Households across the UK will soon be purchasing their food for Christmas, and many will be looking for ways to make it last longer.
The cost of an average Christmas dinner ranges from £33.80 to £52.68 per person, according to Statista, with the cost of festive celebration essentials being an important factor on everyone’s minds.
To make food last longer over the Christmas period, there are some helpful hacks that can ensure expensive items such as cheese doesn’t go to waste.
A simple trick will work to keep your Christmas cheese board selections – or cheeses you receive as a gift – fresher for longer.
The storage experts at Extra Room have revealed how you can prevent cheese from drying out using a simple ingredient you will already have in the fridge.
“To keep cheese from drying out, rub a small amount of butter on the cut surfaces before storing it in the fridge,” the experts began.
And if you have hard cheeses like cheddar or Swiss, you can use a vinegar-dampened paper towel to wrap the cheese, cover it with plastic wrap, and place it in a plastic bag.
Alternatively, they suggest you can rub olive or vegetable oil on the cheese’s surface before placing it in an airtight container in the fridge. This can prevent mould from growing directly on the cheese, making it easy to rinse off any mould that appears before eating.
They added: “Instead of wrapping cheese in plastic, which traps moisture and restricts oxygen, you should use parchment or cheese paper to let it breathe.
“This approach helps maintain the cheese’s flavour and prevents bacterial growth, it can preserve cheese for an extra few weeks at most.”
Alongside this cheese hack, the experts have shared how you can lengthen the lifespan of you Christmas pudding, explaining that it should be ‘doused’ in alcohol.
They said: “To keep your Christmas pudding preserved and fresh for weeks, you need to ensure it is thoroughly cooked and completely cooled before storing. Wrap the pudding tightly in a double layer of baking parchment or greaseproof paper, followed by a layer of aluminium foil to protect it from air and moisture.
“You should place the wrapped pudding in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag. Periodically, whilst stored, douse the pudding with a tablespoon of alcohol, such as brandy, rum or whisky to enhance flavour and aid preservation. Keep your pudding in a dark and dry place like a pantry or cupboard until you’re ready to reheat over Christmas.”
