Sub-Zero Freezer Company, the premier manufacturer of residential refrigeration and wine storage, recently conducted a survey as to how much food the average American throws away each year due to improper storage. The study found that anywhere from $10-$20 is wasted on improperly stored food each week, which is the equivalent to wasting approximately $700 each year.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Statistical Abstract concluded that the average American family spends over $100 on groceries each week. This means that anywhere from 14% - 20% of the bill never makes it to the dinner table. This equals over 21 million shopping bags of food ending up in landfills.
“Without properly storing fresh food and leftovers, it is no surprise that families incur so much waste,” said Jim Bakke, president and CEO for Sub-Zero Freezer Company and Wolf Appliance Company. “Our company has worked in refrigeration for more than 50 years, and through the announcement of our survey findings, we hope to raise awareness for proper food storage.”
According to the Sub-Zero survey, only 6% of Americans are able to keep fruits and vegetables fresh for as long as two weeks in their refrigerators. An unfortunate trend is to overbuy larger quantities of food and then forget about them in the refrigerator. This forces people to throw away about one third of all fruits and vegetables that are purchased.
“Sub-Zero pioneered residential refrigeration and developed a proprietary dual refrigeration system to keep fresh food fresh longer, and frozen food frozen longer,” said Bakke. “Over half of our survey participants are forced to throw out fresh fruits and vegetables in less than a week. With proper storage, you can keep that same produce fresh for at least two weeks, and even beyond.”
The dual refrigeration technology developed by Sub-Zero is a proven method to preserve the life of food. Food stays fresher longer by maintaining the perfect balance of temperature and humidity, never allowing odor transfer from one food to another. For example, that fresh fish will never leak odors onto the ice or that apple will never taste like that peeled orange.
Sub-Zero refrigeration is truly top of the line. Because of the dual refrigeration specially targeted climate control, foods will retain their own flavor. The system’s microprocessor actually thinks for you, never fluctuating between temperatures by more than one degree and will adapt the defrost cycle to your use patterns. Put the food back on the dinner table and away from the landfill.
Here is a list of ways to help preserve the life of food:
- Set refrigerators at 38 degrees Fahrenheit and freezers at 0 degrees. Bacteria grows most rapidly between 40-140 degrees Fahrenheit. - Refrigerate leftovers as soon as possible
- Wrap freezer-stored food in foil, plastic wrap or airtight containers
- Do NOT refreeze food that has been thawed unless it is cooked first
- Fresh veggies should be washed, dried and stored in airtight containers before refrigeration
- Aromatic fruits such as strawberries and peaches should be stored in plastic bags before refrigeration
To learn more about food storage and preparation, call 630-872-5100 to set up a consultation with our experts. And visit www.thewestyegroup.com, www.subzero.com, and www.wolfappliance.com.
