Balanced Diet with a Longer Shelf Life

Posted on April 19 2020. Written by Yakult.

We are used to having constant access to fresh foods at the supermarket. However, this is not always possible. As a result, this can leave us feeling lost on how to maintain a balanced diet in a time of shortage. We have our top tips on how to consume a balanced diet all year round with long life food.

Frozen Fruit and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are essential in our diet to make sure we’re getting enough vitamins, minerals and fibre throughout the day. However, the shelf life on a lot of produce is very short and buying in bulk isn’t always an option. Thankfully, frozen fruits and vegetables are very readily available and can be stored for long periods of time.
People often think that fresh is best, however, frozen fruit and vegetables have the same, and sometimes higher, levels of vitamins and minerals. In short, as they are snap-frozen right after picking, it locks in the nutrients that might usually breakdown over time.

Canned Beans and Legumes

Tinned foods have a very long shelf life and have a very broad range of product offerings. There is often stigma surrounding tinned and canned foods, as it’s assume everything is highly ‘processed’ and poor quality. However, canned beans and legumes such as kidney beans, black beans and chickpeas are great sources of protein. They can also cut down preparation time dramatically.
Look for low salt options where possible and rinse the salty brine off to reduce the salt even further.

Long Life Dairy

People often think that if a milk is not kept in the fridge, it must be highly processed and bad for you. However, this is not the case! Long life milk is simply heat treated differently to refrigerated milks. It’s then sealed tightly, making it more stable and therefore can be stored on the shelf until opened. Luckily, the nutrients in both refrigerated and long-life milks stay the same, which makes long life milk a great option in a time of food shortages.
Milk powder is another great option for long-life dairy. It can be kept in the pantry for long periods of time and be made up when needed.

Freezing foods

Freezing food is a great way to extend the shelf-life of products without effecting their nutrient content. Meat, eggs and bread are great items that can be stored in the freezer until needed.

So next time that you’re shopping and can’t find your usual products, use these tips to make sure you still get to consume a healthy balanced diet, all year round!