How to Store Your Kitchen and Pantry Staples
Storing these kitchen and pantry staple ingredients should be easy but there are a few tricks to remember to keep them tasting their best.
Nuts should be stored in the freezer. Their high levels of natural oils can turn rancid but cold temperatures will help to slow down the process. The darkness of the freezer will also protect the nuts from being exposed to light, which can cause them to go stale.
Vitali Dyatchenko
Whole grains should be stored in the pantry if used often — otherwise, keep them in the freezer. If you're using the grains on a regular basis, keep them in an airtight container for up to six months. Check on them regularly and if they smell musty, toss them. The healthy oils found in whole grains are impacted by heat, light and moisture. If you need to store them for longer, put whole grains and whole-grain flours in the freezer for up to a year.
Potatoes of all kinds can be stored in the pantry. Skip the refrigerator as the cold temperatures will change the starch in potatoes to sugar, which will leave you with an unpleasant taste.
Stefano Tiraboschi
Avoid the mealy texture that storing tomatoes in a refrigerator can cause by keeping them on a countertop at room temperature. Once they're ripe, they'll keep for about three days.
