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5 min
29/09/2025
There is nothing worse than soggy chaklis, mathris and namkeens. The moisture not only takes away the taste but also the excitement to eat these snacks. This article looks at some tips and tricks that will help you keep your snacks crispy throughout the festive season. From mathri to chakli, keep snacks crispier this season. Dive deeper to know more.
Festival snacks are not just munchies; they are the symbol that carries the tradition, becoming an essential part of the celebration and the joys we share with family and friends. All snacks made during Indian festivals are roasted in ghee or deep-fried in oils, which not only gives them a distinct flavour but also a unique texture. The more you keep it in the oil, the crispier it gets, adding texture. However, there is another trouble with these snacks; as much as you love their crispiness, these snacks also tend to get soggy soon.
The snacks capture air and moisture that takes away their crunch. This is where smart storing hacks come in handy. Cooking alone is not enough to save the snacks, but storing them well is equally important! To keep their flavours and texture intact, it is essential to store them in airtight containers in a dry environment and portion them properly. This article will look at such hacks that will keep the flavours of your snacks intact, and at the same time, keep their texture as it is. These hacks will stretch the shelf life of these snacks, reduce waste, and extend the festivities!
The golden and most crucial rule while storing snacks is to keep them away from air. Snacks like mathris, chaklis, and namkeens lose their crispness when they are exposed to humidity. Before storing them in airtight steel or glass containers, let them cool entirely. Do not store them in plastic containers, as plastic containers can catch odours easily. One easy way to keep them crispy is also to portion them into small batches and then store them. This will prevent all snacks from being exposed to air. It will keep the snacks fresh, and the crunch will last for weeks after frying. You can also keep the snacks in a plastic bag, then tighten it and store it in steel or glass containers to provide an extra layer of protection for the snacks.
There are many instances when chaklis or mathris stick together and become soft. The reason behind this is the trapped oil and moisture in the snacks. To prevent this, place parchment paper between layers of snacks when you store them. This ensures that there is no sticking, and if there’s any extra moisture or oil, the parchment paper absorbs it, leaving no space for oil and moisture behind. This small step is like the armour of the snacks, which guards their texture and flavours. This technique is widely used in bakeries and can be easily applied at home to preserve our beloved snacks.
The major festivals of India, Dussehra and Diwali, fall during a time when there is moisture in the air, and the same humidity gets transferred to snacks as well, which softens them. To keep this moisture away, tuck a food-safe silica gel packet or fill a muslin cloth pouch with raw rice and keep it in the snack containers. They act as natural moisture absorbers and keep the moisture away. Along with this method, also make sure you are placing the jars in a cool and dry place, and not near stoves or sinks. If you feel they have turned a bit soggy, you can reheat them in an oven or air fryer for a few minutes to make them crispier again. These simple tricks and hacks extend the shelf life of snacks, without having any actual effect on their taste.
Every time you open an enormous container, air sneaks in and takes away the crispness of the snacks. Rather than letting the entire batch get affected, portion the snacks into small and different containers. You can keep a smaller one on the dining table for daily use, and the larger one can be stored inside, sealed well, until the smaller one is no longer needed. This prevents the snacks from being exposed to air and moisture, reducing waste. If you are gifting the snacks, it also becomes easier to share the smaller portions, which preserve the freshness of the snacks and keep the flavour intact.
Festive cooking takes a lot of time and effort, and if you do not store the snacks properly, all the efforts and time might just be wasted. Airtight containers, parchment layerings, and portioning are the best friends of these snacks, as they keep their flavour and texture intact and increase their shelf life. These simple and useful hacks make sure your Diwali snacks are not only for the day of Diwali and keep giving you crunch, joy and happiness even weeks after the festivals get over!
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