I don't like to think of myself as cheap. Who does? I do however have a really hard time throwing out and replacing certain things. It pains me to spend money on something that I may not truly need. I think of it as being money-wise. I'm all for the waste not, want not way of life especially when it comes to items in the kitchen.
I don't know if it is a Latino thing or not, but I just can't stand the thought of wasting food. I'd rather put something in the fridge and pretend that I'm going to eat it later even when I know I'm not, than just tossing it to begin with because my mamá does not throw food away. But there are certain times when it is not wise to hold on to what you have. The wise choice both financially and when it comes to health sometimes requires that you toss items in your kitchen that are past their prime.
Read more ¿Qué más?: 6 Awesome apps that will save you TONS of money! (PHOTOS)
So by all means, if you want to extend the life of that press and seal bag by washing it and drying it inside out a few times, go ahead, I won't judge. However, here are five kitchen items that you should toss and feel no guilt about. Getting rid of these things doesn't mean you're being wasteful, it means you are being wise.
Image via craftapalooza/Flickr
Kitchen sponge
Kitchen sponges are a wonderful and useful tool. They are also great at breeding bacteria. You can extend their life by cleaning them regularly. Some suggest microwaving them for a minute to kill germs. Once they start smelling bad, consider them dead and replace. Image via Ben McLeod/Flickr
Eggs
Eggs get old, but they don't get wrinkles so how can you tell when they are too old to eat? Easy. Gently drop the egg in question into a cold bowl of water, if it floats, it's too old. Time to get new eggs.
Image via pietroizzo/Flickr
Spices
I am guilty of keeping spices for far too long. The government guidline for freshness when it comes to spices is four years for whole spices, two years for ground spices. So if your spices are teenagers, it's time to kick them out of the house.
Image via EasyPickle/Flickr
Baby food
Babies are lovely delicate creatures that we don't want to put at risk for food-borne illnesses. If you are not going to use all of the baby food from a jar in one sitting, feed the child from a bowl. Never return unfinished baby food into a jar. Once a jar of baby food is opened it should be stored in the fridge for no longer than 24 hours.
Image via Cascadian Farm/Flickr
Chipped dishes
Do you have chipped plates or glasses that you just can't seem to part with? Fine, keep them for sentimental value, but don't use them anymore. Bacteria will breed in the cracks and washing them won't kill the bacteria.
Image via blese/Flickr
