Older Pantry Items

Are there items in your pantry that look a little different than when you first bought them? Here are some tips for knowing when to toss and how to save these pantry items.

+ If your brown sugar is too hard, add a few drops of water to the box. Place it in the microwave and cook on HIGH for 15 seconds until the sugar is soft.

+ If your dried fruit is too dry, you can moisten it by adding a few drops of water to the fruit in a small bowl. Cover and heat on HIGH for 30-60 seconds.

+ To test to see if your baking soda (or baking powder) is too old, fill two bowls – one with 3-4 tablespoons of white vinegar and one with 3-4 tablespoons of room temperature water. Add about ½ teaspoon baking soda to both bowls. Each mixture should fizz up, but the bowl with the soda/vinegar should react more. If there is no fizz, you need to buy new baking soda.