With supermarket prices soaring, Brits are keeping a tighter grip on their wallets and paying closer attention to how they store their hard-bought groceries. Gone are the days when you'd chuck your garlic in the fridge without a second thought. Now, a top chef has come forward with a nifty trick that could keep your garlic fresh for a staggering six months, potentially saving you a tidy sum over time.
So, where should you stash your garlic? Many might instinctively pop it in the fridge with other veggies for the week's meals, but this common practice might actually be shortening its shelf life, and as a result, you're not getting the most bang for your buck from those bulbs.
Professional chef and food storage expert Jerry James Stone has spilled the beans on the optimal way to extend your garlic's freshness up to half a year, emphasizing that "while it is inexpensive, you want to make sure you get the most out of your money.".
It's all about the pennies, after all – take care of them, and the pounds will take care of themselves. To put it into perspective, a single garlic bulb at Sainsbury's might only set you back 24p, but buying one every week for six months can rack up to nearly £6.
Jerry advises that a whole bulb of garlic can last up to six months, provided the cloves remain intact. He recommends storing garlic in a cool, dry place - but not in the fridge. "You want it to be sort of room temperature," he told the Express. It should also be kept in a "very dry spot" with "no humidity" and minimal light. Jerry cautioned against storing garlic in a drawer as it requires airflow.
