My methods for food preservation at home

Welcome to my blog and I am here to participate in this interesting contest organized by @mvchacin. Here is the idea I share on the above topic.

_{Pexels Refrigerator as the method of food preservation}

What are the preservation methods you use most at home (refrigeration, freezing, dehydration, pasteurisation, maceration, salting, vacuum-packing, pickling and others)?

The preservation method we normally use to prevent food wastage is refrigeration and freezing. These methods are mainly used in our homes to store food such as locus beans, grinded pepper and soft drinks at a low temperature. Refrigeration, as the method of food preservation, usually lasts longer, and most of the time, the food will preserve may not lose taste. Freezing, on the other hand, is used in our homes to preserve liquid food like pap by freezing it into a solid form so that microorganisms like bacteria or yeast cannot be active or grow in our food. This method is best for us because the food we preserve lasts for months or a year.

When you buy food do you check the expiry date? What is the minimum limit for you in terms of expiry date to buy a food?

_{This Indomie noodles for children and adults will expire on 07/09/2025}

Yes, we normally check the expiry date of any food items we buy in the market because it's very important to do so. The minimum interval between food items, like semolina (a Nigerian staple food), is 6 months. When it goes beyond the production date, the foodstuff expires. That means we cannot consume it any longer. Before the food reaches the expiry date, we should have finished eating everything.

As human beings, the first thing to do is check the expiry date at the moment you purchase the food item, because some sellers who bought a bulk of that product for their warehouse may not know when it reaches the expiry date, while others may know and just want to sell everything to avoid losses and make a profit. So, it's necessary to check the bottom or side of the expiry date to ensure it will not affect our overall well-being.

How and for how long do you keep the leftover food from the day's meals?

Some foods are used for 2 to 3 days in our home before spoiling. Eba, made with cassava flakes, usually lasts for 2 days, although it may get cold. The taste is usually good. In fact, it tastes better when consumed with hot Gbegiri (Nigerian soup). Believe me, your stomach will be full throughout the day. Additionally, white rice is kept in the freezer after we cook an excess of it and lasts for 2 days. We warm it by adding a little water to it. After we notice that it is warm enough, we begin to consume it with stew that is already prepared in the house.

What is your way of keeping vegetables fresh at home?

_{Fresh Lagos spinach spotted in the market}

We store the vegetables like cucumber, Lagos spinach, and tomatoes in a refrigerator so they can be safe and look fresh whenever we are about to use them. When my mother buys the cucumbers in the market, she places them in a cool area outside the freezer. This usually occurs when there is no time to eat them. The remaining tomatoes are also kept in the refrigerator. They can last for 1 to 3 days and will still look fresh until we buy more to add to them. We all make sure that all these vegetables are kept away from direct sunlight so they do not become tasteless.

I would like to invite my dear friend @xkool24, @muhammad-ahmad and @goodybest to come and participate in this contest.