Jarden Home Brands Uncovers How Gardeners Prevent Food Waste

FISHERS, Ind., June 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- With benefits like fresh and healthy produce as well as saving money, it's no wonder that about one out of three households (36%) participate in food gardening*. While a bumper crop of extra produce can be a common consequence for gardeners, research by ORC International on behalf of the Jarden Home Brands, makers of Ball^® home canning products found that gardeners are anything but wasteful. If you're the lucky friend of someone with a green thumb, prepare your appetite: nearly three quarters (71%) of gardeners share more than half of the food grown in their gardens. Forty percent (40%) of gardeners plan to preserve half or more of the food they grow this season and 44% freeze it for later use. Only 9% toss it out, citing two main reasons for doing so: their gardens yielded more than expected (44%), or their produce spoiled before they were able to use it (40%).

Keep Calm and Can On 
While it takes extra time and care to grow your own food, more than half (58%) of gardeners believe homegrown is healthier and 51% say it saves money. And gardeners are no strangers to canning, regardless of age. Three quarters (77%) of gardeners have canned, frozen or dehydrated foods to preserve them, 33% of whom are millennials. Truly reaping what they sow, gardeners take the extra step to preserve their crops, driven by two important motivations: 46% want to eat foods at their seasonal peak freshness year-round, and (54%) like to know exactly what is in their food, a growing concern even influencing packaged food purchases.

What Grows…And Where? 
Gardeners growing food are most likely to grow vegetables (86%), followed by herbs (60%) and fruit (50%). Gardeners' favorite seasonal crop? One third (32%) said tomatoes. As gardeners become more daring, exotic crops like habanero and ghost peppers are also making their way into America's gardens. In terms of high yield and "excess produce," tomatoes top the list for gardeners' (55%), followed by peppers (28%) and cucumbers (23%).

Still, you don't need an acre of land to grow your own garden. Many make due with a raised bed in the backyard or a modest window box. The research also found that one quarter of gardeners are city dwellers, suggesting they likely have limited outdoor space.

An information-rich resource for all who find themselves with extra fruits and veggies, The All New Ball^® Book of Canning and Preserving features 200 of the best canned, jammed, pickled and preserved recipes, like Salsa Ranchera for extra tomatoes or Chow Chow for unused cucumbers & peppers.

For more information on all Ball^® brand home canning products, visit www.FreshPreserving.com or the brand's social media channels including Tumblr (www.FreshlyPreservedIdeas.com), Facebook (www.Facebook.com/BallCanning), Twitter (www.Twitter.com/BallCanning), Pinterest (www.Pinterest.com/BallCanning) and Instagram (www.instagram.com/BallCanning).

Wondering what's growing in your area? Check out the Ball^® brand Interactive Canning Map.

Survey Methodology 
Online quantitative survey conducted among a sample of 506 adults that garden 18 years of age and older, fielded April 18-21, 2016.

*Source: National Gardening Marketing Research Company

About Newell Brands  
Newell Brands (NYSE: NWL) is a leading global consumer goods company with a strong portfolio of well-known brands, including Paper Mate®, Sharpie®, Dymo®, EXPO®, Parker®, Elmer's®, Coleman®, Jostens®, Marmot®, Rawlings®, Irwin®, Lenox®, Oster®, Sunbeam®, FoodSaver®, Mr. Coffee®, Rubbermaid Commercial Products®, Graco®, Baby Jogger®, NUK®, Calphalon®, Rubbermaid®, Contigo®, First Alert®, Waddington and Yankee Candle®. Driven by a sharp focus on the consumer, leading investment in innovation and brands, and a performance-driven culture, Newell Brands helps consumers achieve more where they live, learn, work and play.

©2016 Hearthmark, LLC dba Jarden Home Brands. All Rights Reserved. Distributed by Hearthmark, LLC dba Jarden Home Brands, Fishers, IN 46037, USA.  Hearthmark, LLC is a subsidiary of Newell Brands Inc. (NYSE: NWL). 
Ball^®, TM Ball Corporation, used under license.

All other trademarks used herein are the property of their respective owners.

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SOURCE Jarden Home Brands