Keeping food fresh longer is imperative to both your health and your wallet. If you allow food to spoil your grocery bills will skyrocket as you throw away spoiled food. If you eat food that has passed its expiration you may get sick and this defiantly is not a good thing.

Here are seven simple tips to help you keep your food as fresh as possible for as long as possible.

* Refrigerator and freezer temperatures are imperative when it comes to keeping food fresh. Your refrigerator should be set at 40° F and no higher. Your freezer should be kept at 0° F for proper freezing and food storage.

* When purchasing fresh meat such as beef, poultry or fish buy the freshest meat available. Also wait to purchase until two or three days before you are going to use the meat. If you are planning to freeze the meat for use later check the expiration date and make sure that you freeze the meat before it has expired.

* Always label and date food as you freeze it. A strip of masking tape on the outside of the container works wonderfully. The tape will stick when frozen and remove easily when you are ready to use the food.

* Go for an airtight seal. By using a vacuum sealer you help to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria that can cause mold or spoilage.

* Your vacuum sealer will also work wond

ers to retard freezer burn. Freezer burn is not in and of itself harmful but it will diminish the nutritional value of your food as well as hinder the taste.

* Store food in portion sizes your family will eat. If you are a family of two, small plastic zipper bags work wonderfully, for larger families plastic storage containers are the way to go.

* When thawing food always thaw in the refrigerator. This is the recommended method to prevent bacteria growth. It will take approximately one day for every five pounds of meat to thaw in a 40° F refrigerator.

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