It happens most of the times that we have to store our left over food items for future use. The same is with pizzas too. Pizza has been one of the most liked cuisines and is served in most of the occasions. If under any circumstances you are having some extra, you can pack and store for a later use with no necessity to feel miserable over the wastage. Pizza, however, has a relatively short shelf life due to the breakdown of gluten, a component of pizza dough. So, it is advisable to store pizza in a hygienic manner and is not to be left out open for more than two hours. Read the steps given below to find out how to store pizza.
Complexity level: Basic
Time required: 5 â 7 minutes
Resources required:
- Pizza.
- Aluminium foil or plastic freezer wrap.
- Large plastic container.
- Freezer bag.
- Paper towels.
Instructions:
1: Bring the pizza to a normal temperature:
Cool the hot pizza to room temperature before trying to store. It is necessary to allow it to come to room temperature otherwise the heat trapped in packing will turn the bread base of the pizza soggy and mushy.
2: Wrap it:
Spread out a dinner plate sized tin foil or freezer wrap. Now, carefully remove a slice of the left over pizza and place it over the foil/wrap.
3: Save it from getting wet:
Take a paper napkin and put it on the top of the slice to prevent the mushiness from the sauce or vegetables to spread out.
4: Arrange the pizzas:
Now put one pizza on the other separated with a napkin. Do it till all the pizzas are arranged. This ensures that the crust stays fresh and so does the toppings.
5: Place in a freezer bag:
Wrap it up neatly to tightly wrap the foil around the slices. Place it in a freezer bag or in a large plastic container.
6: Put in the freezer:
Now this can be placed in the freezer in case you plan to stay away for some time. That way the pizza might stay good for about a month. Or, it can be stored in the refrigerator for about 2 or 3 days to the maximum.
Frequently asked questions:
1. How long can the pizza be stored in the fridge?
If hygienically packed, the pizza can be stored in the fridge for 2 or 3 days. Whereas when stored in the freezer, it can stay good for about a month.
2. How do you know that the pizza has turned bad?
The pizza will have moulds on it. The crust will become chewy leaving a stale smell around; these factors signify that the pizza is unfit for consumption.
3. What is the one easy way to store the pizza?
The easiest way to store home delivered pizza is to put it back in its pizza cardboard box and place it away in the fridge. That way it has to be consumed before 24 hours otherwise the crust will get too hard and dry.
4. Which are the better pizza storage box available in the market?
The pizza storage box in the shape of a slice is good than the other plastic containers and is also eco friendly than the tin foil as they consume less space inside. Moreover, being made of microwavable plastic, it is easy to reheat.
Quick tips:
- It is best to store pizza into the fridge compartment with care within two hours of cooking or purchasing.
- To store pizza more hygienically, cover pizza with aluminium foil or plastic wrap while refrigerating.
- See that all the corners are properly covered by the wrap and enclosed well, otherwise if pizza corners jut out from the sides and tear the cover, the whole exercise turns futile and is of no good.
- Once out of the freezer and thawed, do not refreeze as it will encourage growth of fungi and bacteria and turn unfit for health.
Things to watch out for:
- The pizza should be stored well if it is to be consumed after more than two hours.
- The left over pizza should be consumed before a maximum of four days in the fridge.
- To freeze pizza, wrap it tightly with aluminium foil or plastic freezer wrap, or place it in heavy-duty freezer bags.
- While freezing the pizza, make sure that it is not taken out or thawed so that it remains in zero degree till use.
- It is best advised not to store the delivered pizza in its original cardboard container because it is not airtight.
