What does a Sharpie Pen have to do with food?

As I have been making an effort to waste less, the Sharpie Pen has become an essential tool in my kitchen.

I keep the Sharpies by my refrigerator in the drawer with my foil, plastic wrap, and wax paper.  I have started marking food with a date when I open it or repackage it, that way I know approximately when it will go bad.

Foods I make sure to mark are:

• Dry Active Yeast -6 months in the refrigerator and 12 months in the freezer
• Baking Powder- 6 months to a year… Test by dropping 1 tsp. into a cup of hot water.  It should bubble immediately otherwise it’s time to replace it.
• Baking Soda- test by mixing 1/4 teaspoon baking soda with 2 teaspoons of vinegar and the mixture should bubble immediately; if not, replace it.
• Sandwich meats- 3-5 days after opening
• Cheeses- use soft cheeses 2 weeks after the sell by date.  Medium or hard cheeses such as Swiss, cheddar, blue cheeses really are fine up to 3-6 months.  If the cheese starts to get moldy you can cut away the mold about 1/8″ deep and the remaining cheese should be fine to eat (at least we’ve never gotten sick from it!)  For blue cheeses make sure it doesn’t have an “ammonia smell” a sure sign the cheese is not going to go down too well!
• Meats going in the freezer- I try to use my meats in the freezer within 3 months.  Chicken breasts will last closer to 9 months in the freezer
• Eggs- they store best in the container they come in and I try to use them within 3 weeks from date of purchase (I like to boil them when they get a bit older, because they are easier to peel than really fresh eggs)

The Sharpie really takes out the guess work on whether or not something might be ok to eat… but it also motivates me to make something when I can see it’s about to go bad.

I would love to hear your food storage tricks….

Don’t you just love Real Simple?  They have some very helpful guides on how long foods last and the best way to store them.

Freezer Fundimentals

Storing in the Refrigerator

How long will it last guide

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