Canadian families throw away a significant amount of food every year, and a lot of the waste is caused by foods going bad before they’re used.
A report from VCM International found that $31 billion worth of food is wasted in Canada every year, and storing produce in the proper refrigerator drawers to ensure it lasts longer is one way people can help reduce waste.
“The best move is to store fruits and vegetables in low and high humidity bins in the refrigerator when you bring them home,” said Consumer Reports’ nutritionist Ellen Klosz.
Fruits like apples, pears, and cantaloupes that ripen quickly and rot prematurely should be kept in the low humidity drawer. Leafy green vegetables should be kept in the high humidity drawer.
“They are going to stay crisp longer,” said dietician Karlene Karst in an interview with CTV Morning Live. Karst also suggests washing leafy green vegetables in a diluted solution of water and vinegar, then wrapping them in paper towel and putting them in a Ziploc bag with holes poked through it.
“They are going to stay a lot fresher and crisper in the high humidity crisper drawer,” she said.
Consumer Reports also tested seven special containers including the Oxo Good Grips Greensaver and the Rubbermaid Fresh Works which are designed to keep food fresher for longer. Testers compared these samples to food that was kept in the original clamshell containers but found little difference in the food’s longevity.
“Overall we found that none of the containers kept produce much fresher than the original clamshells,” said Consumer Reports’ Bernie Deitrick.
A Metro Vancouver company is also offering another more long-term solution to dealing with food waste and consumption.
“Food waste is a huge problem, especially when it takes up resources to make that food,” said Tarren Wolfe, the B.C. creator of the Urban Cultivator, a fridge created for use in both commercial and residential spaces for people to grow fresh microgreens year-round.
“If you can harvest what you want when you want it, you’re getting a better product because it’s live. You’re harvesting right then. It’s got no nutritional loss,” he said. “You also have the benefit of not wasting it. You eat what you want when you want it.
The home units start at about $2,750 but they’re supposed to save consumers money on food in the long run and cut down on waste. Consumers can grow a flat of microgreens for about $10 a month.
“In general, live food is much better for you,” said Wolfe. “We empower people to grow their own.”
