Stretch your food budget in a tough economy!
• Nearly two-thirds of Americans have changed their food consumption behavior because of the economy and 80 percent of Americans say their families make a point of eating leftovers to save money.
• 72 percent of Americans pack lunch for themselves or their children and 94 percent of Americans feel good when they store and reuse food rather than throwing it away.
• Women are more likely to eat leftovers for lunch, bring home leftovers from restaurants or parties and make large meals to extend over several days.
• Nearly two-thirds of Americans are finding ways to be thrifty with their food, doing everything from eating leftovers for lunch to more extreme measures such as rationing and eating food past the expiration date.

Americans are packing… lunch that is
• 72 percent of Americans are packing lunch for themselves or their children, with many using plastic containers and sandwich bags to do so.
• Parents with children under 18 in the household are more likely to be packing lunch than their child-free counterparts.

Leftovers make Americans feel good
• Nine in ten Americans report that they feel good when they store and reuse food instead of throwing it away.
• 80 percent of Americans say their family makes a point of eating leftovers to save money.

What’s cooking in the kitchen?
• Younger Americans are more likely than their older counterparts to name a movie featuring their cooking skills as “Dazed and Confused.”
• A third of Americans describe their fridge personality as “Fresh Foodies” with a fridge full of fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Another third of Americans define their fridge personality as “Pack Rats,” with a fridge that is overflowing.

Leftovers lead to love!
• One fourth of Americans said they would choose to have sex if they had more free time from eating leftovers.
• Parents are even more likely to take advantage of the free time; 33 percent said they would have sex.
• Twice as many Americans would have sex instead of going to the gym with their time saved from only cooking once a week.
Ring in portion control!
• Two-thirds of Americans will practice portion control when eating this holiday season, with another six in ten looking for reliable ways to do this.

Are you sharing or hoarding your holiday leftovers this year?
• Sharers edge out hoarders slightly in their approach to holiday leftovers, with women more likely to share.

Plastics voted MVP
• Three-quarters of Americans named plastics the MVP for holiday foods, when it comes to preparing, transporting, consuming and storing it.
• 93 percent of Americans report that they would miss plastics if there were none around for the holidays.
• Eight in ten Americans say that plastic food containers and wrap have made planning family meals easier.

Nearly two-thirds of Americans have changed their food consumption patterns because of the economy and 80 percent of Americans say their families make a point of eating leftovers to save money, according a recent survey conducted on behalf of Plastics Make it Possible^SM. Other findings from the survey show that 72 percent of Americans pack lunch for themselves or their children and 94 percent of Americans feel good when they store and reuse food rather than throwing it away. Women are more likely to eat leftovers for lunch, bring home leftovers from restaurants or parties and cook larger quantities to provide several meals.

“I think what we’re seeing today is very much a ‘back to basics’ approach when it comes to meal time,” said Steve Russell, vice president of the Plastics Division for the American Chemistry Council. “Times are tougher so Americans are taking home leftovers from restaurants and cooking more meals themselves. Proper storage of fresh food and leftovers goes a long way to helping ensure consumers get the most out of every meal.”

Following are some simple storage and preparation tips that can help reduce or extend food budgets:

• Store and eat those leftovers! There are so many ways to use leftovers – from ready-to-eat lunches to creating new meals from leftover ingredients to freezing them for later use. Storing leftovers in air-tight plastic containers can help keep them fresher longer. Transfer restaurant leftovers to sealed plastic containers as soon as you get home. If you won’t be able to eat your leftovers within a few days, immediately transfer them to plastic containers or sealable bags that are made especially for the freezer.

• Cook once, eat for a week! Planning meals in advance can help save money and precious time. About four in five Americans said that plastic food containers and plastic wrap have made planning family meals easier. With the help of airtight plastic bags and containers, it’s easy to prepare and conveniently store an entire week’s worth of meals at once. This helps planners to purchase ingredients when they’re on sale.

• Pack your own. Packing lunch instead of eating out can save money, and the wide variety of plastic bags and containers available today don’t just keep food fresh, they can help control portion size, which is important when trying to lose or maintain your weight. In fact, 56 percent of Americans say they are looking for products that help them practice portion control. And for those who are battling the bulge or just trying to eat healthy, there are also new plastic containers and wraps that are designed to keep fruit and vegetables fresher even longer.

In fact, nearly two-thirds of Americans indicate they have changed their food consumption patterns because of the economy, and 80 percent of Americans say their families make a point of eating leftovers to save money, according a recent survey conducted on behalf of Plastics Make it Possible(SM), an initiative sponsored by the plastics industries of the American Chemistry Council. Other findings from the survey show that 72 percent of Americans pack lunch for themselves or their children, and 94 percent of Americans feel good when they store and reuse food rather than throwing it away. Women are more likely to eat leftovers for lunch, bring home leftovers from restaurants or parties, and make large meals to extend over several days.

“I think what we’re seeing today is very much a ‘back to basics’ approach when it comes to meal time,” said Steve Russell, vice president of the Plastics Division for the American Chemistry Council. “Times are tougher so Americans are taking home leftovers from restaurants and cooking more meals themselves. Proper storage of fresh food and leftovers goes a long way to helping ensure consumers get the most out of every meal.”

Following are some simple storage and preparation tips that can help reduce or extend food budgets:

• Store and eat those leftovers! There are so many ways to use leftovers – from ready-to-eat lunches to creating new meals from leftover ingredients to freezing them for later use. Storing leftovers in air-tight plastic containers can help keep them fresher longer. Transfer restaurant leftovers to sealed plastic containers as soon as you get home. If you won’t be able to eat your leftovers within a few days, immediately transfer them to plastic containers or sealable bags that are made especially for the freezer.
• Cook once, eat for a week! Planning meals in advance can help save money and precious time. About four in five Americans said that plastic food containers and plastic wrap have made planning family meals easier. With the help of airtight plastic bags and containers, it’s easy to prepare and conveniently store an entire week’s worth of meals at once. This helps planners to purchase ingredients when they’re on sale.
• Pack your own. Packing lunch instead of eating out can save money, and the wide variety of plastic bags and containers available today don’t just keep food fresh, they can help control portion size, which is important when trying to lose or maintain your weight. In fact, 56 percent of Americans say they are looking for products that help them practice portion control. And for those who are battling the bulge or just trying to eat healthy, there are also new plastic containers and wraps that are designed to keep fruit and vegetables fresher even longer.

For tips on proper food storage as well as additional survey results, visit www.plasticsmakeitpossible.com.

The survey was conducted by TNS Global in September 2009 to a nationally representative sample of 1,000 American adults aged 18+.

• To prolong freshness, contain and store foods in a refrigerator or freezer within two hours after cooking.

• Be sure stored foods are tightly wrapped. When using a sealable plastic bag, try to squeeze out as much air as possible. This will conserve space and help to prevent freezer burn.

• Divide different parts of the meal into multiple plastic containers and freeze them separately.

• Store leftovers in shallow plastic containers, less than two inches deep, for rapid, even cooling. Larger or deeper containers take longer to freeze or thaw.

• While it is generally okay to refreeze partially thawed foods, keep in mind that refreezing can cause foods to become watery or soft. Also remember that although freezing does reduce the growth of microbes, it won’t eliminate bacteria that already exist in your food, so it’s important not to let thawed foods sit at room temperature.

• You can slightly undercook plant-based foods (e.g., pasta, rice, and vegetables) that will be frozen, as they can be fully cooked when they are reheated. Always be sure to thoroughly cook meat, fish and poultry before serving.

• If possible, thaw food in the refrigerator so it doesn’t have an opportunity to sit at room temperature. It takes most frozen foods about 24 to 48 hours in the refrigerator to thaw completely. Eat thawed foods as soon as possible, since food spoils more quickly at this point than when it’s fresh.

• Use these containers for freezer packaging: zip-top plastic freezer bag, plastic coated freezer paper, plastic containers with wide mouths and tight-fitting lids, and heavy-duty plastic wrap.

• Add casserole toppings (like cheese or bread crumbs) when the dish is being heated to serve.

• When you have questions about food freshness, remember this: When in doubt, it’s best to throw it out!

Tips from Holly Clegg’s trim&TERRIFIC® Freezer Friendly Meals and plasticsinfo.org

Try this short-cut version of one of our favorites—pick up rotisserie chicken for time saver. Serve with tortilla strips, chopped avocado, and shredded reduced fat Mexican blend cheese, if desired.

Makes 6 servings

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch slices

1 onion, chopped

1 teaspoon minced garlic

6 cups canned fat free chicken broth

1 (16-ounce) jar salsa

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 (16-ounce bag) frozen corn

1. In large non-stick pot coated with nonstick cooking spray, cook chicken over medium heat, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

2. Add onion and garlic; continue sautéing until tender, about 3 minutes.

3. Add chicken broth, salsa, chili powder, cumin, and lime juice, bringing to boil. Reduce heat and cook 10 minutes; add corn, cooking for few more minutes.

To Prepare and Eat Now: Serve

To Freeze: Cool to room temperature, transfer to freezer containers, label, and freeze.

To Prepare After Freezing: Remove from freezer to defrost. Reheat in nonstick pot over low heat. Alternately, you can reheat in microwave.

Nutritional information per serving, Calories 256, Protein (g) 32, Carbohydrate (g) 27, Fat (g) 2, Calories from Fat (%) 8, Saturated Fat (g) 1, Dietary Fiber (g) 4, Cholesterol (mg) 66, Sodium (mg) 760, Diabetic Exchanges: 3.5 very lean meat, 1.5 starch, 1 vegetable

Taco Soup

An all time family favorite–open cans and prepackaged seasoning makes a great simple supper solution. Try using reduced sodium taco seasoning to lower sodium.

Makes 8 cups

1 pound ground sirloin

2 (10-ounce) cans diced tomatoes and green chilies (mild)

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chilies, drained

1 (1 ¼-ounce) package taco seasoning mix

Half (1-ounce) package original ranch salad dressing mix

2 cups water

2 cups frozen corn

1. In large nonstick pot, over medium heat, cook ground sirloin until done, 5 minutes. Drain any excess grease.

2. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and cook 5 – 10 minutes.

To Prepare and Eat Now: Serve.

To Freeze: Cool to room temperature. Transfer to freezer containers, label, and freeze.

To Serve: Defrost. Reheat in a non-stick pot over a low heat until thoroughly heated. Can reheat in the microwave.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories 269, Protein (g) 19, Carbohydrate (g) 32, Fat (g) 4, Calories from Fat (%) 14, Saturated Fat (g) 1, Dietary Fiber (g) 8, Cholesterol (mg) 30, Sodium (mg) 1102, Diabetic Exchanges: 2 very lean meat, 2 starch

Recipe from Holly Clegg’s trim&TERRIFIC® Freezer Friendly Meals

©2006 by Holly Clegg

Plastics Makes it Possible^SM Unveils Surprising Information About

American’s Food Storage Habits

ARLINGTON, VA (November 9, 2009)

Have you ever smelled food in your refrigerator to check if it’s still good before eating? While it’s not very scientific, it’s something that 90 percent of Americans do. And, if you’re a woman, you are more likely to ask someone else to do the dirty work of “sniffing” for you. Those are some of the findings from a recent survey conducted on behalf of Plastics Make it Possible^SM, an initiative sponsored by the plastics industries of the American Chemistry Council.

So, why all of the sniffing? A majority of respondents said they are only somewhat confident that they know how long cooked food will last in the fridge before it goes bad. In fact, two-thirds wish their food could talk and tell them when it was ready to be thrown out!

While we can’t yet purchase plastic wrap that detects food bacteria (although it is in development), nearly 80 percent of Americans put their food in air-tight plastic containers to keep their food fresher longer. Plastic containers and plastic wrap also help save money by extending the life of food as well as offering numerous ways to portion and store food so that leftovers can be enjoyed later, rather than throwing excess food away. For example, new hermetically sealed plastic milk containers and breathable plastic wraps for salad, lettuce and spinach products help to dramatically extend the shelf life of these nutritious foods. And some new reusable plastic storage containers allow for controlled airflow underneath the food to prolong freshness once a package has been opened.

While packaged food products should have expiration dates, one of the most exciting innovations in plastic packaging is the upcoming introduction of labels that will change color to indicate when a food item is no longer fresh or to indicate that it has reached an unsafe temperature.

“Plastic containers and wrap offer so much flexibility in the kitchen,” said Holly Clegg, best-selling trim&TERRIFIC® Freezer Friendly Meals cookbook author and entertainment expert. “In today’s economy, people are doing everything they can to get the most out of every meal. By properly storing food in individual containers, I can cook once and enjoy meals for a week. And I also don’t worry about buying fresh fruit and vegetables because I know that I can make them last as long as possible if they’re stored correctly. This saves a lot of time and money.”

Plastic packaging has become so essential that 93 percent of Americans feel something would be missing from their holidays without plastic food containers and wrap. Here are the top five things they would miss most if they weren’t able to use plastics:

· Air-tight storage

· Being able to see what is in the container

· Easy freezing or re-heating

· Keeping leftovers longer

· Spill-resistant travel with food

For tips on proper food storage and safety as well as more results from the survey, visit www.plasticsmakeitpossible.com.

The survey was conducted by TNS Global in September 2009 to a nationally representative sample of 1,000 American adults aged 18+.

Ever wondered what you’ll do with all that leftover Thanksgiving turkey? With the proper plastic storage, you can keep the turkey fresh and safe to eat for quite a while. Holly Clegg, author of Holly Clegg’s trim&TERRIFIC™ FREEZER FRIENDLY MEALS, offers the recipe below to help you make the most of your holiday cooking.

Quick Lasagna

Take the easy but delicious way out with commercial pasta sauce, leftover turkey and no-boil noodles to create a fantastic and favorite lasagna. Have extra– cut into individual portions, wrap in plastic wrap, and store in zip-top freezer bags for your next meal.

Makes 8 servings

3 cups leftover turkey, skin removed and cut into pieces

2 (26-ounce) jars red pasta sauce

1 (8-ounce) package no-boil lasagna noodles

2 cups shredded part-skim Mozzarella cheese

2 (10-ounce) packages chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained

1 (4-ounce) package crumbled goat cheese

1. Preheat oven 350˚F.

2. Combine leftover turkey and pasta sauce.

3. In oblong baking dish, spread thin layer of turkey sauce. Top with layer of noodles, one-third turkey sauce, Mozzarella cheese, half spinach, one-third of goat cheese. Repeat layering with noodles, turkey sauce, Mozzarella, remaining spinach, one-third of goat cheese. Continue with remaining noodles, turkey sauce, Mozzarella, goat cheese.

4. Bake, covered, 50 minutes. Uncover, bake 5 minutes longer, or until bubbly. Serve immediately.

To Prepare and Eat Now: Serve when ready.

To Freeze: Cool to room temperature. Wrap, label and freeze. Recommended freezing time: up to 3 months.

To Serve: Remove from freezer to defrost. Preheat oven to 350° F, bake, covered, 25-30 minutes or until bubbly. Uncover, bake 5 minutes longer. Alternately, you can reheat in microwave if cut into pieces.

Nutritional information per serving

Calories 393, Protein (g) 29, Carbohydrate (g) 40, Fat (g) 13, Calories from Fat (%) 29, Saturated Fat (g) 5, Dietary Fiber (g) 6, Cholesterol (mg) 57, Sodium (mg) 1026, Diabetic Exchanges: 2.5 lean meat, 2 starch, 2 vegetable, 1 fat

Recipe from Holly Clegg’s trim&TERRIFIC™ FREEZER FRIENDLY MEALS. Click here to visit her website for more recipes.