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.

Make noise to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Bubble Wrap.

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+.