|
November
10, 2005
Prairie
Fare: Cleaning up for Winter
By
Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition Specialist
NDSU Extension Service
After setting out
two bags of trash for pickup, I went back into our house as usual. When
I ventured outside later in the day, I discovered the pile had grown by
three bags.
This was a little
odd.
Maybe someone thought
our first pile of trash was a bit meager, so this was a donation. Maybe
they didn’t pay their trash collection bill. More likely, they missed
their own trash pickup schedule.
With “fall cleanup”
under way, many people are bracing for the winter by cleaning their yards
and garages. Trash piles have grown markedly.
Winter is approaching,
so who wants to haul lots of trash in subzero temperatures?
Fall is a good time
to check the foods in your cupboards and refrigerator, too. Some foods
have a longer shelf life than others. If you’re pondering what to
keep and what to toss, consider these questions and answers:
1) What do food package
dates mean?
A “sell by”
date is used on foods such as milk/dairy products, eggs and packaged
meats. Grocery stores use these dates to decide how long to keep food
products on the shelf. The food still is safe to use at home for a few
days past the sell date.
An “expiration
date” is used on foods such as baby food and yeast. The product
may not be safe (or effective in the case of yeast) past this date.
“Use by”
or “best if used by” dates show when the product is at best
quality. The product generally is safe past the use by date.
2) Is it safe to used
dented cans of food?
Small dents usually
pose no risks, especially if the dents are not located on the seams
of the can. If the can is bulging or leaking, it should be discarded
where no human or animal would eat its contents.
3) Do the UPC bar
codes have anything to do with food safety?
UPC codes –
the black lines with a series of numbers on product packages –
are computer codes used to manage inventory. These codes don’t
indicate quality or the safety of the food.
4) How cold should
my refrigerator and freezer be set?
Refrigerators should
be maintained at 40 degrees or lower. Freezers should be set at zero
or lower.
5) What are the recommended
storage times for refrigerated foods?
It depends on the
food. Use leftover cooked meat, for example, within three days and fresh
meat within two days of purchase. Hard cheese, such as cheddar, will
last several weeks in the refrigerator if properly wrapped. Milk stays
fresh about a week.
Here’s a good
way to use leftover turkey or chicken. It’s easy to make, too.
Turkey or Chicken Pot Pie
1 c. cut up cooked
turkey or chicken
1 16-oz. bag frozen vegetables, thawed
1 10-oz. can reduced-fat condensed cream of chicken soup
1 c. biscuit mix (such as Bisquick)
1/2 c. low-fat milk
1 egg
Preheat oven to
400 degrees. Stir turkey or chicken, vegetables and soup in an ungreased
2-quart casserole dish. Stir the remaining ingredients until blended.
Pour over the turkey or chicken mixture. Bake uncovered about 30 minutes
to an internal temperature of 165 degrees or until the crust is golden
brown.
Makes six servings.
Each serving has 215 calories, 27 grams of carbohydrate, 5 grams of
fat, 3 grams of fiber and 415milligrams of sodium.
###
Source:
Julie Garden-Robinson, (701) 231-7187, jgardenr@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Rich Mattern, (701) 231-6136, richard.mattern@ndsu.nodak.edu
|
