Rubbermaid FreshWorks Produce Savers Extend the Life of Your Fruits and Veggies Plus GIVEAWAY #LongLiveProduce #ad 7/1

***Disclosure: I received complimentary samples to facilitate my post. All opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.***

Did you know that Americans waste 23 billion pounds of fresh produce each year because it spoils before they can eat it?

That’s 187 pounds per household. Or, if you're looking at dollars and cents, this equates to $192 per household that's literally thrown into the trash. 

In my home, we know this scenario all too well. My family eats a ton of produce. The kids absolutely love fresh fruits and veggies. Even when we eat them daily, it seems that something is always going to waste. The biggest culprit would have to be lettuce. I usually buy the large tubs of organic mixed greens, and it seems like it starts wilting almost immediately. 

Thankfully, the folks at Rubbermaid have a great answer to the issue of food waste. Their FreshWorks Produce Savers can help keep your produce fresh, reducing both the waste of food and money. 

Rubbermaid FreshWorks Produce Savers come in 3 convenient sizes:
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 Small (2.5 Cups): Ideal for small berries

 Medium (6.3 Cups): Perfect for strawberries

 Large (17.3 Cups): Optimal for leafy greens

How do they work? It's simple!

FreshWorks features revolutionary FreshVent™ technology to regulate the flow of oxygen and carbon dioxide, while the CrispTray™ helps reduce moisture and spoilage to keep produce fresher for up to 80% longer.

There are no filters that need to be replaced, and every component of these containers are dishwasher safe.

Easy to clean AND 80% longer life for your produce? Sign me up! 

The awesome folks at Rubbermaid sent me a couple sets of their FreshWorks Produce Savers to check out for myself. I have to admit, I will a little too excited about this. I have been so sick of seeing so much of our money literally tossed in the trash, and I couldn't wait to see how well they worked to prolong the life of our fruits and veggies. 

FreshWorks Produce Savers are so easy to use. Just place your unwashed, un-rinsed, produce into the containers, close the lid tightly, and stick them into the fridge. Nothing more. Pretty simple, right? It's so easy even the youngest of children can help!

We've been using our FreshWorks containers for a couple of weeks now, and I'd love to show you how well they work. We put half of our produce in the Rubbermaid FreshWorks containers, and half stayed in its original packaging.

Unfortunately, a well-meaning husband threw away most of the spoiled produce that was in its original packaging, so I don't have before and afters on anything but the strawberries. However, the strawberry photos alone should be enough to make you rush to the store to grab some FreshWorks for your fridge. The difference is dramatic, as you will see in a moment. 

First, let's talk lettuce. 

In my home, lettuce and greens always seem to be the first to spoil. Here you can see my Organic Mixed Greens, 2 weeks after the sale date. See that purplish lettuce? It's SUPPOSED to be purple, and is not spoiled. 

The greens in the FreshWorks container fared much better than the greens left in their original packaging. In fact, the greens left to their own defenses ended up slimy, and there was a slimy puddle of goo in the bottom of the container. Yuck! 

FreshWorks for the win when it comes to leafy greens. Not only are these greens still edible, they don't have any slime or funk on them at all. After 2 weeks, this is almost unheard of! 

Next, we have some delicious cherries. These arrived to my house ridiculously fresh, so I thought maybe they'd be better than the greens as far as shelf-life. I was wrong. 

The cherries left in their original packaging started getting kind of....funky...after about a week. By week 2, they were mushy and starting to grow some fuzz. 

However, the cherries in the FreshWorks container did much, much better. They're still incredibly fresh, and aren't getting soft or mushy at all. 

FreshWorks for the win, yet again! 

Next are my favorite: Snap Peas! I could seriously munch on these all day long. 

Again, the FreshWorks Snap Peas did much, much better than the ones left in their original bag. These are still crisp, and they're not turning colors or getting slimy. This is a huge victory, since I have often found myself throwing out Snap Peas before I can get around to using them. 

Blueberries, anyone? 

As many of you are probably aware, blueberries are pretty delicate, and spoil quickly when they're not stored properly. We've had to toss many a berry because they've become almost unrecognizable.

Again, FreshWorks saves the day, AND the blueberries! 

2 weeks after opening, these berries still look like berries, and they're still quite fresh. There's no goo at the bottom of the container, either! 

Next, we have mushrooms. These are just your typical white mushrooms, and they came in a normal package. We left half of the mushrooms in their container and placed the other half into the FreshWorks Produce Saver. As you can see, these mushrooms still have dirt and debris on them. This is because you put unwashed produce into the containers. When I'm ready to use the mushrooms, I will wash them off to get rid of the dirt. 

Mushrooms tend to spoil quickly, and they get slimy and just plain gross. In the FreshWorks Produce Saver, my mushrooms are still as fresh as the day we bought them. 

The mushrooms that weren't placed into the FreshWorks container didn't fare so well. They became gross, discolored, slimy mush, and Dan threw them away after about a week and a half. He was tired of seeing what looked like a science experiment in the fridge, so he tossed them out. I can't say I blame him. They were pretty darn nasty! 

Last but certainly not least, we have strawberries! 

My family absolutely loves ripe, sweet strawberries, but we don't love how quickly then can turn. 

The strawberries in the FreshWorks container are still red, plump, and free of fuzz. The ones left in their original packaging? Well....the photo speaks for itself. As you can see, they are covered in a disgusting, fuzzy mold. 

FreshWorks clearly made a HUGE difference here! 

Overall, I am delighted with how well the Rubbermaid FreshWorks Produce Savers perform. My produce is definitely staying fresh much longer, and I love how low-maintenance these containers are. No filters. No special care. Just use them, wash them, and use them again. Easy as pie! 

Since we started using FreshWorks, we've been able to enjoy more fresh produce, and we've cut back on the amount of food waste we throw away. This saves us money, too, which is always a huge plus! 

My only complaint? The larger sized containers don't fit into my produce drawer, so I have to make room for them in the body of the fridge. This is definitely not a big deal, though. In fact, we have some of our smaller FreshWorks containers in the "normal" part of the fridge as well. 

If you're sick and tired of tossing produce that goes bad before you can get around to consuming it, I would definitely recommend checking out Rubbermaid FreshWorks Produce Savers. They work incredibly well, and are an amazing value at under $30 for the 3-piece set. Pieces can also be purchased individually. Prices vary per retailer. 

Connect with Rubbermaid :

You can learn more about Rubbermaid FreshWorks on their website.

FreshWorks products can be purchased at fine retailers such as Target, Walmart, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Amazon, just to name a few! 

You can also connect with Rubbermaid on Facebook and on twitter to stay on top of their latest products and promotions!

Enter to WIN a 3-piece FreshWorks Set :

I am thrilled to announce that one lucky reader will receive their very own Rubbermaid FreshWorks 3-Piece Set!

How cool is that?!

This giveaway is open to US Residents 18+ until 11:59PM EST on July 1, 2016. Winner will be drawn using Rafflecopter's Random Number Generator. All entries will be verified, so play fair! I will notify winner via e-mail and they will have 48 hours to reply before I am forced to redraw winners. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. This contest is not affiliated with Facebook, twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram in any way. Participating bloggers are not responsible for prize fulfillment. If you have any questions, please contact Brandy at newlycrunchymamaof3@gmail.com Thanks for entering, and Good Luck!

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