Being fresh is OK

Being fresh with a co-worker, especially of the opposite sex, might not be OK; but being fresh in the kitchen is definitely OK. Here's some stay fresh tips for various snack foods:

Cereal
My kids love cereal--that is, they love to open cereal but never finish it. Ziploc bags are my best friend. Pull out the cereal bag, push in a new zipper bag (I prefer the zipper Ziplocs) into the empty box and fill it with the cereal, zipping it shut for freshness. Why bother putting the cereal back in the box? The box is what attracts the kids to the cereal, so if you just put the cereal in the Ziploc bag, they won't eat it! It's kid logic, don't try to figure it out.

Potato Chips
Those chip clips really work, but who can ever find one? I'm always left "holding the bag" without a clip. Binder clips, paper clips and clothespins will work just as well as the bag clips, and I generally can find these easier. Kids (or grownups) open up two bags without finishing one? Go ahead and combine them into one. You'll have better luck getting the single bag rather than the two separate bags finished before going stale. Again this is kid logic, so don't even try to understand it.

Marshmallows
Just give up on trying to keep these fresh even with a clip in the original bag. Putting the original, opened bag in a Ziploc and pressing out the excess air seems to work best. You can freeze marshmallows, but I think they lose some flavor and texture when frozen. They can be stored in plastic containers, but the double bagging with a Ziploc is my preferred method.

Saltine crackers
I love my cracker tin. I think it works better than any other solution and keeps the crackers from breaking. I use the original packaging and just use a twist tie to seal the opened package. My tin holds all four packages from the original box. I don't know of any new sources for tins, but you can located vintage ones on eBay for under $5.

Popcorn
The moisture content of popcorn is critical for proper popping. The moisture content is a closely guarded trade secret because it is so important. The best popping corn is undoubtedly Orville Redenbachers, but a lot of it is the packaging. How is it packaged? In a sealed bottle. That's what you need to do, keep your popcorn sealed and at room temp (don't put it in the fridge as that can mess up the moisture content). A clean, dried glass jar with a good lid will work just fine for keeping your popcorn at its freshest.

Happy snacking!