Can buckwheat be stored in the refrigerator, how quickly will it go bad?

According to the rules, boiled buckwheat is stored in the refrigerator. The shelf life of porridge varies from 1 to 7 days. Such a wide range - due to the fact that there are many ways to cook cereals. It can be boiled in water or milk, stewed with meat, add butter or leave porridge “naked”. In any case, it is important to observe the storage rules of buckwheat - then it will remain tasty and healthy for as long as possible.

Shelf life in the refrigerator

Cooked buckwheat is stored much less than raw. So that it does not deteriorate in a few hours, after cooking it is placed in the refrigerator.

Shelf life of finished buckwheat and dishes based on it:

• Boiled buckwheat in water and oil is stored in the cold for no more than 3 days.
• Porridge on water without oil can stand in the refrigerator for a maximum of a week. However, from the 4th day it loses not only aroma and taste, but also useful properties.
• Buckwheat with meat will not stand for a long time. It is recommended to store porridge with chicken breast in the refrigerator for no longer than 3 days, and with pork, beef or meat sauce - 1-2 days maximum.
• Buckwheat porridge in milk deteriorates faster than others. It must be eaten immediately after cooking. The maximum permissible shelf life in the refrigerator is one day.
• Sprouted buckwheat remains useful and does not deteriorate for 2-3 days.

If it is winter outside, cooked buckwheat with the same success can be stored on the balcony (loggia). At a temperature of +4 ° C, porridge without additives will stand calmly for 3 days, and with freezing - up to 7 days.

Storage rules

To buckwheat does not deteriorate ahead of time, you need to remember about the correct storage conditions.

The main enemies of buckwheat porridge are high temperature and high humidity. They contribute to the rapid multiplication of microorganisms, molds. As a result of improper storage, the finished buckwheat can deteriorate very quickly - to weather, sour, lose its taste and nutritional value. To avoid such troubles, the following rules should be observed:

• Store boiled buckwheat only in the cold (in the refrigerator or freezer).
• For storage, you need to use a suitable container - glass, metal or ceramic - with a tight-fitting lid. Plastic and foil are not recommended.
• If you have cooked too much buckwheat and cannot eat it in the next 2-3 days, then you should freeze some of the porridge.
• Buckwheat porridge, like any other, very quickly absorbs odors. Therefore, you need to keep it on a shelf in the refrigerator in isolation from products with a strong smell (fish, citrus fruits, etc.).
• Recommended storage temperature of boiled buckwheat is from +2 to +4 ° С (on the middle shelf in the refrigerator).

Do not boil too much buckwheat at a time. Only freshly cooked buckwheat porridge will please your body with the maximum amount of useful elements. After 2-3 days after cooking, it becomes practically useless (calorie content remains the same, but vitamins and minerals disappear without a trace).

Freezer storage

In addition to the refrigerator, boiled buckwheat can be stored in the freezer. To do this, the porridge must be placed in a food container with a lid. As needed, it is thawed, heated and served on the table. This is very convenient when there is absolutely no time to cook or there is a lot of ready-made buckwheat porridge and you can’t eat it in 3-7 days. In addition, freezing allows you to save most of the nutrients. Ready-made frozen buckwheat is kept for 2-3 weeks.

It is better to defrost buckwheat gradually.That is, first shift it from the freezer to the refrigerator, wait until it turns from ice to crumbly porridge, and then heat it up.

How long can boiled buckwheat stand on a table?

Outside the refrigerator, buckwheat can only be stored raw. At room temperature (average +18 degrees), it lasts as long as possible - 20-24 months.

Warm air is the enemy of dampness and cold, which buckwheat does not like. Ready porridge, on the contrary, does not tolerate heat. At a room temperature of +8 degrees and above, harmful microorganisms begin to multiply in it at a catastrophic rate. Indoor storage is allowed for 3-24 hours.

There are 4 sure signs that boiled buckwheat is gone:

• unpleasant odor;
• sour or rancid taste;
• mold;
• mucus at the bottom of the pan with porridge.

If at least one of these signs is found, porridge cannot be eaten, it should be thrown out. No need to try to fry, boil, hammer an unpleasant aftertaste with seasonings - such experiments are fraught with poisoning.

Buckwheat porridge is a frequent guest on the table of an average Russian family. Many eat it almost every day. Therefore, every housewife should know how much and how the finished buckwheat is stored. If the rules and terms of storage are not observed, the product can be poisoned. The cereal cooked in milk will be smaller than the others, and porridge boiled in water without adding oil will be as long as possible. If you need to cook buckwheat porridge for the future, then it is better to resort to the second method. And meat, butter or other additives can be used when heating food.