Power’s Out: How long will refrigerated food keep?

A power outage may leave you wondering if the food in your fridge is still safe to eat. The answer is, it depends.  It’s all about time and temperature. There are three general rules to remember:

1. Food in your fridge will be good four to six hours after the power goes out.

2. If your freezer is full, foods in it will be safe to eat for 48 hours.

3. A half-full freezer will keep food safe for 24 hours.

So, if your power has been out for more than 48 hours you may need a few garbage bags.

To keep perishable foods safe longer, keep the door of your fridge and freezer shut as much as possible. If you know the power will be out for an extended amount of time, try to move your food to a friend’s freezer or refrigerator.

Block dry ice can also help keep your refrigerator cool. Be careful not to touch with bare hands or breathe the fumes—read the handling directions for dry ice carefully.

If you have frozen food that still has ice crystals, you can refreeze it. Just remember that it must be refrozen while the ice crystals remain. If there are ice crystals now and power isn’t restored before the food thaws completely, it should be discarded.

Any food that has thawed and been at a temperature above 40 degrees for two hours or longer should be tossed.

I know being without power for an extended amount of time is no fun, and having to throw away your groceries is painful.  But when it doubt, please throw it out. Don’t risk a foodborne illness because you can’t bear to throw away food you think “might” be good. Some of the most dangerous illness-causing bacteria can’t be seen, smelled, or tasted.

The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service has more information on food safety during storms and hurricanes.

Additional Resources:

Planning for Food after a Disaster

A Quick Consumer Guide to Safe Food Handling

Related Articles

• Throw Out Old, Expired Food (unlikelyhomemaker.wordpress.com)

Cleaning Sponges: What’s the best way?

You try to be a good housekeeper. You sponge down your counters and appliances and feel good about keeping a clean and sanitary kitchen. But you may be doing more harm than good by spreading bacteria, according to scientists with the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS).  

The sponge is a versatile kitchen aid because it absorbs liquid so quickly, wipes over a variety of surface types and is reusable. However, it harbors more than moisture. It may also hold food-borne pathogens, yeasts and molds.

The dirty sponges

Scientists for the ARS have tested several methods for reducing risks from harmful microbes hiding in reused sponges.  First, they soaked sponges at room temperature for 48 hours in a solution made from ground beef and lab growth medium.  This was to grow a high level of microbes to simulate a very dirty sponge.  After 48 hours, the sponges had 20 million microbes.

Cleaning methods tested

They tested five different cleaning techniques to determine which was most effective at reducing the microbes.  One sponge was soaked for three minutes in a 10% chlorine bleach solution, two sponges were soaked in lemon juice or deionized water for one minute, one sponge was heated in a microwave for one minute, and another sponge was placed in a dishwasher operating with a drying cycle. Researchers left one sponge untreated to use as a comparison against the five cleaning techniques.

Best cleaning method      

Findings indicated after soaking in the bleach solution, lemon juice or deionized water, enough bacteria still remained on the sponges to potentially cause disease. The microwave heating and dishwashing with a drying cycle proved to be the most effective methods for inactivating bacteria, yeasts and molds on sponges.

Microwaving sponges killed 99.99999% of bacteria present, while dishwashing killed 99.9998% of bacteria.  These simple and convenient treatments can help ensure that contaminated sponges don’t spread foodborne pathogens around household kitchens.

Cleaning vs. Disinfecting

Remember that cleaning and disinfecting are not the same thing. Cleaning removes germs from surfaces, and disinfecting destroys them.  Cleaning with soap and water to remove dirt and most of the germs is usually enough.  But sometimes, you may want to disinfect for an extra level of protection from germs.

You should clean and disinfect counters and other surfaces before, during and after preparing food – especially meat and poultry.  Follow all directions on the product label, which usually specifies letting the disinfectant stand for a few minutes.

Use paper towels that can be thrown away to keep bacteria from contaminating your sponge or dish cloth.  Another idea is a disposable sanitizing wipe that both cleans and disinfects. If you use a sponge, be sure to sanitize them regularly, either by microwaving for one minute, or running through the dishwasher using the drying cycle.

Throw Out Old, Expired Food

In my job, I get to take calls from consumers with questions ranging from what foods are high in iron to how to remove mold and mildew from fabrics. But the questions I most commonly hear relate to food, and all have a common theme: consumers want to know if their old food is still safe to eat.

In most instances, the answer that I provide—that the food should be disposed of—is not what the consumer wants to hear. So then the caller will go into a litany of reasons why they do not want to throw the food item out.

Here’s how it usually goes:

Caller: I have this bag of fresh coconut that I’ve had in the refrigerator for about 2 years, and I was wondering if you could tell me if it’s still good.

 Me: You have had it for 2 years?  

 Caller: Yes, but it’s been in the refrigerator.

Me:If its two years old, you should probably throw it out [very few food items have a storage time of two years, even in the fridge].

 Caller: But it’s been stored in the refrigerator.

Me:  It probably won’t make you sick, but the product quality has likely diminished to the point that it would not be very good to use in a recipe [she wants validation in not throwing out a $1.87 bag of coconut].

 Caller: Oh, well, I was hoping that it was still good.

 Sorry.

In case you are wondering, the storage time for shredded coconut is one year if the package is unopened. After it’s opened, it should be refrigerated, and can be kept for six months.

The food safety motto is “When in doubt, throw it out.”

I know folks hate to be wasteful—I do too. Throwing out food is like throwing away money.  When people are reluctant to dispose of food that may make them or their families sick, or that may produce an inferior product when used in a recipe, they should realize that carries a price tag, too.

You may have to go to the doctor because you’re sick, or you’ve spent money on ingredients and have made a coconut cake you now have to throw away because it tastes bad.  You may be further embarrassed because you took it to a church social, and now everyone thinks you’re a terrible cook. All because you would not throw away your two-year old bag of coconut. In addition to wasting money, you’ve also wasted the time you spent making the cake.

I can hear the disappointment in the voices of callers when I tell them that it’s time to throw a food product away. It’s like they are grieving, as if there was some emotional attachment to the over-mature food.

And sometimes they act like they don’t believe me, like I’m in some sort of conspiracy with the grocery stores to make them spend more money on food. I promise I’m not.

Just throw it away, and plan better next time so that you do not have to dispose of food you did not use in a timely manner.  If that doesn’t work for you, there’s always store-bought cake.

Dye Easter Eggs with Natural Ingredients

If you need a kitchen experiment that the whole family can enjoy, dyeing Easter eggs for the upcoming holiday is a great choice.  But before you gear up for a trip to the store for an egg dyeing kit, save your dollars and cents by using things that you likely already have in your kitchen. dyeing

Ingredients for Egg Dyeing

Fruits, vegetables, and spices can all be used to color Easter eggs, whether you plan to dye and hide them, or save them to eat later. Here are a few things you can use to color eggs naturally:

1. Fresh beets or cranberries, frozen raspberries, and pomegranate juice will give eggs a pinkish red color.
2. Yellow onion skins will turn egg shells orange.
3. For a light yellow egg, use orange or lemon peels, carrot tops, celery seed or ground cumin.  Ground turmeric will produce a darker yellow.
4. Use spinach leaves for a pale green hue.
5. Canned blueberries or red cabbage leaves will dye eggs blue.
6. Strong brewed coffee, chili powder, and dill seeds will color eggs beige or brown.
7.  Yellow Delicious apple peels make a green-gold dyed egg.

To prepare eggs for dyeing, boil white eggs and let them cool. If you plan to eat the eggs, remember that the fresher the egg, the harder it will be to peel later. If you have eggs on hand that are close to their “use-by” date, you are all set for an easier egg peeling experience.

Recipe for Dying Eggs

The American Egg Board recommends the following recipe to make naturally dyed eggs: Toss your choice of a handful – or two or three – of one of the foods listed above into a saucepan.  Use your own judgment about quantity. This is not an exact science.  Be aware that the beautiful strong colors of purple or red grape juice and beet juice will produce a gray, not very Easter-y colored egg.

Add about a cup of water for each handful of food, so the water comes at least an inch above the dyestuff.  Bring to boiling, reduce the heat and simmer from 15 minutes up to an hour, until the color is the shade you want. Keep in mind that the eggs will dye a lighter shade. Remove the pan from the heat.

Through cheesecloth or a fine sieve, strain the dye mixture into a small bowl that’s deep enough to completely cover the eggs you want to dye.  Add 2 to 3 teaspoons of white vinegar for each cup of dye liquid. With a spoon or wire egg holder from a dyeing kit, lower the eggs into the hot liquid. Let the eggs stand until they reach the desired color.  With a slotted spoon or wire egg holder, remove the eggs to a rack or drainer. Allow the eggs to dry thoroughly.

Food Safety and Easter Eggs

If you plan to eat the eggs later, take special care to keep them refrigerated as much as possible.  The eggs should not be out of the refrigerator for more than 2 hours, and should be eaten within a week. Throw out an egg that has been used as a decoration or left out for an egg hunt for more than 2 hours.

Salad-Eating How-To: The Fork Method

Most of us equate dieting with eating salads of some sort.  You may overhear someone say, “I’ll have a salad—I’m trying to lose some weight” and then confidently go on to order their leafy greens piled high with cheese, croutons, and fatty salad dressing. We set out to eat salads with the best of intentions, and often unknowingly derail our healthy diet efforts.

Salads don’t have to spell dietary demise.  In fact, salads can be very healthy and diet-friendly.  The dietary help or hindrance imposed by salad eating depends on you: what you put on the salad, how much of the tasty toppings you add, and even your method of salad eating. Yes, how you eat a salad can make a difference.

The Fork Method   

I’ve been using the fork method of salad eating for years. I’ve gotten many questions from curious observers. And I’ve even had a waitress, in noticing my odd eating behavior ask, “Is that really the best way to eat a salad?”

 The fork method involves two steps: 1) Order your salad dressing on the side—low fat, nonfat, or even full-fat if that’s what you prefer.  2) Before you stick your fork into the salad greens and accompanying toppings, dip your fork in the dressing.  Tap excess dressing off the fork tines and go for the green.  It’s very simple. With each bite you get the flavor of the salad dressing but use far less of it.  

Avoid drowning salad in dressing

 The purpose of eating a salad isn’t to cover the taste of the lettuce. But when we drown salad greens in dressing—anywhere from ¼ to ½ cup for many people, we are piling on calories and fat. Most bottles of salad dressing list as a serving just 1 or 2 tablespoons. That doesn’t go very far when poured over the top. And even 2 tablespoons can add 150 calories and nearly 16 grams of fat to your otherwise healthy bowl of veggie goodness.  When you add ½ cup, you’re piling on a whopping 600 calories and 60 grams of fat. Your “healthy” salad has reached the calorie level of a burger.

The fork method has some definite positives. You may find that you like the taste of the salad itself when you free yourself and your salad of all those heavy dressings.  When you take those first few bites, it may seem odd to hear the sound of crunchy lettuce. Lettuce that isn’t drowned in dressing doesn’t get soggy. 

Other options

If using the fork method is still hard to fathom, there are some other ways you can reduce your dressing use and make your salad healthier. The use of low-fat or nonfat dressing is certainly an option. Just be aware of portion sizes—2 tablespoons of reduced fat dressing can have 66 calories and 5 grams of fat.  Fat-free dressing can have 33 calories.  Adding an excess ½ cup of fat-free dressing to a salad still significantly increases the calories consumed.  

If you must add dressing to your salad instead of putting your fork in charge, make sure that your salad greens are as dry as possible. Wet greens make a slippery surface for dressing; instead of sticking to the leaves, dressing will drip down, forming a puddle underneath, making you inclined to add even more dressing.  Consider using reduced fat versions of dressing. And keep a close eye on the other toppings added, like cheese and croutons.

The next time you order a salad or enjoy one at home, have your dressing on the side and try the fork method. You’ll use less dressing, save calories and fat, and just might rediscover the taste of vegetables again.

Too Much Meat Can Derail Diet

I am usually amazed at how little many people know about nutrition. We all eat, and we do so several times a day. And much of the time we are not eating we spend thinking about what we’ll eat next. For something that we do so often it would seem that we would be better informed. But many people are more knowledgeable about the plot line of their favorite TV show than about the foods they put in their mouths.  

According to data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the majority of Americans are overweight—about 2/3 of adults are overweight, and almost 1/3 of those have a weight that puts them in the obese range.

While many people say they want to lose weight, they often fail to make a plan for how to go about doing that. Have you heard the saying, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail?” That’s true when it comes to weight loss.  But sometimes, planning is not enough if you do not have the right information.

 The diet misperception I most frequently encounter relates to the amount of meat needed according to the food pyramid, which is now called MyPyramid.  It’s less than you might think. 

For a 2,000 calorie diet, which is the reference level set by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 5.5 ounces of meat and beans is allotted per day.  This amount varies depending on calorie needs. Generally, the daily meat portion ranges from four ounces for a 1,200 calorie diet up to seven ounces for a 3,200 calorie diet, which is the highest calorie level for which portions are defined by MyPyramid. This means that even for those requiring a many calories, seven ounces is the maximum recommended for an entire day. 

The fact of the matter is that most people eat more meat than they need. Meat (pork, poultry, beef, etc) is higher in fat than other foods that we should be eating more of, such as fruits and vegetables. At nine calories per gram, fat has more calories than other nutrients; protein and carbohydrate both have four calories per gram. Eating too much meat is an easy way to derail your diet if you are trying to lose weight.

So how do you know how much meat is enough for you?  It depends on how many calories you need each day to maintain your weight. You can find this out at www.mypyramid.gov.

You can gauge how much meat you are eating by looking at your palm. The size of your palm (not counting your fingers) is approximately the size of two to three ounces of meat.  And thickness matters. A deck of cards is a useful tool—two to three ounces of meat is about the size and thickness of a deck of cards. One egg, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, 1/4 cup cooked dry beans, and 1/2 ounce of nuts or seeds are all equal to one ounce from the meat and beans group.

Most people underestimate the number of calories they consume. Getting your protein consumption in line with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans is a good step to controlling calories. Controlling your calories can help you to lose weight.

More Reasons to Go Green

Still waiting to join the “going green” movement? If you’ve not yet jumped onboard, here are five easy ways to adopt eco-friendly habits that are good for you and the environment.

Use reusable shopping bags

Widely promoted, there are lots of good environmental reasons for using reusable shopping bags instead of the usual plastic bags. Some stores even offer a discount if you use your own bag. Another plus: bringing your own bag reduces the number of plastic bags you bring into your home, lessening the opportunity for the pesky bags to magically multiply and overrun their storage area. A reusable cloth bag solves this problem. Need to get rid of stockpiled plastic bags? Look for recycling boxes at local retailers.

Lose weight if you are overweight

A healthy weight helps to reduce risk for a host of chronic diseases. Researchers at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine suggest in an article published in the International Journal of Epidemiology that the global prevalence of obesity may have a negative environmental impact. Here’s why: heavier people require more food to maintain their weight. This increased food consumption means increased food production, requiring additional energy.

While individual weight loss won’t have a large impact on the global environment, it will impact your personal health.  And in the long run, the chronic diseases avoided will result in fewer healthcare expenses, not to mention savings at the gas pump for trips you won’t have to make to the doctor’s office.       

Drink tap water

Not only does drinking tap water instead of bottled water reduce use of plastic bottles, it also saves money. If you don’t like the taste of tap water, invest in a water filtration pitcher. You can enjoy filtered water at a fraction of the cost of bottled.

Conserve energy

Reduced energy bills are the most obvious benefit of saving energy. Decrease energy use by unplugging phone and device chargers, small kitchen appliances, and other little-used electronics, like the TV in your guest room.  This will reduce the “standby power” used by these devices. They act as energy “vampires,” sucking energy even when not in active use. A power strip is a convenient way to cut power to a cluster of electronics (and later turn them back on when needed).

Use the microwave to cook small meals—they use less power than ovens.  If considering a major appliance purchase, look for the Energy Star symbol indicating an energy-efficient product.  And of course, turn off lights when you leave a room.

Reduce annoying junk mail

Reducing the amount of junk mail you receive is good for the environment and good for your sanity. Opt-out of receiving pre-approved credit card offers by calling 1-888-5-OPTOUT.  Stop unsolicited commercial mail by visiting www.dmachoice.org and sign up for the Direct Mail Association’s mail preference service. 

Check into receiving your bills via email instead of through the mail. Many companies offer electronic billing.  In addition to saving paper, e-bills are easier to keep up with than paper and easier to dispose of.

Benefits of Fiber Go Beyond Digestion

If you’re like most Americans, you aren’t getting enough fiber in your diet. Fiber, a type of carbohydrate, is important for heart and digestive health.  Reasons to fill up on fiber range from reducing calorie intake to reducing cholesterol.

Basically, fiber is a type of carbohydrate that our body cannot digest.  Fiber is found in all plants that are eaten for food, including fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes. Animal foods do not have fiber, so you can only get fiber in your diet by eating foods that come from plants.   

Not all fiber is the same. It is commonly divided into two classes: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber dissolves in water; insoluble fiber does not.

Soluble fiber is heralded as heart helper, acting to lower LDL or “bad” cholesterol. Oats have the highest proportion of soluble fiber of any grain. In addition to oats, good sources of soluble fiber are nuts, seeds, beans, citrus fruits, apples, strawberries, and carrots. Recent research has also found soluble fiber to be an immune booster. 

Insoluble fiber, also known as “roughage,” is most commonly known for its role in moving food through the digestive system. It has also been associated with decreased risk for cardiovascular disease. Insoluble fiber also helps you to fill full when eating, so it may help you to eat fewer calories. Sources of insoluble fiber are whole wheat and whole grain products and vegetables.

The difference between soluble and insoluble fiber can be important when it comes to fiber’s effect on your risk of developing certain diseases. Fiber can help lower your risk of diabetes, heart disease, diverticulitis and constipation. 

How much fiber does a body need? According to Dietary Guidelines for Americans, adults need 20 to 35 grams of dietary fiber per day, but most get only 10 to 15 grams. Children over age 2 should consume an amount equal to or greater than their age plus 5 grams per day. If your fiber intake falls short, a gradual increase in the amount of dietary fiber consumed will be easier on your digestive system than a sudden surge of fiber-rich foods.  

Here are a few quick tips for selecting high-fiber foods that can help increase fiber intake:

• Choose whole fruit instead of juice.  Whole fruit is packed with lots more fiber than juice.  Add fruit to your breakfast, or snack on fruits or veggies instead of chips or crackers.
• Check the food label for fiber-filled whole grain.  Choose foods that list whole grain as a first ingredient for cereal and breads.
• Eat more beans.  They’re a great-tasting, cheap source of fiber.
• Keep the seeds, peels or hulls of fruits and vegetables when appropriate. This is where most of the insoluble fiber is located.

New Dietary Guidelines Say Eat Less, Move More

Image via Wikipedia

The newly updated set of Dietary Guidelines recently released by the USDA addresses the health-related state of our society: we are too heavy and too sedentary.  Including 23 key recommendations, the Dietary Guidelines are intended to help Americans choose an overall healthy diet.  Aside from healthy diet advice, the updated Guidelines focus on weight and physical activity.   

While there aren’t any real surprises in the updated recommendations, here are a couple of points worth noting.

First, more than one-third of children and two-thirds of adults in the US are overweight or obese. Said another way, those with a healthy weight are outnumbered by those who carry around extra pounds. The updated Dietary Guidelines place a stronger emphasis on reducing calorie consumption and increasing physical activity.  Government officials say most Americans need to lose weight, and that improved eating habits are good not just for individuals and families, but also for the country.  If you’re wondering what you can do for your country, one way to help is to keep yourself healthy.

Second, the biggest factors contributing to the obesity epidemic are poor diet and physical inactivity. But even for those who are not overweight, eating poorly and moving too little can negatively affect health.  There are many reasons aside from weight loss to eat better and exercise more. Even if your weight happens to fall in the “healthy range” there are no “free passes” or exemptions from exercising regularly and eating well.   

The Dietary Guidelines emphasize two main points. First, maintain calorie balance over time to achieve and sustain a healthy weight. This includes a recommendation to enjoy your food, but eat less and avoid oversized portions.  The “over time” phrase is used because paying attention to our eating and exercise habits is not something we can finish and be done with, like finishing a crossword puzzle or a good book. It requires continued attention over a lifetime.

The second main point is to focus on consuming nutrient-rich foods and beverages. It should come as no surprise that Americans consume too much sodium and too many calories from solid fats, added sugars, and refined grains.  Nutrition experts are using a new acronym, SoFAS, which stands for Solid Fats and Added Sugars.  SoFAS are in many of the products we should eat less of, like cakes and cookies, soda, and pizza. Choosing more nutrient-rich foods, like fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products, will help cut the SoFAS in your diet.

You can improve your health by getting off the SoFAS—both those described by the new acronym and the sofas we love to sit on—and by incorporating the new dietary recommendations into your lifestyle.

The updated Dietary Guidelines offer six broad recommendations.  By choosing a few to work on now, you’ll be on your way to healthier habits.  

• Enjoy your food, but eat less.
• Avoid oversized portions.
• Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
• Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.
• Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals – and choose the foods with lower numbers.
• Drink water instead of sugary drinks.