Naturally Healthy Parenting The parent's guide to a healthy family
From blenders to soup makers, there are plenty of great things you can buy to put in your kitchen, but one thing you should never do without is a couple of paper shopping bags. Here are just four reasons why.
- You Can Rehydrate Stale Bread
So, you want to make a sandwich, but you reach for your bread and find that it’s gone stale. That’s a nightmare scenario for anyone in need of a quick snack, but you can put things right using a regular old paper bag. Simply place the stale bread in the paper bag, moisten the bag with some water, then stick it in a hot oven for a couple of minutes. The steaming effect will help the bread get nice and moist once again.
- You Can Ripen Fruit
It’s easy to grow impatient with your unripe fruit, but paper bags can come to the rescue and speed things up. Grab your fruit, stick it in the paper bag, roll the top of the bag, then sit it on the counter for a day or so. The bag will capture the ethylene gas fruit releases, which will cause it to ripen faster. Don’t use a plastic bag – you’ll just trap the fruit’s moisture and cause it to rot.
- You Can Keep Your Mushrooms
Want to keep your mushrooms fresh and stop them getting slimy? Just use a paper bag. The excess moisture will be absorbed to prevent them drying out too quickly, but not enough moisture will be left to turn them slimy.
- You Can Make Popcorn
If you have a brown paper bag handy, you can whip up some delicious homemade popcorn. Simply add kernels to the bag and then fold over the top a time or two. Microwave the bag on high until there’s a one second gap between pops – this should take around 90 seconds to 2 minutes. Stop the microwave and pour your popcorn into a large bowl, seasoning as you desire to achieve the perfect flavour.