Storing leftover holiday cookies and food in the freezer can not only prolong their freshness but may also help curb the amount of edible food that U.S. households throw away, according to a new study.
Storing leftover holiday cookies and food in the freezer can not only prolong their freshness but may also help curb the amount of edible food that U.S. households throw away, according to a new study.
A recent national survey revealed that approximately 6% of food wasted in American homes consists of discarded frozen items. Since frozen food contributes minimally to overall food waste, researchers suggest that encouraging individuals to utilize their freezers could help minimize unnecessary food disposal.
Although food waste in general remains problematic, researchers found that freezing food correlates with reduced amounts of waste being thrown away.
“Our findings indicate that households that practice freezing food tend to have less food waste compared to others,” stated Lei Xu, the study’s lead author and postdoctoral researcher in agricultural and food economics at The Ohio State University.
“Wasting food is not only an economic setback, but it also harms the environment since over 90% of discarded food ends up in landfills, leading to greenhouse gas emissions,” Xu noted. “These results indicate that encouraging home freezing habits could lead to significant positive environmental changes.”
Xu completed this research alongside graduate student Ran Li and senior author Brian Roe, a professor in the Department of Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics at Ohio State. Their research was recently published in the British Food Journal.
Roe has investigated household food waste for several years, but this study is the first to explore the role of frozen food in this context. While estimates suggest that about 30% of food in the U.S. is wasted, Roe’s research indicates that consumer food waste is increasing.
“The continuous rise in food waste may signal to policymakers the need for educational campaigns that help households better manage their food purchases and consumption,” Xu said.
The study data came from frozen food-related questions added to the summer 2022 U.S. National Household Food Waste Tracking Survey, which involved 1,067 households. Participants estimated the percentage of food discarded over the previous week that had been frozen, along with whether it was purchased frozen or frozen later. They also shared how often they typically buy frozen foods.
Findings showed that 85% of U.S. households purchase frozen foods, and among those, 55% indicated they do so to minimize waste. People who buy frozen foods tended to shop less frequently (about two to three times a month) and were often living in households earning less than $50,000 annually. The main types of frozen food wasted included meat (20%), vegetables (22%), and potatoes and grains (15% each).
“The results suggest that there’s potential to enhance awareness about saving food through freezing,” Xu said.
The data indicated that those who frequently freeze food have significantly lower overall food waste. Respondents who regularly freeze fresh produce or leftovers were typically aged 45 and older and lived in households with three or more individuals. This may imply that people accustomed to freezing food are more skilled in meal management for larger groups and motivated to reduce food waste.
Interestingly, the study also found that around 30% more wasted frozen food was discarded from the refrigerator instead of the freezer, which was an unexpected insight.
“This could suggest that individuals may be unclear about proper food storage methods, including how long to keep certain items and where to store them,” Xu explained. “This highlights the need for clearer storage instructions on food packaging to help consumers reduce waste.”
Data trends indicate that enhancing consumer knowledge regarding the freezer’s role in food preservation could have economic and environmental benefits, Xu mentioned, and could also help tackle the issue of food insecurity affecting 10% of U.S. households.
“Half of consumers purchase frozen foods to reduce waste. What about the other half?” she asked. “We aim to boost public awareness about food preservation and demonstrate how freezing can be an effective and widely accessible method since nearly all households have a freezer.”
This research was supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the National Science Foundation, and contributions from the Frozen Food Foundation, which helped finance a larger survey sample.
