A new study finds people who use their freezers to store new groceries and leftovers throw less food in the trash.
With food prices putting a bigger dent in most household budgets, cutting back on waste becomes a top priority.
One way to throw away less is to use your freezer more – to store new groceries or extend the life of your leftovers.
A new study finds while overall food waste remains high in the U.S., frozen items only account for a fraction of what ends up in the trash – about 6%. And food waste isn’t just an economic issue, according to the lead author, who says,
“It also causes environmental damage because more than 90% of wasted food goes to the landfill, and this can produce greenhouse gas emissions.”
The researchers analyzed data from more than 1,000 households and found 85% buy frozen foods, and for the majority, reducing waste is a top reason.
When frozen foods are tossed, the most common products lost are meat and vegetables.
The authors say consumer education about the freezer’s role in saving food could make a difference economically and environmentally.
They also support placing food storage instructions on food labels to help reduce waste.
Source: British Food Journal
Author Affiliations: The Ohio State University
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