After the expense of Christmas, start the New Year as you mean to go on by making sure you get the most out of your weekly shop. Around a third of the food we buy in the UK gets thrown away1 but you can make some simple changes with a little help from Lakeland and make sure you get to enjoy everything you buy.
Lakeland, the home of creative kitchenware, has lots of fresh ideas to help customers keep food at its best for longer, which means you can reduce the amount you throw away, save yourself money on your food bills and make sure you’re all set for a thrifty start to 2009.
How many bananas do you throw away because they have ripened too quickly? Or potatoes because they’ve started sprouting2? These exclusive bags will keep them fresher for longer and have both been specially designed for the job.
The Potato Bag is made from breathable canvas to keep out the light and give good air circulation to keep your potatoes fresher for longer, while the Banana Bag provides insulation to stop the flesh over-ripening in the fridge, and also keeps the skin warm enough to prevent it blackening. The fruit will stay just as it should for around a fortnight – twice its normal lifespan!
Banana Bag, ref 12159, £4.88,
Potato Bag, ref 12377, £5.86
I have been sent the “Potato Bag” for review and also a number of the “Stayfresh Longer Bags” and I shall, in due course, be bringing the test result and reviews in the pages of this here journal.
While the material of the “Potato Bag” is referred to as “canvas” it is in fact a canvas weave material made from 25% cotton and 75% polyester, something what some would call “polycotton”.
Stayfresh Longer Bags: By storing fruit and vegetables in these special bags, they’ll stay lovely and fresh for weeks on end. The bags come in packs of 20. A unique formula slows down the natural ageing process and helps stop moisture and bacteria forming. They really are quite incredible and remain effective for several weeks, so can be reused.
I have to say that I do not know the unique formula that is in the bags but I should assume and hope that it does not contain anything harmful.
Three sizes available; 20x23cm ref 1092, £3.91, 25x38cm ref 1094, £4.88, 28x46cm ref 1932, £6.16.
Count On It Labels: Are you always throwing away half-used jars and leftovers because you’re not sure how long they’ve been in your fridge? Well, I do at times, I am afraid to say.
These self-adhesive memory joggers take the guesswork out of storing food safely; just stick one on your packet or jar when you open it, scratch off to mark the date and you’ll know exactly when it was opened. Ref 12902, £1.95 There are 25 of them in the pack.
The way I can see it those are a great idea and should help many of us to remember as to when we put the half-jar of this or that into the fridge. Then again, if one would think, the date could be written on the label or the lid by indelible pen. On the other hand, I guess, those labels simply are easier.
Lakeland is the UK’s leading kitchenware specialist, offering a range of over 4000 products from quality kitchen utensils and storage containers, to liquorice! Their Lakeland’s products are available from 40 stores nationwide, by mail order and online.
Lakeland, founded in 1963, is a family owned and run business based in Windermere. For more fresh ideas to store and preserve your food for longer and for more information visit www.lakeland.co.uk where you can see the entire range, can order direct.
© M Smith (Veshengro), January 2009
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1Source: www.lovefoodhatewaste.com
2There is no need to throw away potatoes that have sprouted, though many people do. Unless the potato is actually very soft then it can still be used. Using the Potato Bag from Lakeland, on the other hand, will prevent, so it is said, this happening prematurely.
