We are finally blessed with the monsoon showers in most parts of India. After a scorching summer season, there’s some relief. Temperatures have dropped, and with that sort of weather, our desire to nosh on fried, greasy, hot foods arises. However, as much as we love monsoons for giving us a variety of foods to munch on, the issue of how fresh the food is always followed. With monsoon comes moisture, and it is a well-known fact how that stimulates bacterial growth.
Moreover, the high moisture and humidity in air during rainy days impact the shelf life of various foods such as cookies, biscuits, and other food items. Most foods get soggy and moist due to the weather conditions and even lose the original taste. Hence it becomes paramount to always follow certain safety rules with food, to make the best of the season. Here are a few tips to keep your food items safe for a long-time during monsoon.
1. Sun To The Rescue
While we rarely get to see a bright sunny day during the monsoon season, on occasions when you do, expose your grains, and spices to some sunshine. You can also spread them out in a newspaper. Another option is to always warm them in the microwave before putting them to use. Food grains, lentils and spices need to be preserved cautiously during monsoons. They tend to get moist and run the risk of infestation. Store them in a cool, dry place, preferably in an air-tight jar to keep them safe and increase the shelf life.
2. Glass Over Plastic
One thing to always remember is that the rainy season and plastic are not the best of friends. And two ingredients that just don’t get along in the monsoons are sugar and salt. So, if you have been storing your sugar and salt in plastic containers, it is time to ditch that. Sugar and salt attract moisture instantly and turn damp. It’s time to transfer them into a glass, airtight containers, and make sure to never leave the lid open. Throw in some raw rice in the bottle so it can absorb the excess moisture. Store your cookies, biscuits, and snacks like wafers too in airtight glass jars.
3. Avoid Excess Food
Monsoon is not the time when you should be cooking anything to excess. According to experts, fungus is most active during the rainy season, and can easily contaminate the leftover food in the fridge. Thus, the lesser the leftovers, the better it is. Perishable food items such as bread should also be bought in smaller quantities, so you do not store them for longer periods. Should you need to store bread for later, refrigerate it after wrapping.
4. Take Care Of Your Vegetables
Vegetables are one of the easiest perishable foods. While veggies - such as eggplants, cucumber, green onions, and ladyfinger - should be purchased fresh and must be consumed as soon as possible. If you still wish to store these veggies, do so in a plastic bag or cloth towel, as it keeps the freshness intact. Staple veggies like potatoes and onions should be kept in a dry, cool place, and never in the fridge as it can take away the flavour of the vegetables. To make potatoes last for a longer time, store them in a paper bag.
