I’m a chef and I swear by my ‘sleeping bag’ hack that keeps fruit fresh for TWO WEEKS – it’ll save you so much cash
CALLING all fruit fans – we’ve found a super simple hack that will keep your beloved berries fresh for longer.
Although the summer berry season may be over, if you’re a fan of strawberries, raspberries and blueberries and want to keep eating your five a day, then you’ve come to the right place.
And with these tasty fruits being the perfect ingredient for smoothies and brilliant as cereal toppers, we’ve found a quick and easy trick that will keep them fresh for weeks – yes, you heard that correctly.
So if you’re fed up with buying fruit, only for it to go soft, mushy and mouldy before you’ve had a chance to use it all up, then this ‘sleeping bag’ storage hack is one you’ll need to try.
It turns out that keeping fruit fresh for longer is all about how you store it.
And luckily for you, a chef and recipe developer took to social media to share her quick and easy trick to keep your berries fresh for up to two weeks, leaving many open-mouthed.
Kathleen Ashmore, a trained chef and recipe developer took to social media to share her “money saving tip” that will help cut down the cost of your grocery shop.
The food fan, who confessed she can’t stand throwing food away, said: “I’m gonna show you how to make berries last from 10-14 days depending upon the berry – I’m using blueberries but this also works for strawberries and raspberries.”
Kathleen explained that the first thing you’ll need to do is give your berries a rinse.
She shared that she sometimes does this in a colander, but you can also use the container the fruit came in.
Next, she advised: “Then we’re gonna get these out of the container that they came in and cover with a mixture of water and white vinegar – some people say to do one part to 10 parts, so one part vinegar to 10 parts water, some people say to do one part to five parts, I just eyeball it.
“Vinegar is going to do the same thing that it does for your countertops when you use it as a natural cleaning solution – it is going to kill the bacteria, so we’re killing the bacteria inside of the berries that causes them to mould.”
Kathleen soaked her berries for 10 minutes and once the time was up, strained the berries and patted them dry with kitchen towel.
The content creator then revealed her ‘paper towel sleeping bag’ whereby she placed the berries into a tupperware container with a piece of kitchen paper at the bottom.
Hacks for Keeping Food Fresh in Your Fridge
IF you want your food to stay fresh, you'll need to try out this useful hacks...
- Herbs in Water: Store fresh herbs like parsley and coriander in a glass of water, then cover with a plastic bag to keep them fresh for weeks.
- Wrap Greens in Paper Towels: Wrap leafy greens in paper towels before placing them in a plastic bag. The towels absorb excess moisture, preventing wilting.
- Use Mason Jars: Store salads, chopped vegetables, and even leftovers in mason jars. They are airtight and keep food fresher for longer.
- Revive Stale Bread: Sprinkle a bit of water on stale bread and pop it in the oven for a few minutes to make it fresh again.
- Baking Soda for Odours: Place an open box of baking soda in your fridge to absorb odours and keep food tasting fresh.
- Freeze Herbs in Olive Oil: Chop herbs and freeze them in olive oil using an ice cube tray. This preserves their flavour and makes them easy to use.
- Keep Cheese Fresh: Wrap cheese in wax paper instead of plastic wrap. Wax paper allows the cheese to breathe, preventing it from becoming slimy.
- Store Avocados with Onions: Place a cut avocado in an airtight container with a slice of onion. The sulphur compounds in the onion slow down oxidation, keeping the avocado fresh.
- Use Vinegar Wash for Berries: Rinse berries in a mixture of water and vinegar (one cup of vinegar to three cups of water) before storing. This kills bacteria and mould spores, extending their shelf life.
- Egg Freshness Test: To check if eggs are still fresh, place them in a bowl of water. Fresh eggs will sink, while old ones will float.
Implement these clever hacks to maximise the freshness of your food and make the most of your groceries.
Thrilled with her simple but effective hack, she beamed: “Store it like this and you will see a massive difference.”
The TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @katcancook, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly amassed over 651,000 views.
Great tip
TikTok user
Social media users were thankful for the helpful tip and were keen to express this in the comments.
One person said: “No lie! I know your stuff always works! Love this one.”
Another added: “I learned this from you ages and ages ago and it works and I do it always. Thank you!!”
A third commented: “This is awesome.”
Meanwhile, someone else chimed in: “Great tip.”