Tips to keep your Onam Sadya fresh with these storage practices

Guests have departed, the house is spotless, and you’re left wondering how to store the delicious, leftover Sadya. Refrigerators, more often than not, run over time with multiple food containers that have to be rearranged to make space every now and then.

However, there are several practices you can follow while storing food in your fridge. In fact, there’s more to storage than just stashing meals away, which is why we’ve spoken to experts to help you figure out the dos and don’ts of food preservation. Here’s everything you need to know.

Things to keep in mind while storing Onam Sadya

It is challenging to manage leftover food, primarily if you intend to retain its freshness. “When storing food, it’s imperative to understand that refrigerators have different temperature ranges,” says Nikhil Birari, Lead Value Added Service, Service Delivery, at Croma. For instance, the top of your fridge is -16 degrees, the chiller compartment goes as low as -4 degrees, and zero degrees, beginning from the top of the shelves.

“As we go towards the bottom shelves of the refrigerator, the temperatures keep increasing by two degrees, and the bottom-most part of your refrigerator chills at 10 degrees Celsius,” he says. “This information can help you select the right shelf to store your food.”

The containers you use can also play a significant role in the health of your leftover food. If you’re using a plastic container, ensure it is compatible with your refrigerator and safe to store food. Similarly, glass containers are ideal for storing food, but keeping them beyond a specific temperature can cause damage to them. Lastly, metal containers are not considered fit for the refrigerator; however, using a stainless steel container is a safe way to store any leftovers.

ALSO READ: Here’s how to sort and store food in a refrigerator

Birari further warns about storing fresh food. “A general rule of thumb to store fresh food should involve drying your greens and leafy vegetables enough so they don’t have any moisture,” he says. “Storing them in netted bags in the vegetable section can help them remain fresh. Keep the slider tab open for a few hours for enough air circulation.”

While storing food in your refrigerator after any event may seem stressful, keeping these points handy could help ensure its long health and keep it fit for consumption for long hours after its preparation time.

Smart refrigerators can help too

Being mindful of the cooling potential of various areas within your fridge is important, but if you want to use this Onam as an opportunity to buy a new refrigerator, smart refrigerators are something that deserve your attention too. Thanks to a combination of sensors and cameras, refrigerators like this Samsung Refrigerator are capable of intelligently detecting food and adjusting energy settings and other aspects accordingly.