Earlier this week I chatted about Samsung’s very cool WiFi-enabled French-Door Refrigerators.
(I think it’s safe to say that EVERYONE would love to have this fridge in their kitchen. Now how many of y’all are kicking and rocking your current models? Break, dammit! Mama needs a new appliance!)
Of course, one of the features that had me totally smitten was the counter-height, Flex Zone Mid-Convertible Drawer with Smart Divider. It’s at a perfect height for children to see food clearly and reach for healthy snacks. And with four unique temperature settings, this space can also flexibly adjust to keep meat or fish at a soft freeze for longer lasting freshness.
Hence, since we’re chatting about how to best keep fresh foods staying that way – for longer – here are some awesome tips from Kelly Anne Erdman – Team Canada’s Performance Dietician at 2012 London Summer Olympics.
(GO Canada! Hope you’re having a blast, Kelly!)
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: 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, 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.
We love loading up on fresh produce (don’t you know that my kids only eat fruits and veggies willingly? Everything else is a struggle). Time to grab some of those visually-appealing vegetables!
Do you have any tips or tricks for keeping food at its freshest? Do tell!
Thanks for sharing these tips!
One way that I ensure that I have the freshest, longest-lasting produce in my refrigerator is to shop at Longos. Their produce trumps all other stores. I also like to prepare as much as I can when I get home from shopping. I’ll cut up melons and place the pieces in sealed containers, wash and freeze berries (I stock up when they’re on sale, especially now that Ontario berries are available), and cut up carrots/cucumbers/celery/peppers for easy munching and meal prep. I find that if everything is washed and ready to eat, it all gets eaten and I don’t throw any away. The only produce that I allow to get overripe and unappealing to eat is bananas – who doesn’t love banana muffins or banana ice cream? Yum!
BTW – I would LOVE to have that Samsung refrigerator in my home, especially for the low drawer feature!
I absolutely adore Longos. You’re right – it makes a real difference when you shop with quality in mind – you’re ensuring great produce before you even make it home. Great tips Shauna!
My boys are the same – fruit/veggie addicts, but eat like birds and it’s a struggle to get much else down. They are loving fresh peas from our garden right now… I wish summer could last forever! :)
Me too Tamara! And happy to meet another mom with fruit/veggie addicts!
Good tips! My rule is, if they can see it, they will eat it! Always important to keep the food handy and at eye level, especially after school when they’re searching for a snack.
That is a wonderful tip RubyRed!
So agree on the clear bins, you need to see what you have in there, or it’s so easily forgotten. Great tips Lena!
:)
Love the clear bins tip as well!
I love the clear bins in my fridge, if you don’t see you don’t use it