We all want to try and keep our food fresh for as long as possible.
This is especially true when it comes to fruit and vegetables, as the last thing we want to do is waste food.
But – when it comes to tomatoes – it turns out many of us could be making the same mistake.
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Despite food inflation dropping slightly to 17.4% in June, recent reports revealed food prices in the UK have doubled in the past year with meat, vegetable and dairy products being the worst affected.
Even so, InSinkErator discovered that Brits are still not storing their food properly to ensure maximum freshness.
According to ONS, the price of tomatoes increased by 10% in the last 12 months, with prices having jumped from an average cost of £2.19 to £3.19.
Despite increasing prices, tomatoes are one of the most commonly wasted food products in the UK, with 733million tomatoes ending up in household bins every year – that’s over 2m tomatoes per day.
But there's a secret way to find out how fresh your tomatoes actually are.
A lot of households in the UK will opt for putting their tomatoes in the fridge straight away, but that’s not always the wisest idea if you’re wanting the perfect tomato for your meal.
When you bring your tomatoes home, you should do a simple test to see what condition they're in.
Check the ripeness of your tomatoes – if your tomatoes are ripe they should have a bit of give in them when touched.
Ripe tomatoes usually let off a light fragrance too, so if you’re unsure after touching the tomato, this should give you a definitive answer.
For ripe tomatoes, you can either consume these now or preserve the freshness in the fridge.
Keeping them in the fridge will help them to last for around two weeks.
If you bring home tomatoes that aren’t quite there yet, it’s better to leave them on the side to ripen, as the fridge will interrupt the process, leaving you with tasteless tomatoes.
Tomatoes can actually survive for up to seven days out of the fridge, as long as they are kept at room temperature and out of direct sunlight.
Phillip Quantrell, Brand Ambassador and Food Waste Expert, from InSinkErator, said: "Tomatoes are an extremely popular and versatile food, however, the amount we’re currently wasting them on a daily basis needs to be reduced drastically.
"While some food waste is inevitable, taking steps like those highlighted above to reduce food waste in your household can make a huge difference.
"If you are presented with food that is unsafe to eat and needs to be wasted, composting is a great way to manage food waste.
"However, where composting isn’t possible, InSinkErating your food waste by using an InSinkErator food waste disposer is an ideal alternative to the food waste caddy.
"An InSinkErator allows for food waste to be dealt with instantly, and hygienically-which is very important for homes during the height of summer to help to keep the dreaded smelly bins at bay."
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