You have received prasad: how to store it and how long to eat it

Open prasad with clean, dry hands. Wet hands make dry sweets go soft quickly.

What is in your pack and how long it stays good is printed on the pack label. Go by that date. What follows is only common sense.

• Once opened, keep it in an airtight box. Glass or steel is best.
• Keep it away from sunlight, the stove and damp corners. A cool, dry shelf is right.
• In the monsoon or in very hot weather, anything made with ghee spoils sooner, so eat it first.
• Use a dry spoon instead of dipping your hand in.
• If the smell changes, you see mould, or it simply tastes off, do not eat it.

When prasad has gone bad

It feels wrong to throw prasad away, and that is a natural feeling. But spoiled food has to go somewhere. Some people put it at the foot of a tree, some give it to a cow. Do what your family does, but never give stale or mouldy food to another person.