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

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(TM), 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


SOURCE Samsung Electronics Canada

Samsung Electronics Canada

CONTACT: 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 
nicole.grant@northstrategic.com
(416) 419-6577

Chris Dionne
Chris.dionne@northstrategic.com
(416) 500-3802


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