List of kitchen items you should throw away right now

The kitchen should be cleaned at least once every few months as it's important for our safety. Not only does clutter contribute to the accumulation of dirt, which can grow bacteria that can end up in food, but it can also contain spoiled and expired food.

Household experts know how to properly review your kitchen stocks and what to look for in the first place. OBOZ.UA asked them for their recommendations. The result is a list of 10 things that are better to throw away right now.

Expired food

When cleaning up the kitchen, always pay attention to the expiration date of the products in stock. If it's about to expire, move the packaging to a visible place so you can eat it as soon as possible. If the expiration date has passed, feel free to throw it out. Do you store food in containers that have been poured out of their original packaging? Don't forget to put expiration stickers on them.

Foods you don't eat

It happens that children ask you to buy them some snacks and then they don't finish them. Or you buy a whole package of a product for one holiday meal and use only a couple of spoons. And then the whole package stands there until it goes bad. Gather such products and give them to someone who needs them. Or eat them before they go bad.

Stale food that has lost its quality

Some foods, even those that have been stored for a long time, spoil before they reach their expiration date. For example, they become airborne, change their texture and flavor, or become stale. Some of it can still be used. Turn stale bread into breadcrumbs, etc. But more often than not, you just have to throw it away.

Everything that is questionable

When you go through the contents of your cupboard or pantry, you are likely to come across some mysterious items. It may be something you hid in a plastic bag long ago and now you don't know how old it is. This also applies to food without an expiration date if you can't remember when and where you bought it. If something looks or smells suspicious, don't take any chances and get rid of it.

Items with sentimental value

Yes, you can find such things even in the kitchen. For example, jars of goodies that you brought back from your travels, forgotten chocolates that were given to you for a holiday, seeds that you planned to germinate, etc. If you still haven't found a use for them or come up with a new one, it's time to say goodbye. They are cluttering up your space for nothing.

Unused baking supplies

Your baking hobby can be sporadic: a few times a year you feel inspired to do some culinary feats and make pies, cakes, or bake homemade bread. The rest of the time, the food and utensils lie around. If you don't know how old those beautiful candied fruits are or you can't remember the last time you used that rolling pin, throw the former away and give the latter to someone who really needs it.

Old oils, nuts and spices

It seems that these types of products can be stored forever, but this is not the case. Oil starts to become bitter over time, and if it contains any additives, such as herbs, it can also become a good breeding ground for bacteria. Nuts contain a lot of oils and can start to become bitter even when they are whole, while spices dry out over time and lose their flavor.

Damaged canned food

A small dent from a fall on a can of beans is not a big deal. But if you see that a can of canned food has been seriously damaged by a deep dent, is swollen or leaking, don't even think about it and throw it in the trash immediately. A breach in the integrity of the container can cause serious bacterial contamination, up to and including deadly botulism.

Bulky packaging

Your pantry may be overly cluttered with items stored in bulky packaging. Often half-empty. Even if you have a lot of storage space, large boxes and bags will still be a waste of space. Pour the food into smaller, more conveniently stored containers with airtight lids. But again, don't forget to write the expiration date.

Broken appliances

Many people keep broken small appliances, such as a multicooker or waffle maker, in the hope of fixing them someday. Instead, they just use a new one. So why waste space? Either actually take the device to a repair shop or leave it somewhere outside.

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