Canadians are passionate about fresh food, but fridge organization habits remain an afterthought

Samsung Canada survey shows more than half of Canadians limit the amount of fresh produce purchased to what will fit in fridge crisper, even though 61% forget it's there because they couldn't see it

TORONTO, June 12, 2012 /CNW/ - Are your fridge storage habits setting you up for healthy eating? Although Canadians are passionate about fresh food, making investments in time, effort and money to source it, poor fridge organization habits may be leading us to make less healthy choices. We tend to eat what we see first when we open the fridge, so a fridge that isn't organized for healthy eating can lead to poor decisions for the entire family. In a recent survey conducted by Samsung Canada, 43% say they are more likely to eat what they see first in the fridge, but the majority of respondents (61%) admit they forget about produce tucked away into fridge crisper drawers because they can't see it.

"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

Tips for Fresh Fridge Storage

A few simple tricks and tips can make all the difference when it comes to protecting an investment in fresh food through fridge storage and helping to make healthier eating choices at home:

• Free fresh produce from the crisper: With Samsung's Twin Cooling Technology, fresh produce can be stored anywhere in the fridge, not just stuffed in the crisper where it's likely you won't see it and won't eat it. Keep fresh produce clearly positioned on shelving at eye level in the fresh food section of your refrigerator.
• Keep it simple for kids to make a healthy snack choice: With school out and kids spending more time at home this summer, they'll be into the fridge more often. All Canadian parents surveyed said it was important that they pass on healthy eating habits to their kids, but only 59% make an effort to put fresh produce in their children's line of sight in the fridge. Counter-height fridge drawers like Samsung's Flex Zone Mid-Convertible Drawer offer a great place to keep healthy snacks in an easy-to-see and access area for kids.
• Inspire recipes with natural groupings in the fridge: The majority of respondents (72%) do not tend to group food items together in the fridge to remind them of recipe ideas, but pairing fresh produce and herbs with meal mains like chicken or fish to inspire healthy recipe ideas like stir-frys - a quick, easy and balanced meal for busy families on the go.
• Use clear storage containers when storing food in the fridge: If you can see it clearly, you're more likely to eat it.
• Go for bright colours when choosing produce: Canada's Food Guide 2012 recommends eating at least one dark green and one orange vegetable every day; the brighter the food, the more nutrient dense it likely is. The more attractive visually it is to us, the more likely we'll eat it. Think: broccoli, kale, Swiss chard, spinach and carrots, oranges, sweet potatoes, peppers and squash.

For inspiring fresh food insights from Kelly Anne this summer, including fridge storage tips and recipe ideas, visit the Passion for Fresh tab at facebook.com/SamsungCanada.

Samsung Fridges Were Designed for Freshness

Canadians are looking for fresher fridge solutions to protect their investment in fresh food at home. In fact, if they were in the market to buy a new fridge, 97% of survey respondents cited that the ability to keep produce fresh for a longer period of time would be one of the most important features to them, on par with energy efficiency. The capacity to store large quantities also ranks highly with Canadians (90%).

"Samsung makes it easy for Canadians to ensure their passion for fresh food continues from the grocery store to the fridge," said Warner Doell, Vice President of Home Appliance Sales and Marketing for Samsung Canada. "Premium features like LED lighting in every French Door fridge make it easy to spot healthy food choices, while the Twin Cooling System keeps produce fresher, longer no matter where it's stored in the fresh food section of the fridge."

Samsung's exclusive Twin Cooling System® uses two evaporators to independently control the temperatures of the refrigerator and freezer compartments. By maintaining proper humidity levels, it keeps foods fresher longer and prevents odour transfers between compartments. Best of all, with Samsung's Twin Cooling System keeping humidity levels high throughout the fresh food section, fruits and veggies stay fresher, longer and can live anywhere in the fridge - not just the crisper - so Canadians can keep healthier options within clear sight.

French Door style refrigerators keep the fresh food section at eye-level, making it easier to spot fresh snack and meal choices. With a number of new fridges launching in Canada this year, Samsung offers the largest capacity French Door fridges in every category in which they compete. Canadians can select a French Door Samsung refrigerator model to suit any size kitchen.

Samsung's four-door fridge models even feature a counter-height, Flex Zone Mid-Convertible Drawer with Smart Divider - at a perfect height for children to see food clearly and reach for healthy snacks. With four unique temperature settings, this space can flexibly adjust to keep meat or fish at a soft freeze for longer lasting freshness.

Unlike most refrigerators, all Samsung refrigerators feature sophisticated, eco-friendly LED lighting inside. This bright, energy efficient lighting makes locating and identifying items easy by illuminating every corner of the refrigerator.

Select Samsung fridges also offer the CoolSelect Pantry™, a full-length, full-depth temperature-controlled clear drawer with a specially designed lid that self opens and closes to make grabbing fresh produce and opening fruit and veggie containers easier.

Other interesting results from the survey included:

• 34% of respondents agreed that they would judge family or friends if their refrigerator was messy or disorganized; men are more likely to judge than women (37% vs. 30%)
• When asked if they were starting to date someone new and they saw that the person's fridge was messy and full of spoiled food, 57% said they would be turned off enough to say something about it - and 8% would even consider breaking off the relationship
• Most respondents (64%) make at least two trips a week to grocery shop, spending at least two hours of their time to do it - when asked if they could take that time spent to do something else, most responded that they would spend more time relaxing or with family

Available in stores across Canada, Samsung offers a range of French Door refrigerator models featuring the exclusive Twin Cooling system and a host of other design features that offer ideal storage solutions for healthier lifestyles. For more information, visit www.samsung.ca

About the Survey

From May 16th to May 22nd, 2012 an online survey was conducted among 1,002 randomly selected Canadian adults who are Angus Reid Forum panelists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 3.1%, 19 times out of 20. The results have been statistically weighted according to age, gender and region (and language in Quebec) to ensure a sample representative. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

About Samsung Electronics Canada Inc.

Samsung Electronics Canada enables Canadians to "Pursue their Passions" by offering a broad range of award-winning digital consumer electronics, IT, telecommunications and home appliance products for consumers and businesses. The Canadian arm upholds Samsung's global mission to provide users premium experiences that are unparalleled due to Samsung's innovative technology and stylish design. As a result, Samsung has become a true leader in the electronics industry both in terms of business leadership and brand strength. In 2011, Samsung was ranked #17 in BusinessWeek / Interbrand "100 Best Global Brands", and was named as one of Fast Company's "50 Most Innovative Companies of 2011."

Follow Samsung Canada @ facebook.com/SamsungCanada or on twitter @SamsungCanada

Team Canada's Performance Dietitian, Kelly Anne Erdman, is available for interviews on fridge organization for healthy eating. For more information, images or to request interviews, please contact:

Nicole Grant 
[email protected]
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Chris Dionne
[email protected]
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