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You\u2019ve changed your desk calendar, set your new intentions, and begun to declutter your spaces. One of the best aspects of a brand new year is the opportunity to get rid of what no longer serves you\u2014or rather, what you can no longer serve. So if you’re ready to make a fresh start in your kitchen, too, we can help. Here are a few things you might not have thought to get rid of in your refrigerator and pantry, but definitely should.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n seng kui Lim<\/a> \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n <\/span> Does baking soda even go bad? Kind of. Baking soda loses its potency after 6 months<\/a> once opened. You can still use it in laundry or to unclog a sink, but if you\u2019re trying to make a batch of soda bread, you\u2019ll want a fresh box.<\/p>\n Meredith<\/p>\n <\/span> The same goes for baking powder. Biscuits not getting the height you\u2019d imagined? It might be due to your old leavener. According to the USDA, this item has an even shorter shelf life after opening\u2014a whole 3 months<\/a>. I know mine is definitely older than that.\n<\/p>\n BWFolsom\/Getty Images<\/p>\n <\/span> This one is tricky. You can extend the shelf life of some condiments significantly by keeping them in the fridge, so you don’t have to buy more. But at the start of a new year, it’s best to check expiration dates and be honest with yourself. How old is that ketchup? Is the crust on that mustard old enough to vote?\u00a0Check your hot sauce while you’re at it, too.\n<\/p>\n Dotdash Meredith Food Studios<\/p>\n <\/span> It may seem like certain jam jars are good forever but at the end of the year, it\u2019s always good to check. High levels of sugar or acid with cooler temps can extend the life of jelly but not if they\u2019ve been introduced to other things (like peanut butter) that can accelerate bacterial growth. Unopened jars last for up to a year in a cool pantry but it\u2019s best to discard open jars in the fridge after 6 months.<\/p>\n Now that the last bit of pan drippings has been turned into gravy, it\u2019s time to let that open container of vegetable or chicken broth go. Because most containers are opaque, it can be hard to tell whether that liquid has turned. Instead of leaving it in the container to slowly degrade, try freezing leftovers in an ice cube tray for perfectly portioned broth cubes for later. Future you will be grateful.\n<\/p>\n This one might seem obvious, but how many times have you looked at a wrapped cream cheese package and decided to leave it a bit longer? Soft cheeses<\/a>, especially, have a short shelf life of about 1 to 2 weeks after purchase, so say bye to that half-eaten Brie from your gathering last weekend.<\/p>\n ALLRECIPES \/ ANA CADENA<\/p>\n <\/span> Now that the holidays are over, it\u2019s definitely time to get rid of the holiday party items from the fridge. Even the ultra-pasteurized, non-alcoholic stuff should be discarded after 14 days of being opened. Juice and other mixers that haven\u2019t been used up should go, too. Their expiration date is similar.<\/p>\n Almaje\/Getty Images<\/p>\n <\/span> The last few weeks got crazy, and you forgot the weekly container of salad greens, which got pushed to the back of the fridge by holiday prep, desserts, and beverages.\u00a0Wilted, mushy, or slimy, it\u2019s time to start fresh. And to keep your greens longer in the fridge, we have helpful storage tips.<\/p>\n We’ve all looked at a Tupperware item and couldn’t remember what was once inside. We open to check and find a furry, smelly, unpleasant surprise! What even was that? Who remembers? You should toss anything in the fridge that’s obviously gone bad. And if you don’t feel like cleaning out a moldy container, consider investing in a cute set that can go into the fridge, freezer, or oven.<\/p>\n Getty Images<\/p>\n <\/span> If you still have leftovers after all the feasting, that’s impressive! Perhaps you made or attended a huge meal and just had some extra ham, turkey, or mac and cheese in your fridge. At this point, they have definitely overstayed their welcome, and it’s time to toss them. Remember that leftovers should be consumed within a week<\/a>, no matter how delicious they are or how long you reheat them. Make sure leftovers are stored efficiently after cooking (within 2 hours) in shallow containers in the fridge for up to 5 days and in the freezer for up to 6 months.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n You\u2019ve changed your desk calendar, set your new intentions, and begun to declutter your spaces. One of the best aspects of a brand new year is the opportunity to get rid of what no longer serves you\u2014or rather, what you can no longer serve. So if you’re ready to make […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1616,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1615","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-kitchen-tips"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1615","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1615"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1615\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1616"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1615"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1615"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1615"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}} The Top Items To Toss Out and Start Fresh <\/span> <\/h2>\n
1. Baking Soda <\/span> <\/h3>\n
\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n 2. Baking Powder <\/span> <\/h3>\n
\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n 3. Condiments <\/span> <\/h3>\n
\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n 4. Jam or Jelly <\/span> <\/h3>\n
\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n 5. Open Broth Cartons <\/span> <\/h3>\n
\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n 6. Soft Cheeses <\/span> <\/h3>\n
\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n 7. Eggnog (and Other Seasonal Drinks) <\/span> <\/h3>\n
\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n 8. Salad Greens <\/span> <\/h3>\n
\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n 9. Mystery Items <\/span> <\/h3>\n
\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n 10. Holiday Leftovers <\/span> <\/h3>\n
\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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