LITTLE ROCK — DEAR HELOISE: For years, I have put my peanut butter in the refrigerator and have been told by family and friends that I do not need to. I still did and found it always to be hard to spread.
I looked on the jar and saw “No refrigeration necessary.” So I switched and keep it inthe cupboard. Now I read in a magazine that peanut butter should be kept in the refrigerator like other condiments, except for oil.What is your take?
- Esther Katz in Harrisburg, Pa.
DEAR READER: The answer is no. Leading manufacturers say that peanut butter does not need to be refrigerated. Peanut butter’s consistency may change when it is in cold temperatures, making it thicker than if left in the pantry.
Heat can cause peanut butter to lose some of its flavor - for example, the temperature in a summer cottage or a cabin without air conditioning.
You can refrigerate the peanut butter to keep it at its freshest, but it will be hard to spread. Natural peanut butter also can be refrigerated.
DEAR HELOISE: I keep a spray bottle of vinegar on the counter by my sink. I spray all of my fruits and vegetables, then rinse well (very inexpensive). A muse once told me that vinegar would kill bacteria.
- Judy, Woodville, Ala.
DEAR READER: Yes, vinegar will kill some bacteria. However, a good “washing” with running water, using a vegetable brush or rubbing the fruit or veggie with your hands, works on most. The exception is rough, textured surfaces, such as cantaloupe, pineapple, etc., where a veggie brush definitely should be used. Isn’t vinegar useful for so many things? To remove stains from aluminum pots, boil 1 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of water in the pot. Wash,rinse and dry.
Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000; fax to (210) 435-6473; or e-mail
Family, Pages 36 on 02/23/2011