Did You Know? According to recent surveys, the average American throws away 219 pounds of food per person, per year. That comes up to 40 million tons, or 80 billion pounds per year, estimated to be between 30 – 40% of all food produced in the USA.
Summer brings us the best of foods, fruits and vegetables in our gardens and local farmers markets. With the abundance of cherry tomatoes on the vine and overachieving zucchini plants producing squash by the wheelbarrow full, it is hard to fathom the far-reaching reality of food waste in America. Sadly, millions of pounds of good tasting and life sustaining food are lost every year.
According to the FDA, there are several basic sources of food loss
- Over 20% of food produced in the United States never makes it to the table. It is lost on the farm, during production, or at the grocery store.
- A massive amount of food is thrown away from restaurants and eating establishments that do not have a food recovery plan in place.
- The average household throws away $1,600.00 worth of food each year due to over shopping, a lack of planning, and being misinformed on expiration dates.
The best strategies for reducing food waste begin at home
- First, plan meals and take a detailed shopping list to the market or store.
- Donate food that you cannot eat before it goes bad to food pantries.
- Order smart when eating out by splitting large meals or at least take leftovers home with you.
Most importantly, with just a little planning, you can make a big difference in solving to this growing problem!
Would you like to know more? This link will take you to great articles about food waste in America: https://www.rubicon.com/blog/food-waste-facts