Tips for safely preserving banh chung (Vietnamese sticky rice cake) and gio cha (Vietnamese sausage) during Tet (Vietnamese New Year).

Traditional Tet holiday foods like banh chung, banh tet, gio, cha... are pre-prepared at least 1-2 days before consumers buy them. Preserving them to keep them fresh and delicious for a long time is always a challenge that many housewives struggle with.

Sticky rice cakes (Banh Chung) can be stored in the refrigerator and reheated by boiling, frying, or steaming before eating - Photo: TTO

Tet is a time for family reunions and enjoying delicious food together, so many families tend to buy traditional foods like pork sausage, ham, fermented pork rolls, sticky rice cakes (banh chung, banh tet) in advance and store them in the refrigerator.

Proper food preservation to maintain nutritional value, flavor, and food safety is paramount for delicious and nutritious family meals. Depending on the characteristics of each type of food, different preservation methods can be used.

According to Dr. Ngo Thi Ha Phuong from the National Institute of Nutrition, some traditional Tet foods such as banh chung (sticky rice cake) and gio cha (pork sausage) are pre-prepared dishes that are made at least 1-2 days in advance before consumers purchase them. A characteristic of these foods is that they can be stored in cool, dry, and dust-free conditions.

However, given the hot and humid weather conditions in our country, food is easily attacked by bacteria, fungi, and mold, leading to spoilage and food poisoning. Therefore, it is not advisable to stockpile too much food; buy only what you need to avoid waste and ensure food safety and hygiene.

Banh chung, banh tet

This dish is relatively complete in terms of food groups (carbohydrates, proteins, lipids) and is rich in nutrients. Many people believe that sticky rice cakes (bánh chưng) should not be stored in the refrigerator because they easily become hard. However, if the weather is hot, they can be stored in the refrigerator's cool compartment; cut only the portion you want to eat, and wrap the rest tightly with plastic wrap.

Note that when taking the cakes out of the refrigerator, they need to be boiled, steamed, or fried again before eating. Frying should be avoided as it adds extra fat (oil/grease) to your daily diet, which is not good for your health.

Pork sausage, meatballs

Pork sausage (giò lụa) is primarily made from lean pork, along with fish sauce and spices, and it doesn't keep well. The preservation methods for pork sausage, beef sausage (giò bò), and other types of sausages are similar.

When stored properly, Vietnamese pork sausage (giò lụa) will last 4-6 days in the refrigerator, or even about 10 days in the freezer if you happen to buy too much. Remove the sausage from the freezer and let it sit at room temperature for about 4 hours, or transfer it to the refrigerator 8 hours before use.

Due to their sticky consistency, pork ear sausage and stir-fried pork sausage require cool or cold temperatures for preservation; therefore, they should be stored in the refrigerator's cool compartment.

Frozen meat

Depending on personal preference, various types of meat can be used in jellied meat dishes, such as pork loin, pork belly, pork leg, etc.

Jellied meat has a distinctive aroma of meat, pepper, shiitake mushrooms, and wood ear mushrooms. For this dish, it's best to divide it into small, individual servings and store them in the refrigerator. This preserves the flavor and extends the shelf life of the dish.

Pickled onions are a popular dish during Tet (Vietnamese New Year) - Photo: TTO

Pickled onions

The mild sourness, slight spiciness, and aromatic flavor of pickled onions enhance the taste of other dishes and stimulate better digestion.

It should be stored in a cool, airy place. When eating, use clean chopsticks to pick up the pickled onions, rinse them with cooled boiled water or diluted salt water, then peel off the outer skin and eat the tender white part of the onion.

Unlike other cooked foods, leftover vegetables should not be refrigerated because green vegetables contain a high amount of nitrates. If left for too long after cooking, bacteria will break down the nitrates, converting them into nitrites – a carcinogenic substance that cannot be removed even by reheating.

Therefore, you should not eat cooked vegetables that have been left overnight.

Cooked foods should be eaten immediately; cooked food should not be left at room temperature for more than two hours. Leftover food should be reheated, allowed to cool, and then refrigerated.

Food must be reheated before consumption because the temperature in the refrigerator only limits bacterial growth but cannot kill them.

However, refrigerators are not a "magic cabinet" for preserving food. Food taken out of the refrigerator is only used once for the next meal, and if there is any left over, it can only be kept for a maximum of 5-6 hours.

Food contaminated with bacteria, even when stored in the refrigerator for a long time, will still produce toxins. While reheating will kill the bacteria at 100ºC, the toxins produced by the microorganisms will retain their toxicity, causing food poisoning.

You should prepare just enough food, not too much, because reheating leftovers will cause a loss of nutrients.

Experts advise against mixing raw and cooked food. Food stored in the refrigerator should be kept in separate, tightly sealed containers.

Cooked and processed foods should be placed on the top shelf of the refrigerator. Overcrowding the refrigerator prevents proper air circulation, which can cause temperatures to rise in certain areas and spoil the food.

If your refrigerator is full of food, adjust the temperature to a lower setting, and clean it regularly.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/bi-kip-bao-quan-banh-chung-gio-cha-an-toan-ngay-tet-20250130100332029.htm