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Grocery Check: Is It Still Possible or Does It Have To Go?

My yogurt is not old!

It happened to me again recently. A yogurt from almost prehistoric times was hidden in the back of the refrigerator. Since it still looked normal from the outside, I was brave and opened it. Lo and behold: everything is perfect, put it in the breakfast muesli!

But not everyone is that brave. Around 206,000 tonnes of food ends up in the garbage in Austrian households every year, even though it is still edible. Most are thrown away unchecked, simply because they’ve passed their sell-by date.

Greenpeace food check

In a long-term test that began in January 2017, the environmental protection organization Greenpeace, on behalf of the ORF’s “Mother Earth” campaign, found that food has a much longer shelf life than the best-before date (MHD) would have us believe.

Eight foods were examined, including eggs, yogurt, cake, salami, and soy yogurt, which were 14 days past the specified best-before date. The tested yogurt in particular achieved an amazing result: even 26 weeks after the best-before date, it was still perfect and edible! Soy yogurt, smoked tofu, eggs, salami, cake, and cheese also held up surprisingly well. A vegetarian sesame dip was the earliest to give up, but this was still ok two weeks after the best-before date.

Best before date (MHD) is not the same as to use by date

By the way: The MHD is not the expiry date! Only a few perishable foods have a real expiry date (use-by date), e.g. B. Fresh meat and minced meat. The pack then says “Use by…”. In addition, the MHD is given far too short by many manufacturers in order to avoid liability issues.

Determine the shelf life of food

So we rely on common sense and our five senses. An exceeded best-before date is by no means a reason to throw away food. If you smell it, pay attention to the consistency and taste a little of it, it is usually easy to determine whether it is still edible.

Foodless is more

In order not to waste food in general, Greenpeace recommends not to go shopping when hungry, not buying excess food, and, above all, avoiding perishable multipack offers.

Here you will find the best recipes with yogurt (also with expired ones!). If your expired yogurt is still good, why not try this quick yogurt poppy seed cupcake or these fabulous savory pickled yogurt balls.

By the way: Leftovers from cooking also have a right to further use and don’t have to go into the bin uneaten 😉 Even when cooking with leftovers, you can still prepare wonderful meals!

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Food

Boiling Corn on the Cob: That’s How Long It Takes and You Have to be Careful

Boiled corn on the cob is the perfect summer vegetable. They are quick to prepare, light and can be deliciously seasoned. We’ll show you how to do it and what to look out for.

Cooking corn on the cob: you should pay attention to this

There are different varieties of corn, but not all are suitable for consumption. However, corn on the cob that you can buy at the market or supermarket is edible. You should make sure that the leaves on the cob have not dried out. If they’re dried out, so is the corn and you can’t eat it anymore.

Corn on the cob with plump, yellow kernels is particularly suitable. Between July and October you can buy fresh corn regionally and seasonally.

For the perfect corn on the cob, it is best to add a little sugar to the water, which intensifies the aroma.

Cook corn on the cob: this is how it works

Cooking corn on the cob is not difficult. Depending on whether you buy a pre-cooked or raw cob, the cooking times will vary. You usually only have to simmer a pre-cooked corn on the cob for a few minutes; it takes longer with raw corn.

How to cook fresh corn:

If your corn still has leaves, you will need to remove them and possibly also cut off the stalk of the corn.
Now put the corn on the cob in enough hot water and bring it to a boil in a covered saucepan with a teaspoon of sugar.
Now cook the corn on a medium-high for about 15 minutes. Depending on the size and number of corn cobs, this may take longer.
To tell if your corn is done, poke the kernels with a toothpick. When your corn is cooked, you should feel a little resistance – the toothpick should still slide in smoothly.
Now let the finished corn drain a bit and meanwhile sprinkle it with herbs and salt and brush it with butter or oil.

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Cooking Tips

10 Vegan Foods That You are Guaranteed to Have at Home and That Will Fill You Up

A vegan diet does not necessarily mean just eating salad or relying on substitute products. Because you probably have these ten vegan foods at home anyway – and you’ll get really full of them.

If you want to eat vegan, you now have a large selection of vegan substitute products that are produced as an alternative to animal food. It’s a nice option, but it doesn’t have to be. Because many foods are already vegan anyway and you probably already have them at home. This is handy if you want to cook something without having to shop for it first.

Make sure that all food is regional and of organic quality. In this way you avoid long transport routes and chemical-synthetic pesticides and do something good for yourself and the environment. We can particularly recommend the Demeter, Bioland and Naturland seals, because they follow stricter criteria than the EU organic seals.

Red lenses

Small but fine: Red lentils can be the basis for many delicious dishes. Rich in proteins and minerals, they provide you with a lot of energy. In addition, they are already cooked after 15 minutes of cooking time – perfect when you need something quick.

Tomato passata

Tomato passata is easy to make yourself. All you need is onions, garlic, a carrot, celery, tomatoes, olive oil, and basil—just veggies you probably already have at home. You can find a detailed recipe here: Make Passata yourself.

Store-bought passata is also often vegan, which you can easily recognize by the vegan logo printed on the bottle or pack.

You can use the passata to make a refreshing tomato soup with oat milk right now in summer. You can also use it directly as a sauce for pasta or on pizza.

Spelled flour

Not only is it healthier than wheat, its hard shell also makes it easier to do without pesticides: spelled. Fortunately, wheat and spelled can be used in a similar way as flour. You can easily replace wheat flour with spelled flour.

A quick recipe with spelled flour is pan bread. You can prepare it in just 20 minutes with just a few vegan ingredients. Vegan spelled waffles are ideal for the coffee table: They are also ready in a short time. They are a healthier alternative to cakes, biscuits and the like and taste particularly delicious with seasonal fruit.

Potatoes

It is one of the staple foods in Germany: the potato. With a similar carbohydrate content as pasta or rice, it has only half as many calories.

The tuber can be used in many ways: you can make your own fries, for example. You don’t need much for these and they are healthier than frozen fries. Another delicious recipe is smashed potatoes. They taste delicious and can be garnished with various vegetables.

Quinoa

Filler and energy supplier: quinoa. The so-called pseudo-grain is gluten-free and can be eaten with vegetables or sauce instead of pasta and the like.

A summery recipe with the pseudocereal is a quinoa salad that tastes delicious and fills you up, but is not heavy on the stomach. But you can also make a sweet snack from quinoa, namely in the form of quinoa bites.

Chickpeas

It goes particularly well with meatless diets: the chickpea. Because the legumes contain many proteins that the body can otherwise get from the meat. Your body can also benefit from the high fiber content of chickpeas.

In oriental cuisine, chickpeas are often made into hummus or falafel. But the legume also tastes very good in curry.

Bananas

Many swear by bananas. And not without reason: because although they contain a lot of carbohydrates and fructose – also in comparison to other fruit – the banana is not unhealthy. Because it is rich in vitamins and provides energy.

If you get bored with bananas as a simple snack, you can also use them to make banana chips. The chips are also perfect as a topping for muesli. Or you make a simple dessert: a vegan chocolate cream. A slightly more unusual variant is the banana soup.

Note: Only buy bananas in moderation, because they have been transported long distances. Through food sharing, however, you can often save bananas that would otherwise have ended up in the trash.

Oatmeal

Gluten-free, healthy, low-calorie: oatmeal is a typical breakfast and gives you the energy you need for the day. This is also due to the high vitamin and mineral content of the grain. By the way: Oat flakes are also gluten-free (pay attention to the label on the pack). Therefore, you can eat them even if you have celiac disease.

One of the most popular oat dishes is porridge. Since you can vary the toppings – for example fruit or pieces of chocolate – very flexibly, you have variety every day. Those who prefer a hearty breakfast can prepare the porridge with vegetables. But oats also taste delicious when baked: It is not without reason that the so-called baked oatmeal – i.e. porridge from the casserole dish – is currently the trend breakfast on Tik Tok.

Coconut milk

It is true that coconut milk is high in calories and fatty acids and it does not necessarily score well with its CO2 balance, which is why you should not buy it too often either. However, it offers a good vegan substitute for cream or crème fraîche and it should not be missing in many Asian dishes. If you want to do without store-bought coconut milk, you can easily make it yourself.

A simple dessert is the coconut milk rice. You can prepare it with just four ingredients and garnish with seasonal, fresh fruit or fruit puree. In Indian korma, a mild curry with ginger and cauliflower, coconut milk is important for taste and texture. And if you want a fruity cool down in summer, you can make your own watermelon ice cream with coconut milk.

Cornmeal

Whether for thickening sauces, for making desserts or for tortillas and nachos: corn flour can be used in many ways. It is also gluten free. But be careful: In contrast to spelled flour, you cannot simply replace wheat flour with corn flour. That’s why other types of flour always have to be mixed into cornbread.

But even if you don’t want to bake bread, you can use cornmeal in your kitchen – for example to make tortillas yourself. Or you can make your own nachos. You can also replace potato flour with corn flour in the dumpling dough.

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Food

Freezing and Defrosting Apples: You Have to Pay Attention to This

Freezing apples is a good way to make your harvest last longer. However, there are a few things to keep in mind so that the apples still taste good after defrosting.

Freezing apples – what should I watch out for?

Freezing is one way of preserving food. But when it comes to apples, this method has its limits. The reason: Apples have a high water content and the apple loses its taste when it freezes due to the large amount of water. In addition, the cold destroys the cell structure and the apple loses its consistency. But if you want to bake or cook with the apples, you can freeze them without hesitation. We show a good method with which the apples can be easily processed later.

Freeze apples – but without plastic

If you want to freeze apples and thaw them again, use stainless steel cans or old jam and preserving jars, for example. It is important that the containers can be sealed airtight (more on the subject here: Freezing without plastic).

Note: We recommend that you use apples of the best organic quality from the region or from your own garden. Orchards are also a good way to get apples from the region. In this way you avoid long transport routes, which cause high CO2 emissions. In addition, the apples then contain no residues from chemical sprays. This is good for your health, as well as for bees and other insects.

Freeze apples in small portions

It is best to freeze apples the way you want to use them later. For baking and cooking you usually need apple slices. If you prefer larger pieces, quarter the apples. However, you cannot freeze it as a whole, as it takes too long to freeze through.

The best way to process the apple pieces is to blanch them briefly before freezing:

Cut the apples into small wedges.
Place the apple slices in a saucepan of boiling water and add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.
Cook the apple slices for four to five minutes.
Take the apple slices out of the water with a sieve and rinse them with cold water.
Now you can put the apple slices in a container, seal it airtight and put it in the freezer. You should use them within six months.

Thaw and use apples

To ensure that the apples do not lose their taste, you should defrost them gently:

The fridge is best for this. Let them thaw there for about 4 hours and then another 2 hours at room temperature. Because they only develop their full aroma from around 16 degrees.
If you plan to use the apples for pie toppings or to make compotes, you don’t need to thaw them. You can use them directly.
You can preserve apples by freezing them. But home-made applesauce or boiling apples is more energy-efficient and delicious. If you store apples properly, you can enjoy them well into the winter without freezing or preserving them.

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Food

Collect Edible Mushrooms: You Have to Pay Attention to That

Do you want to collect mushrooms, but don’t have any experience yet? No problem! Here you can find out everything you need to know for your first trip to the mushrooms.

Collect mushrooms – when and where?

Autumn time is fungus time – strictly speaking, that’s not true. In theory, you can pick mushrooms all year round. However, most of them are ready for harvest, especially in late summer and autumn. The humid and warm climate is ideal for many mushrooms.

But where do edible mushrooms grow? This is not so easy to answer:

The morel likes to grow in damp alluvial forests,
the meadow mushroom in meadows.
On the other hand, you can often find the Edelreizker under pine trees.
As you can see from the examples, you sometimes have to go to different places to collect different mushrooms. The condition of the soil plays an important role: some mushrooms grow particularly well on sandy soil, while others require acidic forest soil. Overall, you have a good chance of encountering edible mushrooms in the forest. Which one you ultimately find depends heavily on local conditions and the time of year.

Equipment and what to look out for

When collecting mushrooms, there are a few things to keep in mind. For example, mushroom picking is taboo in nature reserves. In all other forests, you are usually allowed to collect mushrooms for your own use, but do some research beforehand to be on the safe side. As with any other stay in the forest, you should behave considerately.

To collect mushrooms you need the following equipment:

a basket,
a knife
and a good mushroom identification book.
The collected mushrooms lie nice and airy in a basket. Plastic bags are not good at all. In it, mushrooms spoil very quickly.

Collect and identify mushrooms: This is how you do it

Here’s how you go about picking mushrooms:

If you have found a mushroom, you should first identify it. You can use the guide book to help you with this. Over time, however, you will be able to identify some mushrooms without a book.
If it’s an edible mushroom, you can use the knife to cut it off just above the ground, or gently twist it out of the ground.
Then you should cover the resulting hole with some soil and leaves.
When in doubt, leave a mushroom that you cannot identify with certainty. Some toadstools can be mistaken for edible mushrooms! Don’t just rely on illustrations in your mushroom book. Depending on the environment, individual mushrooms of a species can look very different.

Important characteristics for identifying fungi are, for example:

Shape and color of cap and stem
Distinction between lamellae and tubes on the underside of the mushroom
Staining of the lamellae and tubes
The site
The season
Color and smell of the pulp
Striking coloring when cut or when pressed
Especially at the beginning it will be difficult for you to identify the different species with certainty. It is best to let experienced collectors accompany you when you go mushroom picking. Mushroom tours are a great help. They are often offered by adult education centers in the fall. NABU also offers such excursions in many regions. Other good people to talk to about identifying mushrooms are mushroom consultants. You can find them in many mushroom regions.

Important: If you feel unwell after consuming your mushrooms, you should seek immediate medical attention or go to a hospital. As I said, certain fungi can sometimes be deadly to humans. Symptoms such as drowsiness, sweating or diarrhea can indicate mushroom poisoning.

The most popular edible mushrooms

There are countless types of mushrooms. Some are deadly poisonous, others are simply indigestible or inedible, for example because they are extremely bitter. A lot of mushrooms are edible, but they don’t taste very good. And then there are the really good edible mushrooms.

In Germany, for example, you can collect these well-known mushrooms:

porcini mushrooms
chestnuts
Morels
chanterelles
Other popular edible mushrooms are muscari, young ink caps, meadow mushrooms or birch mushrooms.

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Lifestyle

What Influence Does Coffee Have on our Bodies?

We drink it at the start of the day, at meetings with colleagues and it is also a must for afternoon cakes: our beloved coffee. Without him we miss something in the morning. After just one cup from the industrial coffee machine, we feel better, fitter and more awake. We drink it in a wide variety of ways – filter coffee, café crème, latte macchiato & Co. – and even when we’re on the go it’s a must.

But what actually happens with the coffee from the coffee machine in the office in our body?

Coffee’s journey through our bodies begins in the mouth. We perceive the numerous different aromas of coffee from the industrial coffee machine in our pharynx in the back of the mouth.

Then it goes to the stomach. There, the caffeine is absorbed into the bloodstream and distributed throughout the body. The distribution of the caffeine takes about 30 to 45 minutes.

In the intestine, the components of coffee – caffeine, acids, tannins and bitter substances – stimulate intestinal movement. This stimulates the digestive process and the food breaks down faster.

Caffeine directly affects the central nervous system by occupying the adenosine receptors. Adenosine is the messenger substance that signals tiredness to the body. By blocking these receptors, the tiredness signal is eliminated and we can (for the time being) carry on happily.

Depending on how it is prepared – with a filter coffee machine or a coffee machine in the office – the coffee can have a cholesterol-raising effect. This is due to the substances kahweol and cafestol that get caught in a filter when it is used. If you use a filter-free preparation method, for example in an industrial coffee machine, these two substances get into the coffee and thus into our body.

People who suffer from high cholesterol should therefore rather resort to filter coffee. However, according to current knowledge, coffee drinking with a normal coffee consumption of about four cups a day does not need to be a concern.

If you drink coffee, the caffeine it contains increases your heart rate. This leads to an increase in heart rate and blood pressure. In addition, the blood vessels are dilated. This is due to the release of the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline. But don’t panic: These symptoms are harmless and only last for a short time. Casual coffee drinkers will notice these symptoms more clearly and quickly. On the other hand, habitual coffee drinkers who visit the coffee machine in the office several times a day will probably not even notice these symptoms.

Similar to the blood vessels, the vessels of the bronchi are also dilated due to the caffeine. In addition, the caffeine leads to a relaxation of the bronchial muscles. This makes breathing easier.

Caffeine stimulates kidney activity. However, the coffee from the industrial coffee machine does not remove any water from the body and can even be included in the fluid balance. Normal coffee consumption (approx. four cups a day) is considered harmless and has no harmful effect on the kidneys.

What advantages does coffee or caffeine have on our body?

Caffeine has a performance-enhancing effect. The ability to concentrate and think after drinking the coffee increases.

Caffeine also has a pain-relieving effect. Especially with headaches and migraines, it can be helpful to treat yourself to a cup from the coffee machine in the office. This is why some headache pills contain caffeine.

One reason for many to reach for a cup of coffee: Its sleep-delaying effect – it wakes us up in the morning and drives away tiredness, and in the evening it helps us to keep our eyes from closing so quickly. Of course, the effect depends on how much coffee you are used to enjoying. People who drink coffee regularly usually suffer less from the effects of caffeine at night than people who only occasionally reach for a coffee cup.

Coffee protects the liver cells. Several studies have confirmed that coffee has a positive effect on liver values. In addition, coffee can counteract liver fibrosis.

Regular coffee consumption from the industrial coffee machine or the caffeine it contains reduces the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.

According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, coffee – whether from a filter machine or from an office coffee machine – is not considered carcinogenic. On the contrary, some medical studies suggest that coffee reduces the risk of certain types of cancer.

So coffee only has health benefits?

Numerous studies should prove that coffee has a positive effect on our body. However, there are just as many studies that are intended to prove the opposite. In general, coffee in moderation is perfectly okay. You can drink up to 4 cups (normal cups, no jumbo cups!) of coffee from the office coffee machine per day without hesitation. The amount of caffeine contained in each cup naturally depends on the type of coffee and the degree of roasting. In the end, it’s always best to listen to your body. He lets us know when it’s time to choose another drink for the day. Have you ever noticed that you didn’t like the coffee when you were sick? This is also a sign from our body that coffee is not the best drink for us in this situation. But don’t worry, as soon as we’re on the mend, the coffee starts to taste good again and we can go to the coffee machine in the office without hesitation.

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Food

Freeze Chickpeas: This Way You Always Have Them Ready to Cook

Freezing chickpeas is a great way to always have the healthy legumes ready to cook. We’ll show you what to look out for when freezing chickpeas and how to use them.

Freezing chickpeas preserves the legumes even when cooked. Recipes that use chickpeas usually call for cooked chickpeas. However, the cooking time of legumes is very long, so they are not suitable for a quick meal uncooked.

Chickpeas are healthy because they have valuable vegetable protein, proteins and other healthy ingredients. Legumes are used in a variety of ways in the kitchen. If you freeze cooked chickpeas, you’ll always have them ready to cook.

When buying chickpeas, pay attention to organic quality. This protects the environment, since organically certified seals such as Demeter or Bioland do not use synthetic chemical pesticides.

By the way: in your own garden is very easy. You can grow your own chickpeas in the garden to avoid having to buy them at the store. This is how to plant and care for chickpeas.

Freeze chickpeas: this is how it works

Freezing chickpeas is quick and easy. Only the cooked chickpeas are suitable for freezing. Because in the dried state, properly packaged, the legumes can be kept for many months.

If you want to freeze chickpeas, then proceed as follows:

Cook the chickpeas according to package instructions. In another article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about cooking or soaking chickpeas.
Catch the chickpea water, because you can use it in many ways. In another post we have tips on this: Don’t throw away chickpea water! 5 ideas how to use it
Let the cooked chickpeas cool.
Place the cooked chickpeas in a freezeproof, sealable container. Make sure the containers are reusable. This is how you avoid rubbish. Also read: Freezing food without plastic
Place the container of chickpeas in your freezer. Important: If you are freezing in glass, do not fill the glass to the top, but leave some space so that the chickpeas can expand during freezing. Also, only close the lid after a few hours in the freezer, otherwise the jar may burst if the contents expand too much.
Tip: Freeze the chickpeas in several small containers. So you always have the right amount at hand for a meal.

Recipe ideas for chickpeas

Freezing cooked chickpeas will keep the legumes for a few months. Get them out of the freezer when you need them and use them in delicious dishes. You have two options for this:

Thaw the chickpeas before cooking:

Place them in a bowl in the fridge overnight to use the next day, or
let them thaw at room temperature for a few hours.
If you want it a little faster, put the frozen chickpeas in a small bowl and thaw them in a water bath over medium heat.
With the thawed chickpeas, you can cook particularly well recipes in which the chickpeas are pureed or should be used fresh, i.e. not further cooked and baked. For example, try the recipe for a classic hummus or a fresh chickpea salad.

Use frozen chickpeas:

Add the frozen chickpeas to a soup or warm dish and cook with the remaining ingredients until soft again.

Recipes that use cooked chickpeas also work well to use your frozen chickpeas. For example, they taste great in chickpea curry or chickpea soup.

Tip: Fry the frozen chickpeas in a little oil in a pan. Once they have softened, season them with herbs and spices of your choice.

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Food

Corona Virus: You Have to Consider This When Buying Fruit and Vegetables

Can the coronavirus be transmitted through fruit and vegetables? We have put together the most important tips that you should currently consider when buying and preparing fresh food.

That’s how long the coronavirus survives on fruit and vegetables

The corona virus causes uncertainty: Many people are afraid of contracting the virus via a smear infection when buying food. First the good news: According to the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, transmission of the coronavirus through fruit and vegetables is very unlikely.

Nevertheless, the virus can usually survive on surfaces for between three hours and three days, according to American researchers from the “New England Journal”. According to a study by the University of Greifswald, the virus can persist on surfaces for up to nine days.

However, the survival time depends on various factors, such as temperature, humidity and the material of the surface. According to the University of Greifswald, cold and high humidity should promote the lifespan of the virus.

The germs of the coronavirus have a very low environmental stability, so transmission through food, even imported from risk areas, is unlikely.

Coronavirus: Prepare fruits and vegetables safely

Even if the transmission of the coronavirus via fruit and vegetables is rather unlikely, sufficient hygiene and caution when dealing with pathogens can never hurt. We have therefore put together the most important tips for handling fruit and vegetables for you:

Wash your hands: The most important tip when dealing with fruit and vegetables is still washing your hands. You should urgently wash your hands after buying the food and before and after preparing it.
Wash fruit and vegetables: Of course, you must not forget to wash the fruit or vegetables thoroughly with hot water. More about this here: Washing fruit properly: What to do about pesticides on the skin?
Peel fruit and vegetables: Not every type of fruit and vegetable can be peeled. However, where it is feasible, it is definitely recommended.
Boil fruit and vegetables: Especially for high-risk patients, it is advisable to completely avoid raw food during the corona crisis and only eat fruit and vegetables that have been cooked. The high temperatures render the viruses harmless.

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Food

Baking Soda Expired? That’s How Long the Most Important Baking Ingredients Really Have a Shelf Life

Expired baking soda is nothing to worry about because, like some other baking ingredients, you can use it past its sell-by date.

Baking powder expired: what to do?

If your baking powder has expired – according to the best-before date – you can still use it. After all, this date is only a recommendation. As long as food has a shelf life, you should use it. In this way you save garbage and counteract food waste.

Unsealed, dry foods such as baking powder can be kept almost indefinitely. So you can still use it months after the expiry date. However, once you open the packaging of the baking soda, its effects wear off after about a month.

For food of any kind, you can trust your senses. Take a close look at the respective product, smell it or try it. If nothing strikes you as odd, you can eat it. Anything that’s moldy goes in the trash.

Other baking ingredients: This is how long they can be kept

You can use your expired baking powder even after the best-before date has passed. The same applies to other baking ingredients. An overview:

Dry baking ingredients: Flour, baking powder, (vanilla) sugar and other dry baking ingredients can have a much longer shelf life than the best before date. However, one can distinguish again at this point:
Sugar can’t go bad. This is also the reason why it is often used to preserve foods such as jam.
In the case of flour and baking powder, on the other hand, the shelf life depends on the humidity as well as storage and packaging. Also, whole grains spoil faster because of their fat content.
Fresh baking ingredients: Fresh animal foods, such as eggs, are very delicate. Therefore, you should consume or process them as soon as possible. After the best before date has passed, it is advisable to heat the egg through. One method of finding out whether your raw egg is still good is an egg test: you put the egg in a glass of water. If the egg stays on the surface of the water, it is spoiled. You should also consume butter and milk in a timely manner. Tip: Animal baking ingredients often have a shorter shelf life than their plant-based alternatives. So feel free to use vegan margarine, aquafaba as an egg white substitute, and plant drinks as a milk substitute so that you can bake something with it for longer.


Nuts and Almonds: Whole nuts keep longer than grated ones. It is always advisable to smell the nuts and almonds and taste them if necessary. That way you can tell if they’re still good or not.
Chocolate and couverture: Dry and dark storage is important so that both chocolate and couverture last as long as possible. If you open the pack, it can be kept for another ten months, or up to 15 months for dark chocolate.
Spices: Spices should be treated in the same way as nuts and almonds, because whole spices such as cloves, cinnamon sticks or star anise have a longer shelf life than ground spices. Once you open the package of ground spices, you should use them within 6 months. Unopened, they will keep for about three years.

Tip: You can also freeze most fresh baking ingredients, vegan or not, to extend their shelf life.

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Food

Preserve Wild Garlic: You Have These 3 Options

The wild garlic season is short and wants to be savored all the more intensively. If you want to enjoy wild garlic the rest of the year, you can preserve the wild vegetables. We present different methods.

In spring, the leaves of the aromatic wild garlic only sprout from the ground for a few weeks. The wild garlic season usually runs from mid-March to early May. Then the wild garlic begins to bloom. Contrary to widespread belief, the weed is not poisonous, but the leaves become fibrous and lose their taste.

In order to be able to enjoy wild garlic all year round, you can preserve it. This is also recommended if you have harvested too much wild garlic and cannot use it while it is still fresh. There are several methods you can use to preserve wild garlic: you can process it into a more durable food like wild garlic oil, freeze it, or dry it.

Preserve wild garlic: these recipes make it possible

Wild garlic not only tastes fresh as an ingredient in a wild herb salad or wild garlic butter. There are a number of recipes with which you can preserve wild garlic and use it for a longer time.

Wild garlic oil: By soaking wild garlic in oil, you can preserve it for up to a year. You can use the aromatic oil to refine salads or pasta far beyond the wild garlic season.
Wild garlic salt: With this recipe, you can keep wild garlic for at least a year. You can sprinkle the wild garlic salt over a sandwich or give a garlic-like aroma to a vegetable pan.
Wild garlic pesto: With this classic, you can preserve wild garlic for several months. Wild garlic pesto tastes great with pasta, risotto or as a basis for a salad dressing.
Pickled wild garlic buds: Wild garlic buds are also edible. The plants form them shortly before flowering, i.e. from around mid-April. From this you can then produce the so-called wild garlic capers – a regional alternative to the caper plants native to the Mediterranean region. The wild garlic buds will keep in the fridge for up to four weeks.

Preserve wild garlic by drying

You can use dried wild garlic in a variety of ways even after the wild garlic season is over. For example, it adds a slightly spicy flavor to home-made herb salad mixes.

Note that dried wild garlic is significantly less flavorful than fresh wild garlic. Still, drying is a better alternative than possibly throwing away parts of an oversized crop. This allows you to preserve the leftover wild garlic if you can no longer eat it before it wilts.

Preserve wild garlic: This is how you freeze wild garlic

Fresh wild garlic tastes best. But after just two days in the fridge, it wilts. If you freeze wild garlic, you can keep it for about six months longer.

You can freeze wild garlic either in a glass or in practical ice cube molds. You can find the corresponding instructions here: Freezing wild garlic and preserving it: Here’s how!

Tip: You can also make dishes prepared with wild garlic last longer by freezing them. Wild garlic soup, for example, is suitable for freezing in jars. A wild garlic quiche can also be frozen easily.

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