Meal prep pro Katie Lolas shares her top storage hacks to keep food fresher for longer

An Australian teacher and meal-prepping pro has shared her tips and tricks for storing food to keep it fresher for longer. 

Katie Lolas, who goes by Lady Lolas, recently gave her advice on how best to store vegetable sticks, berries and salads. 

In a now-viral video posted to Instagram, the Sydney mum-of-one said to keep cut vegetables in water, wash berries with white vinegar and keeping dressings separate from salad leaves to stop them going soggy. 

Sydney-based teacher and meal prepping pro, Katie Lolas (pictured) revealed her best food storage hacks to keep produce fresher for longer in a now-viral video posted to Instagram 

For vegetable sticks, Katie said to keep them in a container with a some water at the bottom and swish the water around every couple of days so they stay crisp and crunchy

For vegetable sticks, Katie said to keep them in a container with a some water at the bottom and swish the water around every couple of days so they stay crisp and crunchy. 

‘With washing berries, add a little bit of vinegar. Make sure you wash them well, pat them dry and this will kill the bacteria and preserve them for double the time,’ she continued. 

In the comments, Katie clarified she used white vinegar to wash the fruit.

‘With washing berries, add a little bit of vinegar. Make sure you wash them well, pat them dry and this will kill the bacteria and preserve them for double the time,’ she said

She recommended using airtight containers as they will seal in the freshness of the food. 

‘Store dressings separate from your salads until you’re ready to eat – it’s the dressing that makes your salad soggy,’ Katie said. 

‘Lastly, add a square of paper towel to your salads to absorb any moisture and keep your greens crunchy and fresh.’ 

Katie recommended using airtight containers to store food and to keep dressing separate from salad to prevent the leaves from going soggy

The clip has been viewed more than 26,500 times with dozens of fans in the comments praising the helpful tips and offering their own food storage hacks. 

‘I’ve been told to put berries in mason jars in the fridge to keep them fresher for longer,’ one viewer advised.     

Another user said she sprays olive oil on chopped avocado to prevent it from going brown. 

Katie has been dubbed the ‘meal prepping queen’ and grown an impressive following on social media for her food and cooking hacks.

Previously, she shared her tips for getting organised and prepped going into the cooler months saying the most important thing to do is make sure you have a well-stocked pantry.

Katie shared her top meal prepping tips, as well as the Mexican feast meal prep recipe (pictured) that her followers are going crazy for

‘I purchase the majority of my staples like brown rice, quinoa, black beans and chickpeas from Aldi or opt for a Homebrand Woolies or Coles version,’ Katie told FEMAIL.

‘The quality, taste and nutritional value is always on par with the more expensive brands, so why not grab the less expensive option? 

‘Keeping your pantry stocked at all times is great too because you can create quick and easy meals using ingredients that you already have.’ 

One of the recipes Katie said she enjoys is her simple low carb Mexican meatballs.

These are a ‘perfect staple’ when served with brown rice and avocado and tomatoes, because they will keep you full and can be served hot or cold.

She added that the recipe is also useful if you know you’re going to have a busy week, because you can store the meatballs in the fridge for as long as four days. 

How to make Katie’s low carb Mexican meatballs

Serves four

The teacher shared her recipe for her low carb Mexican meatballs (pictured)

Time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

For the meatballs

500g lean ground beef

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 

 1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp taco seasoning

1 egg

For the salsa

1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)

1 jalapeno, minced (optional)

1/2 lime (juiced)

1/8 tsp salt

For the cauliflower rice

1 tsp olive oil

3 cups riced cauliflower

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 lime (zested)

For the sides

1/2 cup shredded light cheese

1 red or yellow capsicum, sliced

1/4 cup light sour cream

Salsa (optional)

Avocado (optional)

METHOD

1. Heat oven to 190C. Stir together all of the meatball ingredients. Roll approx 1.5 tbsp of the stirred ingredients into balls and arrange on a baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through.

2. While meatballs are baking, heat oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat.

3. Add all cauliflower ingredients to the pan and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring continuously, until softened slightly (but not mushy!). Set aside to cool

4. Make the salsa by stirring together all ingredients. Divide all ingredients, including sides, evenly between storage containers.

Source: Lady Lolas

‘The quality, taste and nutritional value is always on par with the more expensive brands, so why not grab the less expensive option?’ she said (one of Katie’s meal preps pictured)

What are Katie’s top meal prep tips?

* Get the majority of your staples with homebrand items to save money. These will be good for soups, stews and casseroles.

* Opt for in-season fruits and vegetables to save cash.

* Plan your meal prepping around in-store promotions and sales.

* Stock up on frozen vegetables, which last longer and are great for bulking out smoothies and stir fries.

* Prep ahead on a Sunday to ensure you have everything you need to eat for the week.

* Try and prep meals that you know will last several days in good containers in the fridge.

The teacher’s other meal prepping tips include investing in long-life ingredients which often don’t cost much – and can help you make delicious budget dishes like stews, casseroles, hummus and soups.

‘I always try to buy the vegetables that are fresh and in season to save money,’ Katie said.

If you can plan your meal prepping sessions around sales and promotions, you’ll be winning even more – as this will save you valuable dollars off your grocery bill.

‘Vegetables that are in season include Asian greens like boy choy and Chinese broccoli, eggplant, kale, leeks, mushrooms and potatoes,’ Katie said.  

‘Seasonal fruit includes grapes, apples, plums, avocados, pears, oranges, guava. These are plentiful and available at most local groceries for a competitive price.’

Katie is also not averse to buying frozen fruits and vegetables, which can work well thrown into smoothies, salads, stir fries and used on nights when you just can’t be bothered. 

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