Bachelor tip #1: Refrigerate before opening

Bachelors go through food more slowly than families, and tend to throw out more spoiled food.

Food packages often say "Refrigerate after opening." But they last longer if you refrigerate before opening.

Why this works:

The air in your home is swimming with microorganisms that cause food spoilage.

As soon as you open a package, you can assume that microorganisms are growing on the contents.

Microorganisms need three things to thrive:

1. Warmth
2. Moisture
3. Calories

If you open a room-temperature package and then refrigerate it, the microorganisms get a few hours' head start while the food cools down.

By refrigerating the food before opening, you rob them of that head start.