Stacey Snelling is a professor in the Department of Health Studies at American University. Opinions are the author’s own.
Frozen food has a surprising, yet essential role in the fight against climate change. The individual action of including frozen food in meals can result in positively contributing to climate change.
At the most recent United Nations General Assembly meeting, President Philemon Yang told attendees that up to 1.2 billion people could be displaced by rising sea levels driven by global climate change. To stave off that worst-case scenario, the UN is working to achieve global net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
To meet that goal, the world must find ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from food production, the second leading cause of greenhouse gas emissions. Addressing food waste is a ripe opportunity for significantly addressing climate change on a consumer and industry level.
Stacey Snelling, professor in the Department of Health Studies at American University
Permission granted by Stacey Snelling
Take food waste. More than 30% of food in the United States is wasted and, when it comes to produce, such as fruits and vegetables, that number reaches 40% or more. That’s an alarming statistic, particularly when we know food insecurity afflicts over 40 million people across the country. This is an even greater concern because virtually all food waste ends up in landfills where it emits methane, a greenhouse gas that’s more potent than food carbon dioxide.
Waste comes from all levels of the supply chain. Think about harvest time. For any food we leave in the field at harvest, we have wasted all the fossil fuels required to grow the food and greenhouse gas results when the food is left to rot. In addition, a lot of food is discarded at home. Some food never makes it to the table because it spoils before we can cook it. That food goes into the trash and ends up in landfills.
Frozen produce could play an important role in helping consumers cut food waste at home. Typically, produce is frozen at its peak ripeness, meaning consumers don’t need to sacrifice quality or flavor.
Frozen vegetables also have a longer shelf life — depending on the product — lasting longer than refrigerated or fresh foods (sometimes up to six months). That means fewer leftovers and less spoilage.
A literature review conducted by Cornell University found that frozen foods, particularly frozen fruits and vegetables, are wasted less than their fresh counterparts at grocery stores and in households. Frozen ingredients add meal flexibility and are less likely to go bad if a consumer forgets about them in their fridge.
As scientists and federal regulators develop the latest U.S. dietary guidelines, there’s an opportunity to address food waste by recommending more frozen produce. Frozen produce already helps families — adults and children — meet the current U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommendations for produce consumption of 2 to 3 cups per day.
As we pay closer attention to reducing food loss and waste, particularly as it relates to greenhouse gases and climate change in the United States and beyond, it’s important to acknowledge the importance and impact of how the simple act of freezing or purchasing frozen produce can offer health, environmental and economic benefits.
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