another plate resting on top, and then cut between the plates
   with a sharp knife.

 * Need to get a bottle of wine cold fast? Put it in a bucket of ice water with’two
   big handfuls of salt and in 20 minutes you will have perfectly chilled wine.

 * Need cold beer in a hurry? Wrap the bottle in a wet paper towel before putting
   it inside the freezer, after 10 minutes it should be ice cold.

## **4. Get the most from what’you’ve’got**

[⌊Via indulgy Com⌉⌊Via indulgy Com⌉[

via indulgy.com

 * If you have an abundance of spring onions from your garden, chop them all and
   freeze them in an empty water bottle. Then you can just pour out what you need
   and put the bottle back in the freezer.

 * Always microwave your citrus for 10-20 seconds, then roll it on the bench under
   your hand, squashing it just a little before squeezing.

 * Don’t ever waste the dregs of the Nutella again. Fill the jar with warm milk,
   shake and drink straight from the jar! Much better if you add some marshmallows
   and create Nutella happiness!

## **5. Tried it the old way, now try it this way**

[⌊Via www Youtube Com⌉⌊Via www Youtube Com⌉[

via [http://www.youtube.com](http://www.youtube.com)

 * Peel mangoes with a glass. Cut one’cheek’all the way to the centre seed then 
   run it down the side of a glass with the glass between the skin and the flesh.
   Less mess, clean hands and easier than ever!

 * For storing bread in the freezer. The best thing to do when you take it out is
   to put a piece of paper towel in the bag with it while it defrosts. The paper
   towel will absorb the moisture and avoid soggy bread.

 * To cut the perfect clean slice of cake, heat the knife under hot water and wipe
   dry just before cutting.

 * Reheat bread without it going hard by wrapping it in a damp paper towel before
   putting it in the microwave.

 * For a no fuss and no mess, separate the egg yolk and egg white by gently cracking
   them over a slotted spoon, make sure you hold the spoon over a bowl to catch 
   the whites.

 * Microwave popcorn is expensive and full of nasties. All you really need is a 
   brown paper bag and 1/3 cup of popcorn kernels. Fold a bag over twice, microwave
   it in 2 mins with the folded side down.

 * Got a can you can’t open? Busted ring pulls on a camping trip perhaps? Just rub
   it on the concrete for 1 min with the lid side down then squeeze the sides gently.
   The lid should pop off.

 * Rub a fresh peeled potato on your hands to get rid of berry stains on your fingers.

 * To safely and easily dispose of kitchen cooking oil is to line a metal bowl with
   aluminium foil, and then pour the fat into the foil. When the oil and fat has
   solidified, fold it up inside the foil and throw it out.

 * The easiest way to peel a banana is to pinch the bottom, it will split easily
   then peel.

 * To get rid of the dust at the bottom of the cereal box, you can do this by pouring
   the last couple of bowls through a colander or pasta strainer.

 * Sauce’bottle always spewing sauce everywhere because it gets clogged up with 
   dried sauce? Leave a plastic drinking straw in the bottle to avoid the blockage
   to always have the sauce flowing freely.

 * If you’re not confident with kids helping in the kitchen and using knives, a 
   pizza wheel is a great way to cut fresh herbs. This kitchen utensil is much less
   bruising than a knife.

 * Make some no-bake cake pops! Simply dip Oreos in chocolate and decorate.

## **6. Travelling with food**

[⌊Via www Simplebites Net⌉⌊Via www Simplebites Net⌉[

via [http://www.simplebites.net](http://www.simplebites.net)

 * When packing your favourite salad for work or school, you want it to stay fresh
   and crisp. Just lay a piece of dry paper towel on top to soak up moisture.

 * Wrap the peeled boiled eggs in a wet paper towel to keep them soft and moist 
   until lunch time.

 * Sliced apples can quickly brown when oxygen hits the flesh, one trick to prevent
   this is to just bind the slices back together with an elastic band.

## **7.Not a drop less!**

[⌊Via www Bustle Com⌉⌊Via www Bustle Com⌉[

via [http://www.bustle.com](http://www.bustle.com)

 * Got a broken cork screw? Try using a hammer, nail or a screw and pliers could
   help save the day!
 * When you break the cork apart while’opening your fave wine, try using a coffee
   filter to collect the broken pieces.
 * Quickly chill wine by wrapping it with’linen and freeze for 15 minutes.
 * If ice cubes bore you, try to use frozen grapes instead or you could also freeze
   wine in ice cube trays.
 * Store wine bottles sideways to prevent oxidation.

## **8. When peeling and removing shells and skin**

[⌊Eggshells for composting or gardening purposes⌉⌊Eggshells for composting or gardening purposes⌉ ](https://i0.wp.com/stayathomemum.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Hack-Remove-Eggshells.jpg?quality=89&ssl=1)

via [http://www.theideaskitchen.com.au](http://www.theideaskitchen.com.au)

 * Use a melon baller to remove the core of an apple or an ice cream scoop to get
   vegetable’seeds
 * Pit a cherry using a chopstick and beer bottle.
 * Peel a banana like a pro by turning the stem-end down, pinch it and peel!
 * To peel potatoes easily, boil them and then give them an ice bath. The peel will
   slide right off!
 * Peel citrus fruits without a mess by rolling it first or heat it in the microwave
   for 30 sec. Just be careful not to burn yourself
 * To remove eggshells, place hardboiled eggs in a lidded container and shake it!

## **9.Food preparation hacks**

 * Freeze cheese and ginger for 30 minutes before grating
 * It’s easier to grate ginger using’a spoon than a knife
 * If cutting onions make you cry, freeze them first
 * Harden melted butter by putting it in a bowl and place a larger bowl filled with
   ice under it.
 * Cut cheese using dental floss instead of a knife
 * Put a damp cloth under the cutting board to prevent slipping’while’cutting.
 * Stuff marshmallows at the bottom of’an’ice cream cone to prevent drips

## **10. No-fuss Reheating and Storing 󠀁[Leftovers](https://stayathomemum.com.au/recipes/22-mum-approved-ways-use-leftovers/)󠁿**

 * Instead of throwing left overs to the bin, try to come up with a new recipe out
   of it like frittatas
 * To prevent pizzas and other baked goods from drying out, try to steam them by
   putting a cup of water inside the microwave
 * 
   ## _What other food hacks you like to share with us?_
   

**Sources:**

 * [http://lifetricks.com/food/food-storage/](http://lifetricks.com/food/food-storage/)
 * [http://www.instructables.com/howto/food+storage/](http://www.instructables.com/howto/food+storage/)

![author avatar](https://i0.wp.com/stayathomemum.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/
12/clare_whitfield_profile.webp?quality=80&ssl=1)

 Clare Whitfield Chief Editor

 Clare Whitfield is the Editor of Stay at Home Mum and a recognised voice in practical
home management for Australian families. Based in the northern suburbs of Sydney,
she balances editorial leadership with life as a stay at home mum to two school 
age children. Her background in home economics and more than a decade of experience
in recipe development, family budgeting, and household systems inform her work.

 [See Full Bio](https://stayathomemum.com.au/author/clare_whitfield/) [  ](https://stayathomemum.com.au/author/clare_whitfield/)