Suggestion:

Make food spoil timers change dynamically based on the climate of its container, so that food in a vessel in the snow doesn't spoil at the same rate as food on the ground in a swamp.

Specifically, food lasting longer the lower the ambient temperature of the room surrounding the container, and vice versa. So a sealed vessel outdoors in the winter with an ambient temperature of -7° C would have food practically stop spoiling altogether, while during the summer it would be better to keep it indoors and underground.

Reasoning

This would make the experience in colder climates much more balanced with that of warmer ones. You may be able to farm during the winter in Florida, but you also have to farm during the winter, meanwhile the colder climates can't farm but also won't starve if they prepare.

This also lends well to a longer month length and makes a more immersive survival experience, as players would now have the ability to survive 90 day long winters without a greenhouse.