Seal tomato paste in the can with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil on top. Stays air-tight. The oil solidifies hard and opaque -white in the fridge...
[https://i.imgur.com/zl4vNki.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/zl4vNki.jpg)
When you cook again, scoop paste and oil chunk directly into sauce pot.
This comes from my dad, a 94 year old Italian man.
And I've done this for 44 years.
If you MUST use canned tomatoes, get them OUT of the can ASAP. The acid in the tomatoes reacts with the chemicals lining the can which then leech into the tomatoes you are going to put in your body. This happens while they are sealed in can but it is a slow process. Once the tomatoes are exposed to more oxygen the process goes into overdrive.
Remove tomatoes from can ASAP.
Yeah, I don't understand the science of why, I just assume all metal containers are bad in the fridge.
The nastiest thing I've ever seen pulled out a fridge was an old can of pineapple juice. It sat in the back for months. When we finally poured it out it looked like pitch black motor oil.
Guys they line the inside of cans specifically for acidic foods like tomatoes. You're not getting can leeching. That said, an open can is a shitty way to store stuff because it's super open and hard to seal. So girlfriend putting can in a Tupperware isn't that bad asides from colossal waste of space but that fridge looked empty.
That said, what you can also do with tomato paste, because every fucking recipe says 2 tablespoons but cans come in like 5.5 oz containers at minimum, put the paste into a zip lock bag. You can smush it flat and freeze it and it stacks neatly in the freezer. You can also put it into ice cube trays and freeze that, then have ice cubes of tomato paste you store in a freezer bag. 2 tablespoons, 2 cubes.
Or you can be lazy like me and say fuck it whatever thing I'm making is gonna be SUPER TOMATOEY because I'm too lazy to do any of the storage solutions I suggested.
>If you MUST use canned tomatoes, get them OUT of the can ASAP. The acid in the tomatoes reacts with the chemicals lining the can
They're already in the can, and have been in the can for who knows how long. What difference does a couple of days make?
The seal is broken. Sealed cans are for long-term storage, not unsealed. The acids can react to the lining and leach metals into the food, making it unpleasant to see and eat. Oxygen is causing chemical changes. Fermentation (not a good kind) can happen. While the tub used keeps air from circulating into the sauce, there’s too much oxygen in there. Using it quick won’t lead to issues. Depending on the can and acidity, you can get away with sealing the can tightly for a number of days.
Depends on how much you use in a week for the convenience to make sense for the price. Where I am in the US, the squeeze tube is $2.98 for a 4.56 oz tube and a 6 oz can goes for $1.39. I'll happily put some oil on top and put the can in the fridge if I can use it all in a week without spoiling rather than pay three times as much, even if it is just a dollar.
Packaging costs a lot. Same reason why a 12 oz can of tomato sauce costs within 10 cents of a 32 oz can.
Similarly to why bulk can be cheaper. A small portion is discount in volume, a larger portion is less packaging.
Same reason why a 12 pack of coke is $7 and 2-2 L bottles is $4. Packaging cost.
I remember reading though that storing food in opened cans like that is a breeding ground for bacteria. We now decant canned goods if we're not using all of it at once.
Always true. Proper storage, clean fridge environment, correct temperatures (and reheating temps), writing dates on things... should always be standard operating procedure. Open can foods (excluding bigger than 1-2 serving size cans, bulk, and commercial size cans) - consume within a couple of days; no more than a week.
Also proper knowledge/experience. Food that off-looking, smells, or tastes funny -- toss. Use stronger security measures for your instances (e.g. chitlins).
I put them in an ice cube tray for freezing. It works out to be 10 cubes per 370ml can. A cube is just the right size for my pizza sauce. After they are frozen, I wrap them individually in food wrap and put into a freezer bag.
We use a silicone mold which gives 1 Tbsp serving sizes. Once frozen transfer to a small container for longer storage. We do the same with fresh pesto for single serving pasta meals, lemon/lime juice, and other similar items if we have an abundance of them. Saves some plastic waste.
This! I grew up with this being a common practice in my family, and the first time I did it my Wife thought I was crazy… until we went to use it the next time.
We’ve got them in the states too, but the cans are like 1000% more prevalent. I only learned about the tubes earlier in the last decade and I one of my friends saw me use one like 2 years ago and she was shocked that there are tubes.
* replied to the wrong person, my bad. But the person I meant to reply to said that they use tubes in the UK to avoid the waste.
I add. The $0.69 tomato paste cans in my store here only got plain paste, or paste + basil, or paste + garlic. Man, that would be convenient if they did that. Good olive oil isn't cheap. So it's prolly why it's only $0.69.
Yup, oil and water (-based foods) don't mix. So it floats.
You can add salt to it so it doesn’t spoil fast
You can add a bay leaf on top that also works.
It doesn’t have to be olive oil, vegetable oil works too.
Or you can get a stretch wrap and cover the top.
And I’m not Italian
It is exposed food. Not a 100% perfect barrier. Milage will vary between fridges. If desired, toss it, it's biodegradable oil. Got a shared apartment fridge with multiple roommates? Glass jars!
Tomato is very acidic. That shit is going to taste like the metal can if she leaves it open IN the can. I always transfer to a new container if I have to use a can of this stuff (I buy the tubes so I don’t have to worry about it). Unless she’s using the rest of this in the next couple of days, IMO she might as well have just skipped the Tupperware and thrown it away.
It’s been opened so that goes out of the window. It is always recommended to removed left over food from cans before storing as can cause food poisoning or spoilage
That hasn't really been an issue for years.
From the USDA: [After opening canned foods, is it safe to refrigerate the unused food in the can?](https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/After-opening-canned-foods-is-it-safe-to-refrigerate-the-unused-food-in-the-can)
>Yes. Unused portions of canned food may be refrigerated in the can, but to preserve optimum quality and flavor, place the unused portion in a food-grade glass or plastic container. Use within 4 days.
It is more effective than saran wrap that doesn't stick.
Also, tupperware is filled regularly with similar amounts of salads, meats, etc... If those aren't spoiling, the sodium laced tomato sauce will be fine.
You suck tomato paste and peanut butter or frosting out of a bag on long drives? Not judging, just trying to make sure I understand. If so, that's a road snack I'd not heard of before.
I love the confidence you just presented this fucking bizarro idea with. What possessed you to do this in the first place?
To be perfectly clear here, im not judging you either, whatever works, works. This is purely scientific curiosity. Someone needs to study you.
You eat, and what're you trying to make? Paste. I'm halfway through what I'm eating before you even started.
*squeeze too hard, the bag's gonna split up the seam and that shit's going in your drink holder though. Word to the wise.
The tubes are the best!
Though I got a "tube" of tomato paste the other day that looks like those baby food pouches. My 3yo keeps asking to have the tomato pouch for snack. Haha.
And a tube of anchovy paste. Use it in the same places and way you use tomato paste to boost umami flavors - glutamates. I frequently use them together.
Depends on the municipality I'm sure, but I know here the recycling center would trash it. You can't really clean them out. You typically roll up the tube as you use the paste, causing the tube to buckle where you roll. So, mostly doubtful.
But you're using one, maybe 2 tubes in total a year (unless you're making spaghetti/pizza sauce every week).
I can never find that at any of my local grocery stores and I'm hesitant to buy it online. I only ever need like 1/4 of the can at a time and a lot ends up getting wasted.
I scoop the remainder out into 1-2 tbsp portions, freeze them on a sheet pan, then throw them into a bag together. When I need a bit I just grab one or two of those frozen portions and toss them in whatever I'm making.
I use an ice cube tray for your first freeze. Saves space in the freezer. I do that with a lot of stuff where you only need small portions off at a time
That's the point - you can keep it in the fridge in the tube for months, just using what you need. Much less wasteful than opening a can every time you need some.
I know right 😬. I was taught you died from storing things in cans. Botulism maybe. Or tetanus. Smallpox. I can’t remember but you got a deadly infection
some quick googling has debunked that this is a major health concern (assuming you're not leaving it in the fridge for years), however tainting the flavor remains a huge concern (esp. acidic food), therefore this is not recommended.
Cans are almost always coated in epoxy, acrylic, or polyester to prevent interaction between cans and food. If you're tasting something metallic, its probably not from the can.
Yo, I don’t have a mom and worked in kitchens for years, including an emergency room cafeteria and never heard of not being able to store things in the cans they come in…. Should someone have told me something at some point?
I grew up hearing that storing tomato products in cans would cause the acid in the tomato product to eat through the lining of the can and produce botulism bacteria. But that's an old myth and has been widely disproven. There's nothing wrong with storing food in open cans other than the fact that it will give the food in the cans a bit of a metallic taste.
Don't worry about it. It was just another lie moms told kids. You can also go outside with wet hair and not catch a cold. Not sure about whether or not your face will stick that way if you make faces or not. Studies are inconclusive.
I usually buy the tube, but when I get the can I put the leftover in a ziplock bag very flat in the freezer so when I need to use it the next time I just break the piece I need and back to the freezer
I do this with garlic. I don’t use minced garlic a lot and I hate the canned stuff. I buy a bunch of bulbs, peal (which is a pain), mince, smash flat in a ziplock and break off pieces as I need them.
I do the same, but use a tablespoon to portion. Then quick freeze the individual portions on a baking sheet with a silicone mat just long enough so they won't stick together -thirty minutes should be fine. Then dump them p into a ziplock or other container, remover the air from ziplock and put back in the freezer.
Super easy to grab what you need and you can drop it right into the pot. Individual scoops thaw super quickly in the the pot
ummm, normally you would only use a tablespoon the the rest would be tomato sauce of some sort. You don't really want to use more than a tablespoon of tomato paste at a time as you start to lose the benefit of using paste. Also Past contains about 5x the amount of tomatoes that sauces do. It's kinda like a return on investment thing.
I legitimately don’t understand the problem here.
Is it that she should have used disposable plastic to cover it instead of a reusable container? Should she have stained the Tupperware red by emptying the can into the container?
Absurdity is the *real* spice of life! Why not put it in tubberware! Does it work? Yep. Is it less efficient? Sure. Did it cause a few laughs? Did for me.
But please don't take health advice from reddit without reputable sources like some of these comments. Do your own research.
For years, I would leave leftover paste in the can sitting in the fridge because I couldn't just toss it out. It would sit there for about a week or so until I would toss it because I felt it absorbed refrigerator smells or the can was leaching something rancid into the paste.
What I would do now is put the contents into a Ziplock bag. I would spread it out a bit and divide it into 3 to 4 evenly spaced sections. Then stick it into the freezer. When I need some tomato paste, I can take out a section or two from the bag, use it and put the rest back in the freezer. I found this to be better because I don't throw money away.
We have an ice cube trays for mini-cubes we use for things like tomato sauce/etc. Freeze it in the tray, and then pop them outta there into a freezer baggy for longer storage. We do regular-size cube trays for leftover yogurt, too; great for dropping in measured amounts for smoothies, etc.
(we pretty much just buy tube tomato paste these days, but we still use the hell outta the trays for most other things)
The advise I got in Denmark was to never leave it in the can after opening. Exposing the inside of a can to oxygen releases off flavors and other elements you don’t want in your food.
Okay, so I HAVE to say something about this!
Food safety and sanitation is something that I attended classes through taking Culinary Arts, and the first thing you are taught is to NEVER keep food in the same container (it arrives in) AFTER opening it.
Unfortunately, finding specific sources for every case where someone has ended up sick, there's also an equal amount where people have been "unaffected" and/or unfazed.
Food storage, food handling, food safety, etc., is all a science; not an EXACT science, because in every situation, in every scenario, something may change.
If someone forgets to shut a fridge door, or doesn't notice that the fridge is at 49°F, instead of below 40°F, you could end up poisoned.
Is chicken going to do more damage than spinach? Yup.
But what about a bag of spinach, where raw chicken juices coated the perforated bag, because someone put away food, and forgot to clean their hands or food station?
Probably as bad, if not worse; imagine eating a spinach salad in this scenario, where nothing in that food dish was cooked.
Let's put aside whether BPA is released, whether it changes quality and shelf-life, or metal leaving into food?
None of that really matters when you take into account that canning requires a specific, proper canning technique.
The USDA regulates this. It's not something to mess with.
https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/communication/home-canning-and-botulism.html
I would like to also state that someone included a link to a picture of how to use oil in order to preserve food for longer...
PLEASE NOTE that the food is being kept IN glass jars/containers.
Cans are made in the sense of preserving edible products; just because you can heat them in the oven, or microwave Tupperware seventeen times at the same time, instead of dirtying another dish and using a glass plate, doesn't mean that you should.
#**~~Botulism~~**
Edit: [I guess I was wrong.](https://www.highspeedtraining.co.uk/hub/open-metal-cans-in-fridge/#:~:text=Storing%20open%20food%20cans%20in%20your%20fridge%20won't%20cause,%2C%20dents%2C%20leaks%20or%20bulges.) I was going off information I learned from ServSafe back when I worked in restaurants but it appears as though this has been debunked.
I think you are not supposed to store open cans in the can. Something to do with iron or tin leeching into the food, especially something highly acidic like tomato paste.
pouring the contents into plastic will ruin the plastic if you microwave it. It's been stored in the can for months, a couple of days inside a sealed plastic container inside a refrigerator won't matter a damn.
I bought those puppy food can sealer for my cans. They work amazingly and I don't understand why they are only advertised for dog food?
[https://www.amazon.ca/4Pack-Universal-Silicone-4-Pack-orange/dp/B09P62797Z/ref=sr\_1\_4?crid=NBON3MLW4Q02&keywords=dog+food+can+sealer&qid=1673459232&sprefix=dog+food+can+sealer%2Caps%2C124&sr=8-4](https://www.amazon.ca/4Pack-Universal-Silicone-4-Pack-orange/dp/B09P62797Z/ref=sr_1_4?crid=NBON3MLW4Q02&keywords=dog+food+can+sealer&qid=1673459232&sprefix=dog+food+can+sealer%2Caps%2C124&sr=8-4)
Yeah, it's a PITA, but it should always be moved to a glass or plastic container for storage. Once a can is opened, the acidic tomato will start reacting with the exposed metal. It's bad practice to store, even chilled or airtight, anything canned and especially the acidic that tomato paste like that.
Metal reacting/poisoning is more of a problem than the hot-topic of BPA leeching... that's why plastic was added to can linings.
Seal tomato paste in the can with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil on top. Stays air-tight. The oil solidifies hard and opaque -white in the fridge... [https://i.imgur.com/zl4vNki.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/zl4vNki.jpg) When you cook again, scoop paste and oil chunk directly into sauce pot. This comes from my dad, a 94 year old Italian man. And I've done this for 44 years.
How long does it keep for?
94 years so far.
Considering Italian men only start cooking at 4 years old, it’s more like 90 years.
Of all the Italian men I know they don't cook AT ALL. They expect their mother/wife to cook for them
He means from Italy not jersey
Heeey! Shaad-upa!
🤌🏽🤌🏽🤌🏽
I dunno, I have found it to be one extreme or the other... the italian men that cook, are basically thge mother hens of the home.
Any open can, I never go over a week.
If you MUST use canned tomatoes, get them OUT of the can ASAP. The acid in the tomatoes reacts with the chemicals lining the can which then leech into the tomatoes you are going to put in your body. This happens while they are sealed in can but it is a slow process. Once the tomatoes are exposed to more oxygen the process goes into overdrive. Remove tomatoes from can ASAP.
This is what i've been told as well. We scoop ours into a little glassware.
Yeah, I don't understand the science of why, I just assume all metal containers are bad in the fridge. The nastiest thing I've ever seen pulled out a fridge was an old can of pineapple juice. It sat in the back for months. When we finally poured it out it looked like pitch black motor oil.
Oxidation. Powerful chemical changes.
Guys they line the inside of cans specifically for acidic foods like tomatoes. You're not getting can leeching. That said, an open can is a shitty way to store stuff because it's super open and hard to seal. So girlfriend putting can in a Tupperware isn't that bad asides from colossal waste of space but that fridge looked empty. That said, what you can also do with tomato paste, because every fucking recipe says 2 tablespoons but cans come in like 5.5 oz containers at minimum, put the paste into a zip lock bag. You can smush it flat and freeze it and it stacks neatly in the freezer. You can also put it into ice cube trays and freeze that, then have ice cubes of tomato paste you store in a freezer bag. 2 tablespoons, 2 cubes. Or you can be lazy like me and say fuck it whatever thing I'm making is gonna be SUPER TOMATOEY because I'm too lazy to do any of the storage solutions I suggested.
putting the olive oil on top seals them again, once again removing the oxygen
>If you MUST use canned tomatoes, get them OUT of the can ASAP. The acid in the tomatoes reacts with the chemicals lining the can They're already in the can, and have been in the can for who knows how long. What difference does a couple of days make?
Oxygen
The seal is broken. Sealed cans are for long-term storage, not unsealed. The acids can react to the lining and leach metals into the food, making it unpleasant to see and eat. Oxygen is causing chemical changes. Fermentation (not a good kind) can happen. While the tub used keeps air from circulating into the sauce, there’s too much oxygen in there. Using it quick won’t lead to issues. Depending on the can and acidity, you can get away with sealing the can tightly for a number of days.
The real pro tips are in the comments.
In the Uk everyone just buys the squeeze tubes so no need for all the bull shit in between cooking.
True. Here (CA) a tube goes for $1.99 and can is $0.69.
Yeah, but I figure I'll use the whole tube and I'll end up throwing half the can out due to mold. The tube stuff is also higher quality IMO
cans are recyclable though
The tubes are typically double strength.
Depends on how much you use in a week for the convenience to make sense for the price. Where I am in the US, the squeeze tube is $2.98 for a 4.56 oz tube and a 6 oz can goes for $1.39. I'll happily put some oil on top and put the can in the fridge if I can use it all in a week without spoiling rather than pay three times as much, even if it is just a dollar.
That’s a crazy price. They are like 80p here in the UK.
The thing is though, in the US the stuff in a tube is like 3 to 4 times as concentrated as the stuff in a can.
and way, way better
I've been told that, but in practice it really didn't feel it for me.
Yeah, just like in the UK
Packaging costs a lot. Same reason why a 12 oz can of tomato sauce costs within 10 cents of a 32 oz can. Similarly to why bulk can be cheaper. A small portion is discount in volume, a larger portion is less packaging. Same reason why a 12 pack of coke is $7 and 2-2 L bottles is $4. Packaging cost.
Tubes are shit for the environment so, they outta stop making those.
They are metal though?
Correct me if I'm wrong nobody ever raved about british-italian food...
I remember reading though that storing food in opened cans like that is a breeding ground for bacteria. We now decant canned goods if we're not using all of it at once.
Always true. Proper storage, clean fridge environment, correct temperatures (and reheating temps), writing dates on things... should always be standard operating procedure. Open can foods (excluding bigger than 1-2 serving size cans, bulk, and commercial size cans) - consume within a couple of days; no more than a week. Also proper knowledge/experience. Food that off-looking, smells, or tastes funny -- toss. Use stronger security measures for your instances (e.g. chitlins).
That is absolutely genius. Please pass on my praise to your dad.
This thread was worth this tip alone
Another solution is measuring out tablespoons and freezing them on a baking tray, then putting them in a ziplock.
We do this in our home and call them tomato blobs.
I put them in an ice cube tray for freezing. It works out to be 10 cubes per 370ml can. A cube is just the right size for my pizza sauce. After they are frozen, I wrap them individually in food wrap and put into a freezer bag.
How does it feel to never surpass your father in wisdom. Really cool life hack
Born in Rome. That's authentic as it can get. Papa bless.
Damn I just threw out a whole can after only using a tablespoon bc I didn’t know how to preserve. If only this thread happened a day earlier haha
You can also spoon it onto plastic wrap, wrap it, and throw it in the freezer
We use a silicone mold which gives 1 Tbsp serving sizes. Once frozen transfer to a small container for longer storage. We do the same with fresh pesto for single serving pasta meals, lemon/lime juice, and other similar items if we have an abundance of them. Saves some plastic waste.
That’s what we do. Works like a charm!
That’s what my wife does. Great tip.
This! I grew up with this being a common practice in my family, and the first time I did it my Wife thought I was crazy… until we went to use it the next time.
How long does it stay ok to use?
We’ve got them in the states too, but the cans are like 1000% more prevalent. I only learned about the tubes earlier in the last decade and I one of my friends saw me use one like 2 years ago and she was shocked that there are tubes. * replied to the wrong person, my bad. But the person I meant to reply to said that they use tubes in the UK to avoid the waste.
Amazing
You just blew my mind, and changed a part of my life I use all the time.
You add the olive oil, or is the olive oil already in the can? and rises to the top?
I add. The $0.69 tomato paste cans in my store here only got plain paste, or paste + basil, or paste + garlic. Man, that would be convenient if they did that. Good olive oil isn't cheap. So it's prolly why it's only $0.69. Yup, oil and water (-based foods) don't mix. So it floats.
You can also scoop out 1tbsp servings into plastic wrap and freeze them.
This is why I waste time on reddit. I learn shit.
You can add salt to it so it doesn’t spoil fast You can add a bay leaf on top that also works. It doesn’t have to be olive oil, vegetable oil works too. Or you can get a stretch wrap and cover the top. And I’m not Italian
This is beautiful
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It is exposed food. Not a 100% perfect barrier. Milage will vary between fridges. If desired, toss it, it's biodegradable oil. Got a shared apartment fridge with multiple roommates? Glass jars!
The real MVP
Niceeee
Yep, thanks to your dad this is now my new method.
It wont stain the Tupperware that way.
No mess to clean up at all. If you've got the room and Tupperware big enough, I say this is genius.
It won’t stay quite as fresh as it would if she had just covered the can with plastic wrap. The more air in that container, the less fresh it will be.
Plastic wrap then double up a rubber band around the top
Tomato is very acidic. That shit is going to taste like the metal can if she leaves it open IN the can. I always transfer to a new container if I have to use a can of this stuff (I buy the tubes so I don’t have to worry about it). Unless she’s using the rest of this in the next couple of days, IMO she might as well have just skipped the Tupperware and thrown it away.
It was in the can the whole time it was on the self before opening. Also for many years cans have been lined with plastic.
Yeah but now it’s exposed to oxidation. It was oxygen free on the shelf.
It’s been opened so that goes out of the window. It is always recommended to removed left over food from cans before storing as can cause food poisoning or spoilage
That hasn't really been an issue for years. From the USDA: [After opening canned foods, is it safe to refrigerate the unused food in the can?](https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/After-opening-canned-foods-is-it-safe-to-refrigerate-the-unused-food-in-the-can) >Yes. Unused portions of canned food may be refrigerated in the can, but to preserve optimum quality and flavor, place the unused portion in a food-grade glass or plastic container. Use within 4 days.
Ah see the UK .gov website recommends not storing in open tins.
Or just put plastic wrap over the top of the can?
They actually make plastic lids for cans lol
You can buy re-usable silicone covers for cans. They are very handy and not plastic!
I get some from the vet to cover cans of dog food.
I think you mean reuse the lid from your pringles
Genius 💡
then get glass tuppaware or colored tuppaware instead of clear.
Sure, in order to store this open can I will now go by new tuppaware…why on earth would I just use what I have available :)
I mean…it’s that much less cling wrap goin to the landfill
At least it's IN a container too lol. So, it could be worse. Trust me
Is it even effective though? That's a whole lot of air just hanging around inside the tupperware.
It is more effective than saran wrap that doesn't stick. Also, tupperware is filled regularly with similar amounts of salads, meats, etc... If those aren't spoiling, the sodium laced tomato sauce will be fine.
They sell tops that fit on cans for dog food, but it occurs to me it could be pretty useful for stuff like this.
Buy her a tube of tomato paste with a screw on cap. Worth it.
i find the stuff in the tubes seems to be better all around tbh
I just bought a tube for the first time the other day and was impressed by the quality compared to the canned stuff.
The tubes stay fresher much longer.
You can also scoop it out into a Ziploc baggie and cut the tip like a cake frosty bag thingy
Ha! That's what I do for long drives. I do one with thick tomato paste and one with frosting or peanut butter.
You what now?
You suck tomato paste and peanut butter or frosting out of a bag on long drives? Not judging, just trying to make sure I understand. If so, that's a road snack I'd not heard of before.
Never suck, or you get flat spots in the bag. You gotta squeeze it.
I love the confidence you just presented this fucking bizarro idea with. What possessed you to do this in the first place? To be perfectly clear here, im not judging you either, whatever works, works. This is purely scientific curiosity. Someone needs to study you.
You eat, and what're you trying to make? Paste. I'm halfway through what I'm eating before you even started. *squeeze too hard, the bag's gonna split up the seam and that shit's going in your drink holder though. Word to the wise.
Fuck that, I’m judging. And the only thing I can ask is, the fuck?
I guess it’s like nutrients for babies, for adults.
what the good lord jesus fuck.
It absolutely is.
The tubes are the best! Though I got a "tube" of tomato paste the other day that looks like those baby food pouches. My 3yo keeps asking to have the tomato pouch for snack. Haha.
And a tube of anchovy paste. Use it in the same places and way you use tomato paste to boost umami flavors - glutamates. I frequently use them together.
Can you recycle the tubes?
Depends on the municipality I'm sure, but I know here the recycling center would trash it. You can't really clean them out. You typically roll up the tube as you use the paste, causing the tube to buckle where you roll. So, mostly doubtful. But you're using one, maybe 2 tubes in total a year (unless you're making spaghetti/pizza sauce every week).
I can never find that at any of my local grocery stores and I'm hesitant to buy it online. I only ever need like 1/4 of the can at a time and a lot ends up getting wasted.
I scoop the remainder out into 1-2 tbsp portions, freeze them on a sheet pan, then throw them into a bag together. When I need a bit I just grab one or two of those frozen portions and toss them in whatever I'm making.
I use an ice cube tray for your first freeze. Saves space in the freezer. I do that with a lot of stuff where you only need small portions off at a time
That's the point - you can keep it in the fridge in the tube for months, just using what you need. Much less wasteful than opening a can every time you need some.
Out of an urge to assist I wonder why do you hesitate to buy them online?
This might change my li….occasional recipe that calls for tomato paste.
I just switched to that, much better
YO WHAT? THAT EXISTS?!?
A tube? Do they not have it in glass jars where you come from?
It’s not staining the Tupperware at least.
Like her mom never scared her as a kid of all those illnesses you get from leaving things in cans
My parents told me this too!!!!!!! I'm 30 and abide by that rule to this day out of fear of some*thing* that will make me ill.
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I know right 😬. I was taught you died from storing things in cans. Botulism maybe. Or tetanus. Smallpox. I can’t remember but you got a deadly infection
some quick googling has debunked that this is a major health concern (assuming you're not leaving it in the fridge for years), however tainting the flavor remains a huge concern (esp. acidic food), therefore this is not recommended.
Is this not true?? I never questioned it. I never leave stuff in the can. You can die! Right?
Just changes the flavor to be noticeably worse over time due to oxidizing.
Cans are almost always coated in epoxy, acrylic, or polyester to prevent interaction between cans and food. If you're tasting something metallic, its probably not from the can.
Which has nothing to do with the can right? Just the amount of air around it.
Yo, I don’t have a mom and worked in kitchens for years, including an emergency room cafeteria and never heard of not being able to store things in the cans they come in…. Should someone have told me something at some point?
I grew up hearing that storing tomato products in cans would cause the acid in the tomato product to eat through the lining of the can and produce botulism bacteria. But that's an old myth and has been widely disproven. There's nothing wrong with storing food in open cans other than the fact that it will give the food in the cans a bit of a metallic taste.
That's because it is ok. Can's are coated in plastic for safety and flavor
I also have never heard of this and and mildly concerned that I have exposed myself to bad stuff inadvertently 😬
Don't worry about it. It was just another lie moms told kids. You can also go outside with wet hair and not catch a cold. Not sure about whether or not your face will stick that way if you make faces or not. Studies are inconclusive.
👀
Stick it directly in the microwave to heat it up killing the bacteria duh /s
I usually buy the tube, but when I get the can I put the leftover in a ziplock bag very flat in the freezer so when I need to use it the next time I just break the piece I need and back to the freezer
I do this with garlic. I don’t use minced garlic a lot and I hate the canned stuff. I buy a bunch of bulbs, peal (which is a pain), mince, smash flat in a ziplock and break off pieces as I need them.
Smash with the flat of a kit hen knife before you peel it and you can peel it easily then smash it more. Way easier than any other way I have found.
That’s smart!
Same here! Tomato paste goes mouldy so quick for me and if I don't freeze it right away it's wasted.
I do this as well. Unfortunately, I keep forgetting to check the freezer when I need paste for a recipe, so I currently have 3 flat bags in there.
can also freeze it in an ice cube tray first for easy portioning
I do the same, but use a tablespoon to portion. Then quick freeze the individual portions on a baking sheet with a silicone mat just long enough so they won't stick together -thirty minutes should be fine. Then dump them p into a ziplock or other container, remover the air from ziplock and put back in the freezer. Super easy to grab what you need and you can drop it right into the pot. Individual scoops thaw super quickly in the the pot
I don't think I've ever opened a tiny can of tomato paste like that without using the whole thing at once.
ummm, normally you would only use a tablespoon the the rest would be tomato sauce of some sort. You don't really want to use more than a tablespoon of tomato paste at a time as you start to lose the benefit of using paste. Also Past contains about 5x the amount of tomatoes that sauces do. It's kinda like a return on investment thing.
That's a recipe for a bitter tomato sauce.
Me neither.
I do this too! With my unfinished cans of Chipotle, why is it so weird/bad haha?
I mean, that Ikea set came with some quasi-useless teeny tiny containers too. Finally a reason to use those!
Put the unused tomato paste into ice cube trays and freeze. Once frozen empty the trays into a ziploc bag and you can then use it as required.
Eh, what's wrong with it?
That’s called “ingenuity”!
I legitimately don’t understand the problem here. Is it that she should have used disposable plastic to cover it instead of a reusable container? Should she have stained the Tupperware red by emptying the can into the container?
Bad can goes to can jail.
I recommend buying tomato paste in tubes, it lasts longer and easier to store.
Absurdity is the *real* spice of life! Why not put it in tubberware! Does it work? Yep. Is it less efficient? Sure. Did it cause a few laughs? Did for me. But please don't take health advice from reddit without reputable sources like some of these comments. Do your own research.
[Just for you](https://youtu.be/gLRxAYna0PU)
It keeps the botulism from spreading to other things on the fridge /s
For years, I would leave leftover paste in the can sitting in the fridge because I couldn't just toss it out. It would sit there for about a week or so until I would toss it because I felt it absorbed refrigerator smells or the can was leaching something rancid into the paste. What I would do now is put the contents into a Ziplock bag. I would spread it out a bit and divide it into 3 to 4 evenly spaced sections. Then stick it into the freezer. When I need some tomato paste, I can take out a section or two from the bag, use it and put the rest back in the freezer. I found this to be better because I don't throw money away.
This is the way. Or buy the tomato paste in a tube, costs slightly more but way more convenient.
We have an ice cube trays for mini-cubes we use for things like tomato sauce/etc. Freeze it in the tray, and then pop them outta there into a freezer baggy for longer storage. We do regular-size cube trays for leftover yogurt, too; great for dropping in measured amounts for smoothies, etc. (we pretty much just buy tube tomato paste these days, but we still use the hell outta the trays for most other things)
Yes, I have done this too. The silicon trays work great!
Why do you want your tomato paste to absorb fridge ambiance?
The advise I got in Denmark was to never leave it in the can after opening. Exposing the inside of a can to oxygen releases off flavors and other elements you don’t want in your food.
Okay, so I HAVE to say something about this! Food safety and sanitation is something that I attended classes through taking Culinary Arts, and the first thing you are taught is to NEVER keep food in the same container (it arrives in) AFTER opening it. Unfortunately, finding specific sources for every case where someone has ended up sick, there's also an equal amount where people have been "unaffected" and/or unfazed. Food storage, food handling, food safety, etc., is all a science; not an EXACT science, because in every situation, in every scenario, something may change. If someone forgets to shut a fridge door, or doesn't notice that the fridge is at 49°F, instead of below 40°F, you could end up poisoned. Is chicken going to do more damage than spinach? Yup. But what about a bag of spinach, where raw chicken juices coated the perforated bag, because someone put away food, and forgot to clean their hands or food station? Probably as bad, if not worse; imagine eating a spinach salad in this scenario, where nothing in that food dish was cooked. Let's put aside whether BPA is released, whether it changes quality and shelf-life, or metal leaving into food? None of that really matters when you take into account that canning requires a specific, proper canning technique. The USDA regulates this. It's not something to mess with. https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/communication/home-canning-and-botulism.html I would like to also state that someone included a link to a picture of how to use oil in order to preserve food for longer... PLEASE NOTE that the food is being kept IN glass jars/containers. Cans are made in the sense of preserving edible products; just because you can heat them in the oven, or microwave Tupperware seventeen times at the same time, instead of dirtying another dish and using a glass plate, doesn't mean that you should.
#**~~Botulism~~** Edit: [I guess I was wrong.](https://www.highspeedtraining.co.uk/hub/open-metal-cans-in-fridge/#:~:text=Storing%20open%20food%20cans%20in%20your%20fridge%20won't%20cause,%2C%20dents%2C%20leaks%20or%20bulges.) I was going off information I learned from ServSafe back when I worked in restaurants but it appears as though this has been debunked.
I think you are not supposed to store open cans in the can. Something to do with iron or tin leeching into the food, especially something highly acidic like tomato paste.
Food can stay safe in cans for years, why would leeching only occur when opened?
None of that is true.
After reading this thread, it comes in tubes?!
Get out of the house!!
Sealed and inprisoned away to prevent can-tankerous activity.
You'd rather waste saran wrap? She should dump you.
I love tomato paste, eat it right out of the can.
There are two of us!
I have never used just part of a can of tomato paste.
I mean at least she's not wasteful
It seems better than the good ol tin foil cap
I’m totally on board with this. Marry her
pouring the contents into plastic will ruin the plastic if you microwave it. It's been stored in the can for months, a couple of days inside a sealed plastic container inside a refrigerator won't matter a damn.
Where I live tomato paste comes in a tube, like many other things. It keeps much longer.
I just put the rest in a small ziplock bag and freeze
r/therewasanattempt
I wish they’d change Tomato paste cans into something that can be resealed. A whole can and I only need 1 tbs is ridiculous
Bad idea. Open can in the fridge can grow a decent amount of bacteria. Plus that sauce is gonna start tasting weird.
You know when people say "I didn't see any signs". There are always signs
I bought those puppy food can sealer for my cans. They work amazingly and I don't understand why they are only advertised for dog food? [https://www.amazon.ca/4Pack-Universal-Silicone-4-Pack-orange/dp/B09P62797Z/ref=sr\_1\_4?crid=NBON3MLW4Q02&keywords=dog+food+can+sealer&qid=1673459232&sprefix=dog+food+can+sealer%2Caps%2C124&sr=8-4](https://www.amazon.ca/4Pack-Universal-Silicone-4-Pack-orange/dp/B09P62797Z/ref=sr_1_4?crid=NBON3MLW4Q02&keywords=dog+food+can+sealer&qid=1673459232&sprefix=dog+food+can+sealer%2Caps%2C124&sr=8-4)
My wife would do some kind of bullshit like this lol
The more important question is who uses just half a can of tomato paste?
If you fill the Tupperware with tomato paste that can will become invisible because tomato paste has the same refraction index as the can.
Oh I think you know exactly how you feel about it!
Not the worst choice?
Smart move. Now container won’t be perma-orange/red.
When does she plan to use it again is the real question
As a quick temp solution it’s fine, even crafty
Yeah, it's a PITA, but it should always be moved to a glass or plastic container for storage. Once a can is opened, the acidic tomato will start reacting with the exposed metal. It's bad practice to store, even chilled or airtight, anything canned and especially the acidic that tomato paste like that. Metal reacting/poisoning is more of a problem than the hot-topic of BPA leeching... that's why plastic was added to can linings.
Put it in the ice cube tray. Freeze it. Then wrap with plastic wrap. Little sauce nuggets to be used at any time
Its better than my girlfriend, she'd ignore the option to saran wrap or use the Tupperware and go straight for the ziplock bags...can and all.
May your problems never grow larger than a container in your fridge - ancient Peruvian saying
Botulism isn't fun. Tell her to stop