2012 Messenger – What will happen?

Posts Tagged ‘Pantry’

You have promised yourself that 2009 is the year that you finally reshape your body so it no longer resembles the Pillsbury Dough Boy. The chore for last Sunday was to clean everything out of your food storages that contained MSG, high fructose corn syrup or anything that even remotely resembled a trans-fatty acid. Now you seem to be staring at nothing but empty shelves and wonder what you possibly can throw together for a nutritious meal! Hey, if you have gotten this far then you should have a well prepared nutritional program made out. Grab that thing and head for the supermarket.

If your knowledge of the grocery store is limited to the location of beer, soda pop and saltine crackers then you are probably in for a surprise or two. Learn to divide your shopping store aisles into two categories. The first will be the danger zones of pre-packaged foods. If chocolate chip cookies and wavy potato chips have been your best friends it is time for a separation. The best way to not eat them is to not buy them so stay out of those aisles. The second aisle choice will be the safe zones and will consist of the produce section and <u>most</u> of the refrigerated aisles.

Once in the store make a bee-line to the vegetable and fruit areas. Pick out foods that resemble a rainbow in color. Spinach, tomatoes, asparagus, mushrooms and celery all have fantastic colors. Throw in a bell pepper or two (red, green or yellow they are all just about the same nutritionally) and you are off to a good start with your menu planning.

Don’t neglect the fruits in this area. Bananas, oranges, apples and grapes can all usually be had throughout the year thanks to worldwide marketing standards. Fill your refrigerator and counter tops with a variety of fruit and soon you will not miss those curly cheese crisps much at all!

Now is the time to take a stroll over to the meat section. Notice that when people speak of “meat” in a body building or weight lifting nutrition plan they generally do not mean a big chunk of prime rib roast. Your desires here should be high protein coupled with low fats so start looking at poultry and fish. There is a great selection so you can rotate sources of protein without becoming bored. Look for salmon and other fishes with high omega-3 oils, chicken and turkey sausages (be careful of salt!), chicken breasts and even stretch the limits to include some extra lean ground sirloin.

Prior to checkout you can include many other tasty treats to your shopping cart. Cheeses are fantastic, especially those with a stronger taste that denotes a higher protein level. Just remember that cheese is high in fat and should be limited in your diet. Grab some dried peas, beans or other legumes as these can be excellent sources of fiber for your dietary needs. Grains and mixed nuts are excellent choices to add variety and taste to your menus.

With experience you will be able to decrease the shopping time necessary to fill your larder with necessary nutrients. Your goal is to create food dishes that are attractive to the eye as well as nutritious and filling. These type meals will not only maintain your stamina levels to finish your daily workouts but will add color and beauty which helps keep your motivational levels high.

A kitchen pantry can help you store and organize food, provisions or dishes while freeing up available cupboard space. Storing your food properly extends the shelf life and foods stay at their peak of freshness and taste better. To keep food fresh in the pantry the first thing should be to select the appropriate location for the pantry. The most preferable location should be humidity free and quite dark. Keep the pantry away from the sink and the stove and avoid direct light. The perfect location for keeping pantry foods fresh is in a dark corner.

Dry foods such as crackers, canned goods, flour, cake mixes and seasonings should be stored in the original packaging or tightly closed airtight containers below 85°. Humidity levels above 60% can cause foods to absorb moisture, which will leave your products stale, or cause cans to rust and leak. Cans that are rusted, badly dented, leaking or swollen should be discarded. Always keep food separate from items such as household cleaners, insecticides and paper products as these can cause contamination. If products are marked with a “best if used by date” it means that they are not the best quality after this date, but can still be used safely for some period of time. In order to keep pantry foods fresher, keep your pantry organized and create sections for various types of foods and stack items together. Try to avoid overstocking and only purchase what can be eaten within a reasonable amount of time.

A set of airtight storage containers will be extremely useful, they allow you to see what is on hand and they keep out air which in turn will keep pantry foods fresh. Always reseal packages once opened, either by using a sealer or by adding a clip to the top, in fact some packages come with a zip top or stickers to reseal the bag. Shelf life is extremely important and it greatly depends on the following storage conditions:

Oxygen in the air can cause enhanced growth of microorganisms and cause vitamins, flavors, fats and food colors to deteriorate.

Food storage can be impaired by high temperatures, some vitamins will be destroyed, proteins breakdown, and flavor, odor and color may be affected. Food in the pantry should always be stored at room temperature or below.

Moisture can create an environment in which chemical reactions may take place and microorganisms can thrive.

Light exposure can result in the deterioration of proteins, vitamins and fats, vitamin loss, discoloration and off-flavors.

Testing conducted at Brigham Young University has determined that many foods stored in sealed cans at controlled temperatures can last for years after their expiration dates, some of them for instance; rolled oats for 20 years, powdered nonfat dry milk for 13 years, pinto beans or baking soda for 24 years, white flour for 12 years, pasta for 17 years, potato flakes for 16 years and sugar, salt, white rice and wheat for an impressive 30+ years!    

The following are examples of the kind of things commonly found in pantries:

Canned or bottled; tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, grated cheese, anchovy paste, evaporated milk, kidney beans, mustard, whole tomatoes, peanut butter, corn syrup, honey, bouillon, soup, pie fillings, canned fruits, assorted pickles and olives.

Spices; nutmeg, salt, dry mustard, ground ginger, cloves, cinnamon sticks, peppercorns, ground cumin, celery seed, ground turmeric, pickling spice, caraway seeds and ground cinnamon.   

Oils; canola, peanut, olive, extra-virgin olive oil as well as cooking oil spray and olive oil spray.

Vinegars; balsamic, cider, red wine and white distilled.

Dried herbs; garlic powder, thyme, parsley, dill seed, marjoram, oregano, chives, cilantro, onion powder, basil, minced garlic, rosemary, tarragon, bay leaves and rubbed sage.

Spirits; brandy or cognac, dry white wine, dry sherry, dark beer, dry red wine, port, liqueurs, rum, gin and vermouth.   

To help keep food fresh in the pantry, try a product called eggstrafresh®. It is a revolutionary breakthrough in food preservation that is scientifically proven to dramatically reduce oxidation and retain moisture. Oxidation and moisture loss are the 2 leading factors that foster mold, bacteria, nasty odors and rapid food spoilage. Additionally, eggstrafresh® will improve the taste, flavor, texture and natural color of all of the food in your pantry and your refrigerator. Please visit http://www.eggstrafresh.com to learn more.