Deepali Verma Has been updated: July 7, 2024
These monsoon hacks are simple yet effective ways to keep your kitchen produce pest-free during the rainy season.
Monsoon is a beautiful season and provides great relief from the summer heat. But it also brings high humidity, which can quickly lead to pest infestation of food items in your kitchen. Imagine opening a container of flour to find it infested with pests or finding your precious rice stock infested. This is a common occurrence during the rainy season, but with a few simple tips, you can keep your food fresh and pests at bay. Let's take a look at some effective ways to protect your staple foods like pulses, flour, sugar, rice, etc. during the monsoon.
Bay leaves for beans and flour
Bay leaves are a natural pest repellent. To keep bugs away from beans and flour, simply place a few dried bay leaves in the container. The strong scent of bay leaves repels pests like weevils and moths. For best results, make sure the container is airtight. This simple trick not only protects your produce, but also imparts a mild aroma to your produce, helping it taste even fresher.
To prevent your biscuits from going soggy and becoming infested with insects, store them in sugar packets. Sugar acts as a natural desiccant, absorbing moisture and keeping the biscuits crisp. You can make small packets by wrapping the sugar in a cloth or using silica gel packets available in the stores. This method will keep your biscuits fresh and crisp even during the monsoon season.
Neem leaves are well known for their anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. To keep rice pest-free, place a few dried neem leaves in your rice container. Neem leaves repel pests such as grain weevils and beetles. Make sure the neem leaves are completely dry to prevent moisture buildup. This natural remedy is effective and eco-friendly, keeping your rice clean and safe to eat.
Moisture can cause coffee to harden and lose its flavor. To prevent this, place a small muslin bag filled with rice inside your coffee jar. The rice will absorb excess moisture, keeping the coffee dry and aromatic. This trick is especially useful for storing ground coffee, which is sensitive to moisture. Remember to replace the rice bag regularly to maintain its effectiveness.
During the monsoon, sugar can attract ants and other pests. To prevent this, add a few cloves to your sugar container. Cloves have a strong smell that repels ants and helps prevent pests from infesting your sugar. Additionally, cloves help absorb excess moisture and prevent lumps from forming in the sugar. This simple trick will keep your sugar fresh and pest-free.
Humidity can make tamarind sticky and prone to pest infestation. To prevent this, store tamarind in a layer of salt. Salt acts as a natural preservative and prevents moisture build-up, keeping tamarind fresh and pest-free. To make this method more effective, store tamarind in an airtight container.
