WQIO Ohio's Super Station
COLUMBUS, Ohio (April 10, 2023) – SWACO developed an online Food Storage Guide in conjunction with its Save More Than Food (SMTF) campaign to help central Ohioans extend the shelf life of their food during Food Waste Prevention Week (April 10 to 16) and beyond.
“Central Ohio families literally throw away an average of $2,000 a year in food that may not need to be thrown out. Many times people don’t understand that foods last well beyond the date on the package, so we developed a Food Storage Guide,” said Joe Lombardi, SWACO’s Executive Director. “If we individually do our part to reduce food waste, together we can lessen the impact that wasting food has on our economy and environment.”
SWACO’s Food Storage Guide offers tips like:
- Freezing will keep bread fresh the longest. When packing, squeeze the air out of a zip-top bag. Slice whole loaves to easily grab a few slices as you need them.
- Rinse, dry, and freeze berries in an airtight container. They can be frozen on a sheet pan to stop clumping.
- Hard cheeses wrapped in parchment (not plastic) can be frozen in an airtight container. Freezing soft cheeses alters their texture but they can still be used for cooking.
“When it comes to determining whether food is fresh, use your senses – tasting, smelling and looking at foods is a good way to tell if foods are still okay to eat. If foods start to sour, mold or sprout, our Food Storage Guide offers tips for reviving them,” said Lombardi.
Reducing food waste remains an important issue for central Ohioans. In a public opinion poll conducted in 2022, 83% of residents were concerned with the amount of food wasted every day in central Ohio. A 2019 Waste Characterization Study published by SWACO documented that nearly a million pounds of food arrives at the County Landfill every day, and a large portion of that food comes from households.
Residents and businesses alike can get more information on ways to prevent food waste and download the Food Storage Guide at savemorethanfood.org.
