The Food Gym

We know that in order to keep fit and stay healthy our bodies need regular exercise but what about our food?  Your fruit and veggies could be expiring long before you want them too simply because they are not being cared for correctly. Well, how do we stop good food from going bad?  We get the food in shape with The Food Gym.  Our Healthy Food Exercises developed with GLAD Australia will help your food stay fresher, longer!

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For a human making sustainable lifestyle changes is the key to living a longer and healthier life so it makes complete sense we develop healthy habits for our fruit and veg as well.  Protecting and preserving your fresh produce correctly provides a number of benefits:

• It pays to be a food lover Food wastage is incredibly common and literally like throwing money away.  Reducing your food waste puts hard earned dollars back in your pocket and only requires a small investment in time and a few cents of cling wrap.
• Get the most out of the food you love A little extra protection goes a long way and can simplify meal prep.  When your fridge is organised you can plan easily, shop less often, waste less and get healthy meals on the table efficiently & easily.
• Small changes, big impacts When you throw out food it’s not just the methane that is released, you also waste the water, fuel and resources it took to get the food from the paddock to your plate. By reducing the amount of food we throw away you will not only see the benefits yourself but the environment will as well.
• Fresh food tastes better Using food protection products will keep your fruit and veg fresher for longer and help retain nutritional density, ensuring they remain tasting great!
• Healthy food is part of a healthy lifestyle Reduce your reliance on packaged foods due to your produce spoiling too quickly.  By giving your family good habits you’re giving them the gift of life.
• Add time to the clock By properly prepping and protecting the fresh food you buy you can add time to the clock not only the foods’ but yours.
• Fuel your family Proactively manage and improve your family’s health. The food you create facilitates connections between family and friends, so live life to the fullest for yourself and your family.

Timing is everything, however, and the secret to fresh fruit and veg every day of the week lies in “pre-emptive freshness”.  This involves preparing and protecting your fruit and veg before you store it in your fridge.  By allocating just a few minutes after your weekly shop to wrap and protect your fresh produce you can actually keep your fresh food better for longer.

To help make protecting your fresh produce even easier GLAD has recently launched their best-ever Cling Wrap! It now comes with a 1.5x tighter seal** for long-lasting freshness, plus many more product improvements including; a new easy starter tab (no annoying sticker when you start the roll which tears your cling wrap when opening), a redesigned, thicker and easier to grip carton for durability and longevity and a new cutter bar location (in the lid) which is easier and safer to use as the blades are not exposed when handling the box.

Changing habits is hard though and can start to seem overwhelming so to make “pre-emptive freshness” as simple and fun as possible Stay at Home Mum have teamed up with GLAD Australia, the leaders in innovative fresh food protection products, to create ‘The Food Gym’, where we will learn a few simple workout steps for our fruit and veg properly that will help to maximize nutrients, freshness and ultimately reduce our food waste.

So, without further ado, it’s time to get your fruit and veg in tip top shape!

Welcome to THE FOOD GYM!

Corn | Keep fresh up to 3x longer*

Protection tips

• Protect to prevent moisture loss Wrap corn on the cob tightly in GLAD Cling Wrap before refrigerating to keep your corn fresh up to 3x longer*.
• Shuck the corncut off the bottom stem and remove all the husks and silks.
• Squeeze the ear if the kernels feel firm, round and heavy you have yourself a fresh corn! Also look for green husks that hold tightly around the cob.

Tomatoes | Keep fresh up to 3x longer*

Protection tips

• Protect to prevent moisture loss GLAD Cling Wrap will retain up to 99% moisture in your tomatoes over 7 days* and keep your tomatoes fresh up to 3x longer*.
• Do not refrigerate unless cut The big chill causes flavour loss! If you do store cut tomatoes use them fast.
• Leave the stem on Removing the stem leaves a scar and enables air to enter the tomato. When air enters, moisture leaves and your tomato will dry out faster!
• No stem? Store upside down By turning your tomato upside down, the natural juices will flow to the scar and prevent air from entering and moisture from leaving.

Capsicum | Keep fresh up to 3x longer*

Protection tips

• Protect to prevent moisture loss GLAD Cling Wrap will retain up to 99% moisture in your red capsicum over 7 days* and keep your capsicum fresh up to 3x longer*.
• Look for wrinkle free skin Look for firm, unblemished and shiny skin, regardless of colour.
• Do not wash before storing moisture can speed up the spoilage process so keep your capsicums dry! Wash only as required for longer lasting freshness.

Pineapple | Keep fresh up to 3x longer*

Protection tips

• Protect to prevent moisture loss GLAD Cling Wrap will retain up to 99% moisture in your pineapple over 7 days* and keep your pineapple fresh up to 3x longer*.
• Leave the skin on The skin is your fruits natural protection barrier for moisture loss. By leaving the skin on you will help hold the moisture in the fruit and stop it from drying out faster.
• Remove the greensif left attached the leafy tops will draw moisture from the root and dry the pineapple out quicker.
• Smell your pineapple once pineapples are picked they do not continue to ripen. To pick a ripe one give it a whiff”¦it should have a sweet fresh pineapple-like smell.

Beans | Keep fresher for longer

Protection tips

• Look for crisp and firm beans with no signs of discolouring or soft spots.
• Include a paper towel  this will soak up any condensation that may form on the beans and speed up the spoilage process.
• Do not wash before storing keep your beans dry! Wash only as required for longer lasting freshness.

Pumpkin | Keep fresher for longer

Protection tips

• Do not store in the fridge until cut keep your whole pumpkin out of direct sunlight to prolong its colour and its quality.
• Leave the skin on The skin is your fruits natural protection barrier for moisture loss. By leaving the skin on you will help hold the moisture in the vegetable and stop it from drying out faster.
• Do not wash before storing exposure to water will encourage your pumpkin to spoil quicker! Wash only as required for longer lasting freshness.

Cherries | Keep fresher for longer

Protection tips

• Look for – firm cherries with no blemishes that have a deep red colour.
• Cold storage is the key To assist keeping your cherries fresh place them in the fridge as soon as possible covered in GLAD Cling Wrap.
• Do not wash before storing Wash Cherries with cold water just before eating for longer lasting freshness.

Watermelon | Keep fresh up to 3x longer*

Protection tips

• Protect to prevent moisture loss Watermelons are composed of 92% water and will rapidly lose moisture once cut. Wrap your watermelon as tightly as possible; making sure the exposed surface is pressed flush and tight against the wrap, leaving no air gaps.  GLAD Cling Wrap will retain up to 99% moisture in your watermelon over 7 days*, and keep your watermelon fresh up to 3x longer*
• Store your watermelon with your vegetables Watermelon is a fruit which acts like a vegetable! Similar to many vegetables, watermelon is very sensitive to ethylene gas and will spoil much faster in its presence.  Keep it away from ethylene producing fruits and store your watermelon with your veggies in your veggie crisper.

Rockmelon | Keep fresh up to 3x longer*

Protection tips

• Protect to prevent moisture loss Wrap your cut rockmelon as tightly as possible, making sure the exposed surface is pressed flush and tight against the wrap, leaving no air gaps.  GLAD Cling Wrap will retain up to 99% moisture in your rockmelon over 7 days*, and keep your rockmelon fresh up to 3x longer*
• Leave the skin on The skin is your fruits natural protection barrier for moisture loss.  By leaving the skin on you will help hold the moisture in the fruit and stop it from drying out faster.
• Do not wash before storing Wash Rockmelon as required for longer lasting freshness.

 Carrot | Keep Your Carrots Fresher for Longer

Protection tips

• Remove the greensif left attached the leafy tops will draw moisture from the root and dry the carrots out quicker.

• Protect to prevent moisture loss The trick to preserving carrots is to minimise the amount of moisture they lose.  Carrots will become limp once exposed to air so need to be tightly sealed in a GLAD reseal bag.
• Dry your carrots Make sure the carrots are dry before storing them in the fridge, especially if you have brought them in a plastic bag and they have sweated.
• Do not wash before storing Wash carrots as required for longer lasting freshness.

Avocado | Keep fresh up to 3x longer*

Protection tips

• Protect to prevent moisture loss Wrap your cut avocado as tightly as possible, making sure the exposed surface is pressed flush and tight against the wrap, leaving no air gaps.  GLAD Cling Wrap will retain up to 99% moisture in your avocado over 7 days*, and keep your avocado fresh up to 3x longer*
• Add lemon or lime juice Citric acid is a strong antioxidant that will slow the browning process. Simply brushing a small amount of fresh citrus juice over your avocado before wrapping in GLAD Cling Wrap will help the avocado from browning for at least a day.

 Lettuce Leaves | Keep fresh up to 3x longer*

Protection tips

• Protect to prevent moisture lossGLAD Cling Wrap will retain up to 99% moisture in your lettuce over 7 days* and keep your lettuce fresh up to 3x longer*
• Make paper towel your friend  Placing a paper towel in with your lettuce will help to slow down wilting.
• Cut your lettuce with a sharp plastic/ceramic knife Metal knives cause browning at the cut edges. If you do not have a ceramic knife just tear the lettuce with your hands.  This is less likely to bruise to plant cells.
• Do not add cut tomato’s to your salad when storing Tomato’s produce extra moisture which will cause your salad to spoil faster.

Cauliflower | Keep fresher for longer

Protection tips

• Store stem-side down This will help prevent moisture from collecting in the florets and possibly causing the head to spoil.
• Alternative protection method – Place in a GLAD Snap Lock reseal bag that has been punctured to allow for air circulation.
• Do not wash before storing Wash cauliflower as required for longer lasting freshness.

Strawberries | Retain up to 99% moisture over 7 days*

Protection tips

• Protect to prevent moisture lossGLAD Cling Wrap will retain up to 99% moisture in your strawberries over 7 days*, for long-lasting freshness.
• Make paper towel your friend Placing a paper towel in with your strawberries will absorb moisture which causes mould growth.
• Do not wash before storing Wash berries as required for longer lasting freshness.

Lemons | Keep fresher for longer

Protection tips

• Don’t store whole lemons on your counter top Lemon may look good in a bowl on your counter top; however, it’s the worst place to store them! The rind does not protect them from drying out very well. Place them in GLAD Snap Lock reseal bag in your crisper draw in the fridge.  Ensure you squeeze all the air out of the bag before sealing, for longer lasting freshness.
• Form an air barrier on the cut portion of the lemon This will help prevent oxidization. This can be achieved by placing the cut side of the lemon on a plate & wrapping the plate, or just pull the GLAD Cling Wrap tight over the cut part of the lemon and wrap it.
• Freeze lemon rind Use the juice of a lemon – simply freeze it!  Just place in a GLAD Snap Lock bag snack sized, squeeze all the air out of the bag before sealing and label and date. Lemon rind provides a great flavour punch for sauces and hot dishes.

Spring Onion | Keep fresher for longer

Additional protection tips

• Freeze for convenience – To freeze, chop shallots into small pieces and store in a GLAD Snap Lock Reseal Bag, squeezing all the air out before sealing.  Label & date the bag and your shallots will defrost in seconds when you need them!
• Use the tips first The green tops spoil quicker so use these first and save the bottom halves for later
• Do not wash before storing Wash spring onions as required for longer lasting freshness.

Blueberries | Retain up to 99% moisture over 7 days*

Protection tips

• Protect to prevent moisture lossGLAD Cling Wrap will retain up to 99% moisture in your blueberries over 7 days*, for long-lasting freshness.
• Make paper towel your friend Placing a paper towel in with your blueberries will absorb moisture which causes mould growth.
• Do not wash before storing Wash berries as required for longer lasting freshness

How Do We Stop Good Food, from Going Bad?

In addition to checking out our suggested Workout Routines, here are some top general tips on making your fruit and veg last longer:

1. Use your crisper Proper placement is more important than you think! Placing fruits and veggies in the wrong section of the refrigerator can cause them to spoil quicker.  Most belong in a crisper, which are normally located at the bottom of the fridge where the temperature is coolest.
2. However, don’t mix and match Your fridge has a fruit drawer and a veggie drawer for a reason!  When some produce respire, they give off a colorless/odorless gas called ethylene. This gas acts as a ripening agent and can speed up spoilage. When storing your fruits and veg in the fridge, it is a good idea to store your fruit in one draw and veg in the other.  This is so the high-ethylene-producing fruits (like apples, apricots, avocado, kiwi, nectarine, pears & rockmelon) stay away from the ethylene sensitive veggies (like lettuce, red capsicum, and sweet corn).
3. Don’t mix ripe and unripe fruits Storing your ripe fruits next to unripe fruits can cause them to ripen a lot quicker than you want.  Keep them separate unless you want to speed up the ripening process. For example you can place your unripe avocado in a brown paper bag with a ripe banana or apple to speed up the ripening process.
4. Invest in food protection products Food protection products, such as GLAD Cling Wrap & GLAD Snap Lock reseal bags act as a great moisture barrier decreasing food spoilage time.  All GLAD products are BPA-free for peace of mind and the new GLAD Cling Wrap now comes with a 50% better cling** for long-lasting freshness!  Keep an eye out for the new packs in your local supermarket.
5. Store correctly on the counter When storing your fruit and veg on the counter, be sure to keep it away from stoves, smoke and direct sunlight. Choose a shaded spot away from the oven and the window sill.
6. Always store in the fridge Cut fruit and vegetables should always be stored in the fridge.

Stay tuned for more healthy food exercises, added every two weeks to The Food Gym! Save this post for later – simply click on the clothesline icon at the top of the page. Also, if you have any additional food protection tips to add, please do so in the comments – we would love to hear them! 

 

 

Disclaimer:

*based on moisture loss data and visual appearance compared to no protection.

**Up to 1.5% (or 50%) improvement in GLAD cling film to GLAD cling film seal.