Where and how you store your stuff can make a big difference in how clean and healthy your kitchen is. Here are some tips to keep things sanitary — and help keep you and your family healthy.
- Don’t put your pocketbook on the kitchen counter. Studies from the University of Arizona have found up to ten thousand bacteria per square inch on the bottoms of purses! Think about some of the places you stick your pocketbook — under your seat at lunch, on the floor in the bathroom at work — do you want that on your kitchen counter?
- Don’t put your fruit in the sink before washing it. The kitchen sink sees a LOT of bacteria traffic throughout the day — even more than the average toilet, according to studies from the University of Arizona. Don’t let your freshly cleaned fruit roll around in the sink — put it directly into a bowl or colander to dry off.
- Take the TV out of the kitchen — or at least turn it off while you eat. Watching television while you eat (or prepare) meals can stop you from watching what you eat — and make your portion sizes soar. In one study, subjects ate more than seventy percent more than normal when the television was on.
- Let your leftovers cool on the counter for up to an hour after cooking — before you put them into the fridge. Why? Temperatures in the center of a large container can take a long time to drop, even in the refrigerator. This can encourage bacteria growth. If you don’t have time to let your leftovers cool at room temperature, try dividing them into smaller containers so they’ll cool faster and more evenly.
- Are you a coffee lover? I’m not, but I keep coffee in the house for guests. Until now, I’ve been storing it in the freezer between uses — but that’s a bad idea, according to studies from Clemson University. Moving coffee in and out of the fridge or freezer causes condensation that can leech flavor out of the grounds. Store coffee in an airtight container in a cabinet for best flavor. Okay, this isn’t so much of a health tip… unless you’re the kind of person who can’t function without coffee!
- Clean or replace your sponges periodically to prevent bacterial spread.