How to Store 9 Indonesian Healthy Staple Food Ingredients (SEMBAKO) for Long Lasting at Home

Photo by Alex Green (Pexels)

​The original main food of Indonesian people is rice. Its which comes from the rice plant that grows very fertile in Indonesia. There’s an anecdote in some of locals that “ A person actually has not eaten yet on that day, if he has not eaten rice ” 😊. For that reason we usually mix rice with side dishes and vegetables as the main menu and a glass of milk as a complement. That was known in Indonesia for the healthy motto "4 Sehat 5 Sempurna" (4 Healthy plus 5 Perfectly Complete).
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But did you know that there are other main food ingredients which locals always consume every day and its durable to keep at home? Yes, we called it “Sembako” which is means “Sembilan Bahan Pokok” (nine basic ingredients).

​Now we will tell you the art of “Sembako” or that other main food ingredients along with the tips on how to properly store some of its, so they last longer at home.

1. RICE

Rice is the staple food of the Indonesian people. This food must be at home and it was also durable to store instead. “We’re not actually eaten yet on that day, if has not eaten rice” (remember the aneckdot above?!) 😊

TIPS HOW TO STORE :
According to a study, rice will last long time and will not lose its fragrance and nutrients if its stored in a plastic food container or glass jar with a temperature of about 4.5 degrees Celsius or lower.
To prevent rice from fleas infest, mash about 50 grams of kaffir lime leaves and put it in a rice storage container. The aroma of kaffir lime leaves can be effective in repelling fleas.

2. FROZEN FOOD

Frozen food is needed if there no special routine time to shop for fresh food ingredients. Apart from not being recommended by healthy experts, this food stock is only effective if its stored for a maximum of two weeks.

During corona pandemic outbreak, frozen food stocks were needed so that you don't shop outside the house frequently to break the chain of spreading the virus. Store some frozen food types such as meat, fish, chicken, or meatballs as your stock in the freezer.
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TIPS HOW TO STORE :
Another alternative if you don't want to store frozen food is to stock other fresh food ingredients such as fish, chicken or fresh meat ingredients into small tupperware boxes and stored in the freezer. Freezer in refrigerators must be in good condition so that food ingredients last longer. In addition, stored for no more than two weeks to maintain its nutritional content.
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3. FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

To maintain immunity and keep the body in shape, fruits and vegetables are very important to consume. Fruits and vegetables are also durable enough to store in the refrigerator.

Choose and stock fruits which is have high in nutrients to increase antioxidants in your body to ward off free radicals that can damage body cells and prevent viruses from affecting your body. Choose fruits such as oranges, apples and mangoes. For vegetables choose like kale and spinach, which are known contain lots of vitamins and high iron. “Kale” especially grow in Indonesia and we usually call “sayur kangkung” (kale vegetable).

TIPS HOW TO STORE :
(To keep vegetables and fruit fresh in the refrigerator)

• Sort the vegetables by separating and removing broken parts
• Wrap it with perforated paper so that oxygen keep it fresh
• Separate fruit and vegetables on their respective racks
• Keep fruits and vegetables in its whole shape
• Check the condition and quality of fruit and vegetables regularly
• Use a closed container for hardy vegetables like broccoli and carrots

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 4. MILK

Milk is important to stock because its a complement to perfecting body health and its durable. You can stock up on powdered milk, condensed milk or instant liquid milk stored in the refrigerator.

TIPS HOW TO STORE :
Pay attention to powdered milk and canned condensed milk which have long expired time and instant liquid milk which has an expired time of only a few days.
 

5. EGG

Eggs have very high protein content, durable and can be processed into various forms of cooking. One grain a day for consumption enough to keep your body fit. Apart from being cheap because 1 kg can cover about 15 eggs, it can also last up to 30 days if stored at sufficient room temperature.

TIPS : But pay attention and avoid infertilized eggs that haven't had enough time to consume but have been bought and sold. Usually infertilized eggs are whiter or paler and not brownish like domestic chicken eggs even though they’re almost having same size.
 

6. HERBS

Photo by Pixabay (Pexels)

​Processing your own dishes in Indonesia is not complete without using herbs as a companion. Besides being durable, for those who are accustomed to cook and process it using real spices it will be more delicious when compared to using artificial spices or ready-made (instant) spices. 

That's why it's important to stock up herbs at home. Spices obtained from the native wealth of Indonesia can be such as: garlic, shallots, chilies, turmeric, galangal (lengkuas), temulawak and ginger.

Apart from being important as a complement of cooking, spices or herbs are also useful for maintaining body health and increasing endurance by being made into herbal concoctions using ingredient such as ginger and turmeric.
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7. COOKING OIL

Cooking oil is always needed whenever preparing cooked or fried food. But always remember to consume cooking oil in moderate and not in excess. Boiled or steamed dishes are much healthier, at least for health of your heart and liver.

The 2 liter dose of cooking oil is sufficient for period of two weeks for the whole household. Try to more process your food by boiling or steaming. However, cooking oil is still needed to be stocked as a diversification in processing types of cooking at home.
 

  8. MINERAL WATE R

Drink water or mineral water is important for health. Especially to replace body fluids so as not to become dehydrated which can lead to disease. Minimum consume about 2 liters / day per person or 8 glasses a day according to the condition of the body and the activities of each individual.

In addition, mineral water is useful to help maintain ideal body weight and fitnessed. Always provide stock of gallon or bottled mineral water at home for adequate health during your quarantine or every activities.

TIPS : If possible, stock up on 3-4 gallons of mineral water at home for the family's drinking water for minimum use of two weeks and for not making frequent orders outside home during the corona pandemic.
 

9. SUGAR, COFFE, TEA AND SALT

This last ingredient is actually complement to all the food ingredients above. As a food mixture or complementary when relaxing. If the quality of relaxing time at home could be fulfilled by enjoying coffee or tea, for example, finally it will minimize stress and increase the body's immunity to fight various diseases. If you don't include it as an ingredient which not required to be stocked, it will cause a deadlock too in your day 🙂

However, when consuming it you must be according to needs of the health dose and not in excess so its not caused negative side effects which can detrimental to the body.

TIPS: The following is the daily dose for the body:
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Sugar: No more than 9 teaspoons for men (150 calories) and 6 teaspoons for women (100 calories) per day - (American Heart Association). Not more than 4 tablespoons (50 grams) per day for adults - (Kemenkes RI).
Tea: Several cups of green tea per day (Harvard Health Publications), 2-3 cups of tea maximum per day (Dr. Zuo Feng Zhang - UCLA & University of Maryland Medical Center).
Coffee: A maximum of 2-3 cups of pure black coffee per day (Jurnal PLoS ONE 2015).
Salt: Less than 1/2 teaspoon per day or 2,000mg (WHO). 115mg sodium per day (Health Canada). Minimum 575mg-1600mg per day (UK RNI / United Kingdom Reference Nutrient Intakes). - (p2ptm.kemkes.go.id).
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CONCLUSION :

Its important that healthy food ingredients which is accordance with the tastes and basic habits of Indonesia are always in stock or available at home, but must be in accordance with the needs and not overstock.

Especially if you are a busy person who doesn’t have special time to shop for groceries. Or if you are pressed by a problem such as corona pandemic which requires us to be at home more to do study and working.

Information above along with tips on how to treat it, hopefully can help you always stay healthy and fit while you are at home in Indonesia. Besides its important to exercising regularly, getting adequate rest and always maintain the cleanliness of health protocols recommended by the government.

Hopefully useful and healthy greetings!
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Source: Kompass, 99.co