2nd Ward Food Storage: Week 7 & Week 8

I am so very sorry about last week and not being able to send out an email. My computer is still not working correctly. I have added more memory, debugged it and it's still not it's normal fast self. So I will keep trying to work on it.

So let's get started!

This is week - 8 of the new year. I need to get you all caught on to week 8 so I am giving you week 7 and week 8!

Week 7 - Solid Shortening - this is less expensive than oil. You will need 12 lbs per person. Be sure and rotate. This will last several years.

Shelf-life, every manufacturer stamps its shortening with a use-by date. Crisco, the leading brand, says its shortening is good unopened for two years from the date of manufacture. Once opened, it suggests you use the remainder of the can within a year, and suggests you mark the can with the date you first use it, so you can keep track of the year. How you store the shortening has a lot of bearing on its shelf life. The manufacturer suggest a cool, dry place, away from sources of heat (stove, dishwasher, and refrigerator). In general, you do not keep vegetable shortening in the refrigerator, as it gets too hard and you will probably need to allow it to come to room temperature again before you use it. "Fresh" and "good" are somewhat relative terms. If you store shortening near a source of heat or keep it past its use-by date, it will eventually begin to turn tan and may develop a slightly off odor or taste. But it will still be safe.

Week 8 - Juices - avoid watered products. Be sure and get pure 100% juice. (Lemon, orange, pineapple, etc.)

The best storage containers to store your juice
I would recommend using glass containers to store your juice. I generally use wide mouth mason jars, either 16 or 32 ounces. You can also use 8 ounce mason jars, amber jars or bottles. I also like to recycle glass bottles, and will reuse glass mineral water bottles to store juice. I prefer to use "wide mouth" jars vs. bottles, since juices do tend to stain, and cleaning a bottle with a narrow opening can be difficult. I would also recommend using a stainless steel lined thermos or stainless steel water bottle. One of the things to remember when selecting a container to store your juice is to choose a container that is small enough for a "single serving". A single serving is one that you will open, and drink all at once, and not seal it and save it for later. You might need to store your juice in multiple containers and bring 3 containers with you to work for each "juice break". The best container to store your juice is a glass container that holds as much as you can drink in a single serving.

The best way to store juice.

The best way to store juice is in an air-free environment. Air is one of the primary factors that will cause degradation of the juice. After you juice and have your juice is in its catch container, you will need to pour it into your storage container. You can pre freeze (or chill) the storage container to help keep the juice cold. When you fill your storage container, be sure to fill it to the brim, and maybe even overfill it a little before putting on the lid on the container. (You can add purified water if you do not have enough juice to completly fill the container) This is to minimize the air that is contained inside the container along with the juice. It is this air that causes some degradation of the juice. Even better yet, if you have a way you can remove the air from the juice container. Remember to keep your juice COLD.

Other hints and tips and to store your juice longer.

Juice an extra lemon into your juice for the citric acid that may help preserve the juice.
Start out with the cold produce, to ensure your juice is cold.
Use organic produce. In general organic produce has more nutrition that non-organic produce.

Freezing Juice for longer storage
If you must store your juice for long-term storage, one way it can be done is how people have been preserving fresh-made apple cider for many years.. they freeze it.. Of course, this should only be used as a last option and is not reccomended.

Freeze Juice in Ice Cube Trays for longer storage. (the freezer causes more degredation than the fridge, so only do if necessary)
Freeze larger volumes of juice is plastic "milk-type" jugs or plastic "water bottles". Defront and consume the whole juice after its defrosted.