Top Tips And Tricks For Preserving And Storing Homemade

Diwali Treats

Quick Summary

Just like popcorn is essential for a movie night, treats are essential for Diwali. The diyas and rangoli decorate the house. But the kitchen cupboards and dining table? They can only be decorated with the quintessential Diwali treats. No wonder every home you visit has a platter full of snacks and sweets, often homemade, waiting for you. If you, too, are planning to whip up a batch to serve (and enjoy even after the festival), then you first need to learn about the right way of storing and preserving these Diwali treats. 

Deep Dive

Everyone has a favourite treat they associate with Diwali. It could be the ladoos their grandmothers made at home, or the twist murukku that were readily available for munching throughout the day. But, how did every house stock, store, and preserve the homemade treats so they lasted for the entire five days of the festival, and even beyond that? Well, it’s a mix of tips and tricks that hide ancient wisdom, simple sciences, and of course, family secrets. So, don’t let your homemade treats go to waste. Grab your munchies and read ahead to find the best practices for storing Diwali treats.

Diwali Treats: Common Sweets and Snacks

While there is no fixed menu on the sweets and snacks served during Diwali, a few treats or types of treats have become synonymous with the festival. 

Dry Sweets

Most ladoos and barfis are dry sweets, i.e., not dipped in syrup. They are usually (but not always) made from dry fruits, nuts, and roasted flours, often mixed with ghee, milk, or other ingredients. These sweets are known for their long shelf life and ease of portability. This also makes them a popular choice for storing and gifting and storing, especially around festivals like Raksha Bandhan and Diwali. 

Syrupy & Milk-Based Sweets

As the name suggests, these sweets are made from milk (or milk-based products). And may involve a sugar syrup. Popular examples are gulab jamun, rasgulla, sandesh, peda, and others. The addition of syrup makes them difficult to carry. And the inclusion of milk as the base ingredient means they’re more prone to spoilage. Generally, they have a shorter shelf life that can be briefly extended through refrigeration. 

Dry, Fried Savory Snacks

Apart from sweets, snacks, and different types of namkeens are commonly served to guests during Diwali. Most of these are prepared by deep-frying dough made from different types of flours, such as chickpea flour (besan), all-purpose flour (maida), and gram flour. Some snacks may also be made through dry or ghee-laden roasting. Roasting enhances the shelf life, but in general, most of these snacks (sev, mathri, chakli, and chivda) are easy to store for longer. 

Preserving And Storage Tips For Mithai (Sweets)

Diwali is incomplete without sweets. With proper storage, dry sweets can last for up to 1-3 weeks, and milk-based or syrupy sweets for 2-5 days. Follow these tips, and the sweetness, pun intended, can last longer: 

• Let the sweet cool completely before storing: Don’t be in a rush to store freshly made sweets. Let them cool completely to prevent trapped steam from turning to moisture and spoiling the sweets. 
• Use separate containers: Always use separate, airtight containers to store the different sweets. Even if the type of sweet is the same (both dry, like ladoos and barfi), don’t store them together. This prevents flavors and odors from mixing and altering the original taste. 
• Opt for stainless steel or glass containers: Avoid plastic containers. Stainless steel or glass containers are non-reactive and offer temperature stability and better sealing against air. If using plastic, invest in rigid structures to minimize air leakage. 
• Use parchment paper: Place a sheet of parchment paper or butter paper between layers of sweets before storing in an airtight container. This dual barrier helps prevent exposure to air and moisture while reducing the risk of odor transfer. 
• Storage area: Always keep containers of dry sweets in cool, dry areas away from direct sunlight. On the other hand, syrupy and milk-based sweets should be refrigerated in sealed containers. 

Storage Tips To Keep Your Savory Snacks Crunchy

Anyone would tell you, the best part about a savory snack is the delightful crunch that comes with every bite. If stored correctly, very dry savory snacks (chakli, bhakarwadi, sev, etc.) can stay fresh for up to 4 weeks. Snacks with higher fat content (usually cooked in ghee or butter), like savory gujiys, can also be stored for up to two weeks. Here’s how to preserve these snacks:

• Drain excess oil and cool the dishes: Since most snacks are deep-fried in oil, make sure all excess oil is drained and the snacks are completely cooled down before you begin storing them. This prevents the snacks from becoming soggy after storage. 
• Use airtight containers: Similar to when storing sweets, use stainless steel or glass containers to store the snacks. Ideally, place the sealed containers in a cool and dry place, away from direct sunlight or constant air exposure. 
• Add a drying agent: For extra protection against moisture, place a few grains of uncooked rice tied in a small muslin cloth or a food-safe desiccant packet inside the container. 
• Don’t refrigerate: While most sweets can be refrigerated to extend their shelf life, don’t do this with snacks. This is because sweets, when reheated, retain their original texture and taste. However, snacks may lose their crispiness on being reheated after refrigeration. 

Lesser-Known Tips and Tricks For Preserving Diwali Treats

While preservation can be summed up in three steps—cooling, storing in airtight containers, and placing in cool, dry places—there are some additional tips you can follow to better store your sweets and snacks.

• Add natural preservatives (grandma-approved): Common kitchen ingredients don’t just add flavour but can help with storage. A pinch of cardamom, cloves, or edible camphor in the container infuses fragrance and deters insects and mold. For savory snacks, a few curry leaves or ajwain seeds can subtly keep them aromatic and crisp.
• Humidity hack: Unless you’re a God, Avenger, or X-Man, you can’t control the weather. But you can safeguard against it. In humid areas, place a small bowl of rock salt in the storage cabinet or box. This acts as a natural moisture absorbent, keeping sweets and namkeen dry and crunchy.  
• Decor with a purpose: Edible silver is often used on Indian sweets. Not only does it look pretty, but a thin layer of varq (edible silver) also acts as a natural sealant for select sweets. If you don’t have varq, you can even use light ghee brushing. This will prevent surface drying. 
• Avoid fridge odor transfer: While refrigeration can extend the shelf life for certain sweets, it also opens the risk of odor absorption. To avoid that, add a bowl of baking soda to your fridge compartment. This will neutralize the odors. 
• Right time to pack: As mentioned earlier, the right time to pack can make or break your treat. Always wait for the treats (sweet or savory) to cool down to room temperature before storing. Ideally, give your treats 2 hours of resting. This ensures trapped steam has fully escaped. 

Store And Savour For Long

Diwali may prompt you to bring out the pans, paraats, and pots and get cooking in the kitchen. But the experiments and efforts can serve your taste buds long after the lights come down, if you follow the right storage tips. After all, the best part about delicious treats is that they’re a gift that keeps on giving.