Each Household Hundredsof Dollars A Year (NAPSA)—Today in nearly every American household, uneaten fresh fruits and vegetables are on the verge of being sent to the garbage can. According to The Garbage Project, the average household throws away about 150 pounds of uneaten produce each year. If the typical price per pound for produce is $2, this means a loss per household of about $300 each year. Nationwide, the loss adds up to about $30 billion. “In addition to being a waste of food, throwing away produce can also mean valuable time and money just ending up in a trash bag on the curb,” said William Rathje, Ph.D., founder and director of The Garbage Project and one of the nation’s foremost experts on household trash. Whyall this trash talk? It could be that people really don’t know about proper produce storage. A new survey from GLAD found that while most people (83 percent) consider themselves knowledgeable about produce storage, only about a third of respondents could prove their food freshness savvy when put to the test: e Just 32 percent of people GLAD and Wal-Mart Guide to Storing Produce for Maximum Freshness Fruit/Vegetable How to Store g In sealed plastic bag in refrigerator 3 weeks Do not wash until ready to eat Asparagus In sealed plastic bag in refrigerator 4 days Y Wrap base ofstalks with damp cloth or paper towel Celery In sealed plastic bag in refrigerator 1 week Grapes In sealed plastic bag in refrigerator 1 week Do not wash until ready to eat Lettuce (head) plastic b bag InIn sealedsealed plastic in refrigerator 10 days Wash undercold water and drain well before storing 5-7 days refrigerating. Do notstore Mushrooms Onions wasting money and 43 percent feel guilty. To help consumers learn how to stretch the food dollar, GLAD and Wal-Mart offer information to help keep produce fresher. For example: Making Happy Neighbors: Store fruits and vegetables that In original container or paper bagin refrigerator In open containerin cool, dry spot away 4 weeks trom direct sunlight To extend freshness, stand head in bowlof cold water and wrap rest with plastic bag/wrap Do not wash before in airtight container Potatoes cool, dry, dark spot In open containerin 3-5 weeks Strawberries |!" sealed plastic bag in refrigerator 4 days apples is to place them in a plastic According to the survey, 54 percent of people feel that they are Additional Tips p Apples know that the best way to store bag in the refrigerator. Only 38 percent are aware that a sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator is the best place for keeping strawberries fresher. In addition, the survey found one in five Americans havespoiled produce currently lurking in their refrigerators at home. Many are bothered by the unpleasant task of throwing away spoiled produce. Freshness Peak Tomatoes Whenripe,in a sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator 1 week . Do notrefrigerate Do not wash until ready to eat Ripen tomatoes at room femperature, stem side up and away from direct sunlight. Do notrefrigerate whole unripe fomatoes Tip: For produce that should be stored in a plastic bag, try GLAD FreshProtect™ Food Storage bags which have a protective barrier and double-lock seal to help keep food fresher. produce ethylene gas separately from those that are sensitive to it, or they will spoil faster. Ethylene producers include apricots, avocados, bananas, cantaloupe, honeydew, kiwi, mangos, nec- tarines, papayas, peaches, pears, plums and tomatoes. Ethylenesensitive fruits and vegetables include apples, asparagus, carrots, broccoli, cucumbers, eggplant, green beans, lettuce/ ereens, potatoes, summer squash, and watermelon. Wash Your Head: Help keep head lettuce fresher longer by rinsing under cold running water, draining well, and storing in a sealed plastic bag, such as GLAD FreshProtect” gallon-sized zipper storage bags. e Keep it Cool: Keep the refrigerator temperature set between 35F and 40F. For additional information about keeping fruits and vegeta- bles fresher at home, www.glad.com /freshprotect. visit
