ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — It’s been the norm for several months … stocking up on food and basic necessities. It seems with little more to do … food shopping is non-stop. Downloads of Instacart increased 218 percent, Walmart’s grocery app went up 160 percent, Shipt jumped to 124 percent. And now after all is said and done, you may have piles of food taking up space in your pantry. We’ll explain how to keep your items fresh for as long as possible and what you can do with all that Pandemic leftovers.
Pandemic leftovers: Frozen meat, veggies, pasta, soup, canned tuna, grains … your cupboard may be overflowing, so what do you do with your stockpile, and how long will it all last? Dried pasta can last up to a year stored in plastic and in the dark. Uncooked white rice and grains last four to five years in the pantry. Canned tuna will last three to five years. For frozen foods … bacon, hot, dogs, lunch meat, and sausage will last one month. Fatty fish and soups — two months. Ground meat, poultry — four months. Lean fish, chicken and turkey — nine months. Chops, roasts and steaks can last up to a year. And what about the bags of frozen veggies? They will last eight to ten months. But in reality, if you think you won’t eat it, there are plenty of people who need it.
“They’re asking for meat and non-perishable items,” said a volunteer at a church food pantry. You can reach out to your local food bank, www.feedingamerica.org, Salvation Army, or your local church.
Before you freeze anything, food scientists say it’s imperative that perishable foods stay at a temperature lower than 40 degrees Fahrenheit to avoid bacterial growth.
Sources:
https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/19/business/grocery-shopping-online-coronavirus/index.html
https://www.prevention.com/food-nutrition/healthy-eating/a31672405/how-long-does-frozen-meat-last/)
https://www.feedingamerica.org/our-work/hunger-relief-programs/summer-food-service-program
Contributor(s) to this news report include: Marsha Lewis, Producer; Bob Walko, Videographer and Editor.
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