Survey: Canadians and Their Refrigerators
"Subconsciously, we're all following the 'See Food' diet - if we see it, we eat it," said Kelly Anne Erdman, the performance dietitian for Team Canada at the 2012 London Olympic Games. "Whether advising high-performance athletes or busy stay-at-home households, my advice is the same - the physiological effect that our vision has on our eating habits is huge - you are what you eat. Taking a few moments to properly organize your fridge with accessible, nutritious food options can make a difference to have a healthier lifestyle."
Eating well doesn't have to be complicated, and Canadians are making the right choices for fresh food when shopping. But when it comes to fridge organization, keeping fresh produce front and centre visually takes a back seat. Those survey respondents responsible for household grocery shopping admitted:
To avoid having produce spoil in their fridge, the majority of respondents (67%) buy smaller quantities - missing an opportunity to eat better at home.
Although new innovations like Samsung's Twin Cooling System keep humidity levels at optimal levels throughout the fridge - so you can store produce anywhere in the fresh food section - more than half (55%) still limit the amount of fresh produce they buy based solely on what will fit in their crispers.
At 59% - more than any other province - Quebec respondents said they would limit their fresh produce purchases to what fits in their crisper.
Despite these storage habits, Canadians show a true passion for fresh food, often making significant investments in time, effort and money to source it:
- Almost half of respondents (44%) shop at specialty stores at least once a week for produce.
- Almost three out of ten (28%) tend to choose organically grown produce; respondents from BC (41%) and Quebec (33%) were most likely to choose organically grown produce (vs. national average).
- Almost a third (29%) say they grow their own produce at home, and those with children were more likely to do so at 34% than those without.
From the June 13, 2012, Prepared Foods’ Daily News
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