Packing, wrapping and storing food—and cultivating the habit of not wasting it

Often the most obvious things escape our attention, and though what I’m about to say may seem obvious, its importance is easily overlooked: The fresher food is the better it tastes. But, you may say, in this busy, distracting and distracted world we live in, does anyone really notice the difference between a frittata made with fresh eggs and another made with eggs that have been sitting in a refrigerator for three weeks? On some level, we must—which is at least part of the reason that almost everyone who visits Italy marvels at how much better everything tastes here. The food is simply fresher here—in Italy, it’s common for people to shop almost daily, often at open markets where the food is delivered fresh from the local farms—and the difference is noticeable.

Household refrigerators became commonplace in the 20th century and completely changed our habits about eating and storing food. Still, food perishes even in a refrigerator and the freezer can be a solution just in some cases; for instance, many cooked preparations can be frozen with good results, especially those that have a liquid base, such as soups and sauces. Since it’s not possible for most of us to eat our food as soon as we purchase (or pick it!), we need to know how to store it most effectively—so that it not only retains its flavor and nutritional value, but also to prevent wasting it. Appallingly, about a third of the food we buy in the western hemisphere ends up in the trash (in most cases, it’s not even recycled as fertilizer); millions of tons of fresh and packaged foods are thrown out daily by supermarkets just because the expiration date is close or a tomato has a dark spot on it. Fortunately, there are some local movements afoot to find ways of salvaging what is edible and getting it to the needy; and we each can do something to minimize our own personal waste. After all, we only need a sharp knife to get rid of the soft spot on a pepper. So, below are some suggestions and tips, some of which may already be obvious to many of you, but some may come as a surprise:

•    Keep the refrigerator door closed as much as possible. Don’t stand there hunting for the best-looking carrot; take the whole bag out, close the door and then take your pick.

•    Before going to the trash bin, you can save some of those vegetables that are clearly past their “salad days” by cleaning them, cutting them in pieces and quickly boiling them. Then freeze them for later use.

•    Onions, garlic and potatoes (and bananas) should never be refrigerated; rather, they should be stored in a cool, dry place.

•    Fresh, high-quality tomatoes don’t stay well in the fridge either. If you know you can use them quickly, keep them out.

•    Rosemary and bay leaves keep fresh a very long time in the refrigerator if they are packed very tightly in a plastic bag made specifically for food storage —pull as much air out of the bag as you can before sealing it. The same can be done with parsley.

•    If, on the other hand, you want to dry some herbs—or small chili peppers—put them in a well-closed paper bag, in a dry place.

•    For cheeses, wax paper wrap is best, but if you use plastic, it’s essential that you change it often. If some traces of mold appear, you certainly don’t have to throw the cheese out; in most cases, it’s a natural process and won’t hurt anybody. Just scrape off the green spots with a knife and change the wrap.

•    Meat should be stored on a clean plastic tray or container (square or rectangular containers are more easily stored than round ones), covered with a damp cloth or paper towel.

My list barely scratches the surface—I’d love to hear your suggestions and tips.