How to keep food fresh for longer

TL;DR: Amazon has several vacuum sealers on sale as of Wednesday, March 18, including the FoodSaver Vacuum Sealer System (down $20 from its $99.99 MSRP).

Chances are your pantry is brimming with canned goods amid the coronavirus outbreak. And while it’s tempting to eat nothing but refried beans and SpaghettiOs while you social distance in the comfort of your home, adding some extra nutrition to your diet is definitely possible — “Though it might look a little different than normal,” dietician Alyssa Pike told CNN this week.

In addition to stocking up on shelf-stable products (like pasta and rice), “utilizing your freezer — [where] you can store breads, meats, vegetables, fruits and more — are great ways to ensure you have a nice variety when your trips to the grocery store are limited,” said Pike, who also serves as the International Food Information Council’s manager of nutrition communications. 

SEE ALSO: Stock up on supplies with membership deals at Costco, Sam’s Club, and BJ’s

If you’re planning on picking up some fresh produce or meat during your next supermarket run, consider investing in a vacuum sealer — it’ll preserve the taste of your ingredients and prevent them from succumbing to freezer burn. (And if your local restaurants are still offering delivery, carryout, and/or curbside pickup options, you can also store your leftovers easily via vacuum-sealing.) 

We managed to track down a couple of vacuum sealers that are currently on sale on Amazon, including the popular FoodSaver Vacuum Sealer System, which is currently sold out at Best Buy and on the company’s website:

Boasting an impressive 4.1/5-star rating on Amazon with over 5,500 customer reviews, the FoodSaver is an easy-to-use vacuum sealer with a patented removable drip tray that doesn’t require the user to switch between different modes for wet and dry foods.

This starter kit includes the FoodSaver itself in addition to three heat seal rolls, three quart-sized heat seal bags, two gallon-sized heat seal bags, and an accessory hose. It normally retails for $99.99, but we found it on sale for only $79.99 on Amazon (a 20% savings). Get it here.

Another fave among Amazon reviewers, NutriChef’s ultra-modern, dual-mode vacuum sealer comes with a wine stopper cork, five medium-sized vacuum bags, and one extra-long vacuum bag roll. Amazon has it listed at $49.27, or 19% off its suggested retail price of $60.99. Get it here.

The Austrian company Mueller is best known for its spiralizer, but it also makes a pretty mean vacuum sealer. This model’s got two selectable modes for wet and dry sealing and a fully automatic design with LED indicator lights, and it comes with five medium-sized vacuum bags plus one extra-long vacuum bag roll. It typically retails for $69.99, but you can get it on Amazon for only $50.97 — a 27% discount. (Note: Be sure to tick the box next to the orange “Coupon” banner on its product page to apply some extra savings.) Get it here.

Featuring a built-in bag cutter and a roll storage compartment, Nesco’s fancy ~deluxe~ vacuum sealer offers three different sealing modes (dry, moist, and double) and two pressure settings (normal or gentle) to preserve the consistency of softer foods. It’s usually priced at $124.99, but you can score it on Amazon for just $94.99 — a savings of 24%. Get it here.