Read on and click the links to the right to learn more about how you can save money and help the environment by preventing food waste at home.

In the U.S., 1 in 8 Americans are food insecure, yet a staggering 38% of all food goes unsold or uneaten – which is the equivalent of 145 billion meals annually. The impacts of surplus food and food waste on our climate and environment are enormous; food that is never eaten still requires resources to grow, harvest, transport, cool, cook or otherwise prepare – even when it ends up being disposed of. In 2022, it was estimated that uneaten food accounted for 6.1% of green house gas emissions, 22% of fresh water use, 16% of U.S. cropland use, and 24% of landfill inputs.

-ReFED

BEFORE YOU BUY

-Make and stick to a grocery list
-Check your pantry and fridge for any items you already have

AT THE STORE

-Stick to your list
-Buy “ugly” produce
-Buy fresh ingredients in smaller quantities
-Choose loose ingredients over pre-packaged ones
-If available, buy in bulk

AT HOME

-Store food properly. Check out this neat FoodKeeper app -Meal prep
-Get creative with leftovers -Freeze bread to extend its shelf life -Separate your produce to avoid overripening (especially ethylene producers). For more info, click here -Stop peeling cucumbers, carrots, potatoes, and apples and scrub them instead -Eat ends and stems (i.e. broccoli stems, beet tops, celery leaves, kale stems, etc.) -Learn date labels (these are not regulated in the U.S.). Click here for more info
-Not sure if it’s safe to eat? Check this resource.

Reducing Food Waste