BOCA RATON, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Summer is still here and consumers across the country can feel confident browsing their hometown farmers markets and stocking up on produce to grace family mealtime year-round. Consumers can, in fact, stock up on produce because the Foodsaver® brand cutting-edge vacuum sealing system preserves and protects summer’s colorful bounty for the long term, making year-round nutrition and enjoyment a reality.
Renowned for keeping foods fresh five times longer than traditional methods, the FoodSaver® vacuum sealing system gives consumers the ability to eat a fresh, healthier, variety of fruits and vegetables any time of year. Plus, consumers can save up to $2,700 a year by buying in bulk during peak season, preserving for the long term, and minimizing waste!
“FoodSaver® is the ultimate food preservation system, giving foodies, home cooks and chefs alike the ability to keep a little bit of summer in the freezer all year long,” stated Lori Gonzalez, Vice President & General Manager, FoodSaver® Brand. “And consumers can feel confident stocking up on the season’s fresh produce – from peaches, pears and nectarines to tomatoes, berries and melon – because FoodSaver® brand technology will not only preserve freshness and nutrition, but also quite a bit of money.”
The FoodSaver® brand, together with its sister company Ball® Brand Fresh Preserving, have partnered with the Farmers Market Coalition in a nationwide effort to support farmers and the local food economy while educating communities about the benefits of food preservation. The program has grown in the past four years to encompass 50 farmers markets across the nation, helping more visitors learn how to preserve foods, make recipes, and enjoy fresh local produce year-round.
Experts recommend purchasing foods when they are in-season, and cost less, to avoid paying off-season premiums. This means enjoying summer produce in the winter – and vice versa – without maxing out the food budget or skimping on flavor and freshness.
“At a time when food costs are skyrocketing, the FoodSaver® system just makes sense,” Gonzalez added. “The product will pay for itself in less than a month when used daily.”
Using the FoodSaver® vacuum sealing system significantly extends the life of a variety of foods. For instance, lettuce, using ordinary storage methods lasts only 3-6 days; but the FoodSaver® system can preserve it for up to two weeks. Vegetables, using ordinary storage last 8 months, but the FoodSaver® system will keep them fresh 2-3 years. Berries only last 1-6 days using ordinary storage, but the FoodSaver® system can preserve them for 1-2 weeks; and coffee beans last 6-9 months using ordinary storage, but with the FoodSaver® system can last 2-3 years.
The Foodsaver® brand offers up the following tips for long-term fruit, vegetable and herb preservation:
BANANAS: If you have ripe bananas for a recipe, but don't have time to make it right away, peel the bananas, place them in a FoodSaver® Bag, and vacuum seal. The bananas will keep for several days in the refrigerator and months in the freezer - without discoloring… perfect for making the recipe when you are ready!
BERRIES: Wash the berries and dry thoroughly. Pre-freeze them on a cookie sheet in the freezer for about 2 hours. Now, you can vacuum package them without crushing them. To store fresh berries in the refrigerator, place them in a FoodSaver® Canister and vacuum them. The berries will last up to a week or more this way!
LEMONS: Make fresh lemonade whenever you want it! Whether you have a lemon tree of your own, or like to buy lemons in season (at their lowest price), squeeze the juice, remove the seeds, and pour the juice into ice trays. After the juice has frozen, use pint-size or Portion Pouch™ FoodSaver® Bags to make packets that hold 1-2 cubes. Then vacuum package and store in the freezer. Whenever you need fresh lemon juice, just thaw the packet, snip a corner and pour out the juice.
VEGGIE STEAMERS: Stock up on vegetables when they’re on sale and in season, then freeze them in appropriately sized servings using FoodSaver® Freeze ‘n Steam™ bags. The bags have built-in steam vents to take veggies from the freezer to the microwave to your table in minutes.
CRUCIFEROUS VEGGIES: Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussels sprouts give off gases when they are stored. This gas will cause the bag to expand, and the vegetables will go bad. The best way to store all vegetables is to blanch them first, then cool, dry, vacuum pack with the FoodSaver® system and freeze.
CELERY: Due to the high water content of these vegetables, it is recommended that you do not freeze them. Instead, wash and dry them thoroughly, vacuum seal them in a FoodSaver® Canister, and store in the refrigerator until needed. They will last up to 6 weeks in this manner.
HERBS: Divide fresh herbs in individual bags so you can have the right amount on hand instantly. Preserve them in season and freeze for use later. Enjoy the flavor of freshness in your recipes any time of the year!
AVOID vacuum sealing soft cheese, mushrooms, and garlic.
Available now, the first-ever 2-in-1 food preservation system, the FoodSaver® 4800 Series Vacuum Sealer (MSRP: $169.99 - $199.99), is the most versatile yet, giving consumers the ability to preserve foods for both the long and short term with ease. Providing the functionality and convenience of two vacuum sealing appliances in one, this system works with FoodSaver® heat seal bags and rolls for long-term freezer storage, and, with its retractable handheld sealer, consumers can use FoodSaver® FreshSaver® vacuum zipper bags, canisters, containers, and accessories for short-term food preservation. In addition, a handy marinate mode infuses food with flavor in minutes instead of hours with the FoodSaver® Quick Marinator. Compact, upscale, and fully automatic, this appliance also features an easy-open drawer with patented removable drip tray for easy clean up.
Just launched, the new FoodSaver® FM2000 Series Vacuum Sealers (MSRP: $79.99- $99.99) introduce new technology for reducing bag waste so consumers can save even more money by getting more bags per roll. Featuring manual controls in a sleek, easy-to-use design, these new vacuum sealers help preserve meats, poultry, seafood, vegetables and leftovers with ease to keep food fresh up to five times longer than traditional storage methods, and save consumers up to $2,700* per year.
*Based on buying in bulk and on sale and preventing waste
About Jarden Corporation
Jarden Corporation is a leading provider of a diverse range of consumer products with a portfolio of over 120 trusted, quality brands sold globally. Jarden operates in three primary business segments through a number of well recognized brands, including: Outdoor Solutions: Abu Garcia®, AeroBed®, Berkley®, Campingaz® and Coleman®, ExOfficio®, Fenwick®, Greys®, Gulp!®, Hardy®, Invicta®, K2®, Madshus®, Marker®, Marmot®, Mitchell®, PENN®, Rawlings®, Ride®, Sevylor®, Shakespeare®, Stearns®, Stren®, Trilene®, Völkl®, Worth® and Zoot®; Consumer Solutions: Bionaire®, Breville®, Crock-Pot®, FoodSaver®, Health o meter®, Holmes®, Mr. Coffee®, Oster®, Patton®, Rival®, Seal-a-Meal®, Sunbeam®, VillaWare® and White Mountain®; and Branded Consumables: Ball®, Bee®, Bernardin®, Bicycle®, Billy Boy®, Crawford®, Diamond®, Dicon®, Fiona®, First Alert®, First Essentials®, Hoyle®, Kerr®, Lehigh®, Lifoam®, Lillo®, Loew Cornell®, Mapa®, NUK®, Pine Mountain®, ProPak®, Quickie®, Spontex®, Tigex® and Yankee Candle®. Headquartered in Florida, Jarden ranks #356 on the Fortune 500 and has over 30,000 employees worldwide. For further information about Jarden, please visit www.jarden.com.
