Keepin’ it real … tasty! 7 products for the food preservation novice

There are so many methods to extend the life of edible items that diving into the world of food preservation can be a bit overwhelming. Methods such as pickling, sugaring and curing can be intensive processes that are tough to master, while constructing your own root cellar to preserve vegetables is a formidable home improvement project that few will want to take on. Food preservation has many benefits, though, including allowing you to purchase produce in bulk for cheaper prices without fear of it going bad, plus minimizing food waste in general. Below are seven easy-to-use products (plus a special bonus item) that will keep your food fresh for the long run.

Besides a longer shelf life, dehydrating food has many benefits, including reducing the risk of catching food-borne illnesses from vegetables and intensifying the flavor of foods. Target a unit that has multiple racks and a temperature range from 95-165 degrees F in order to get the most out of your food dehydration sessions. A digital timer that can run for up to 48 hours is a plus, as are dishwasher safe trays.

Not only does vacuum sealing keep food items dry, it also protects them from other contaminants such as dirt and mold. It can also extend the life of meats for up to six weeks. Purchasing a vacuum sealer/digital scale combo is a clever move for the storers who are also concerned about portion sizes. A device that features separate dry/moist food modes is a solid bet, as is an LCD display and an assortment of standard roll and zipper bags.

Grandmothers throughout the ages have been known to store grains, spices, dried fruit, crackers and flour in mason jars. These days, you can up the shelf life of your jarred goods by utilizing a mason jar vacuum sealer that will remove the oxygen from inside the jar and create an airtight seal to, as they say, ‘seal in the goodness!’ You’ll want to invest in a device that accommodates both wide-mouth and standard mason jars, and that includes multiple lids of both sizes. One-touch operation is optimal to ensure your canning sessions are simple and speedy.

Are you a soup and stew fanatic? If so, why not invest in some frozen storage containers specifically designed to transform your leftover chili from a dish you have to eat the next day to a meal you can look forward to a month from now. The trays are made of silicone and feature a stainless-steel frame that makes them extra durable for handling larger volumes of liquids. The trays are also handy for portioning your meals, and the soup cubes can be transferred to zipper bags once they are frozen to clear space for all the future soup and stew cubes to you have lined up.

Mylar has long been considered the best material for bags intended to keep food fresh for long periods of time. It is known for being durable and puncture-resistant. For even more protection, consider bags with a thicker (11.8-mm) three-layer design comprised of Mylar, aluminum foil and polyethylene. A bulk amount (100 plus with various size options) is a great call with this purchase. That will give you plenty of options for storing quantities of food both large and small. Many Mylar bags have zipper enclosures for keeping items fresh in the shorter term, but if you are looking to store items for very long durations, it is recommended to use a hot iron or heat-sealing machine for a more permanent seal. A set of Mylar bags that comes with oxygen absorbers is an added bonus. These small packets help eliminate oxygen from storage containers to keep food from spoiling or falling prey to fungus or bacteria.

Are you tired of your Cheerios and Frosted Flakes getting stale? Would you like your cereal to retain its crunchiness for a longer duration of time? If so, then you may be the ideal candidate to invest in some plastic, airtight storage containers for your favorite cereal flakes. The key here is to make sure the containers are airtight and leakproof, but other features (such as being stackable) are certainly a plus. Make sure to get some that are easy to pour as well since they will be replacing your traditional cereal boxes in this department. If you have issues with ants, the plastic cereal containers will also be a far more fortified cereal castle to storm than the easy-to-infiltrate boxes. On a side note, if you want to bring back a little crunch to stale cereal, you can utilize another item mentioned on this list, a food dehydrator, to bring some crunch back to that munch.

Tired of your bananas turning into brown sludge after a couple of days on your counter? Use these clever Nana Hats to increase their shelf life. Beneath the crocheted character lies a silicone cap that you place atop the stems of the bananas. It will capture the ethylene gas that the bananas release through their stems, and which in turn speeds up their ripening process. Cap those nanas with Nana Hats to give your nanas some extra days as yellow fellows.

If you are eyeing food preservation from the perspective of staying nourished during potential natural disasters or societal unrest, there are plenty of non-perishable meal kits to choose from. Zero in on a kit that doesn’t require refrigeration and that has freeze-dried entrees which can last over two decades as long as they are stored in a cool and dry environment.