The correct way to store leftovers.

So how do you store left-over food at home?
Most probably in an open container, lying in the fridge until it rots and stinks and needs to be thrown out? No. Wrong!
Here are a few practices to follow to keep your left overs fresh, appetizing and ready to eat, let’s learn the correct way to store leftovers.

Curries and gravies: 

In the fridge- Upto 3 days, once the food is completely cooled transfer to a container, make sure the container is air-tight, keep it refrigerated until ready to eat and do not expose them to extreme temperatures again and again (eg: in and out of the fridge repeatedly).

In the freezer- Transfer your curry into airtight containers and seal the lids well. Write the date you prepared your curry, as well as the use-by date on the lid of each container, before placing it in the freezer, considering frozen curries can be stored for up to 3 months.
Place them out to melt before re-heating and consuming, this process is called thawing. 

If at any point, the fridge switches off, or the curry is placed outside, we do not recommend re-freezing or consuming.

Dry bhaji/ subzi or poriyal:

A poriya/ dry bhajil can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days. We do not recommend freezing a dry preparation. 

Rotis and breads: 

You can wrap rotis in aluminium foil and store in an air-tight container to keep them fresh for 2 days. If you want to store roti/ chapatis for longer, we recommend storing half cooked chappatis in a ziplock bag/air tight packing with butter paper in between each.

Dosas will stay good for 1-2 days. Allow them to cool completely, then wrap in silver foil or banana leaves and pack them in an air-tight container. Store refrigerated. 

Idlis can be placed in the freezer for weeks, stored in an air tight packing once cooled. When ready to eat, allow them to come to room-tempertaure and steam for a few minutes. 

Pickles, chutneys and accompaniments: 

Although pickles do have natural or added preservatives, it is safer to store them in the refrigerator until the specified expiry date.
Chutneys and other accompaniments like raitas have a 3 day shelf life, stored rerigerated and in an air-tight container. 

Only if you store leftovers the right way to they retain their original flavours and remain desirable and palatable on a later day. So, ensure you take the time and effort to store them right today for a better meal tomorrow and also for lesser food waste in your house-hold.

Tell us, did we miss anything or do you follow any practices that might help other home cooks store food better?