Save over $1,500 a Year by Reducing Food Waste

As I was preparing some appetizers for guests I reached into my veggie bin in the refrigerator and to my frustration I pulled out a bag with a mushy cucumber in it. While I try very hard to minimize such waste … I still have days when veggies or milk meet the perils of the garbage can.

Today’s cucumber soup in a bag got me thinking about food waste and the money that is wasted when this happens. I started to research food waste and realized that I am not alone. It is a huge issue in the United States and by determining ways for reducing food waste we will help the environment by minimizing what ends up in landfills, and we will also help our pocketbooks with all the money we will save.

As I combed through various resources such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the facts were varied as to the amount of waste, but regardless, the quantities of waste were staggering.

Quick Food Waste Facts

• The USDA estimates that Americans waste 30% of all food that is produced, bought, and sold in the U.S. And they caution that this probably a low number.

• So, if you spend $100 per week on groceries, 30% waste = $30 per week and $1,560 a  year that you could save.

• The National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimates 40% or more which equates to $40 per week of waste (if you spend $100/week) = $2,080 a year in wasted money you could be saving.

• This per person waste is the equivalent of approximately 1400 calories or two meals a day.

• It goes beyond just food waste. Think of what it takes to make the food we eat and then waste –  4% of all oil consumed in this country and 25 % of all freshwater in the U.S. are used to produce food that is wasted (never eaten).

• All the waste has to go somewhere and most ends up in landfills. It’s estimated that 13 % of all municipal solid waste consists of food scraps from homes and restaurants. That translates to approximately 30 million tons a year or enough food to feed everyone in Canada for a year.

• And when the food decomposes in landfills, it produces methane, which is a potent greenhouse gas and has high global warming potential.

• Dairy products and fresh produce account for the largest food waste.

Ideas for Reducing Food Waste and Tips for Saving Money:

1. Buy only what you can eat in the designated “shelf-life” period. You can stock up on NON-perishables, but only buy what you can eat within a week or less for produce, meats and dairy products.
2. Prepare only what you will eat for a specific meal.
3. Eat your leftovers. I like to have leftovers, but they need to be within the next 1 – 2 days unless placed in the freezer. It’s estimated we throw away more than 25 % of the food we prepare that dies a slow death in our refrigerator and when rediscovered is not recognizable.
4. Store leftovers in clear and ideally marked containers with date and contents.
5. Take only what you can eat and eat all that you take. Plate waste is another large contributor to food waste.
6. Packaged foods create less food waste.
7. Compost food waste. Composting is a great way to turn table scraps into rich nutrients for your plants, gardens and grass.
8. Donate excess food. If you make more than you can eat see if a lonely neighbor would like to join you for dinner. Or, if you’ve got non-perishables that you won’t eat, give them to a shelter.
9. When dining out, split meals, buy off the lunch menu for smaller portions or bring home your leftovers and make a point to eat them for lunch or dinner the next day.
10. Don’t shop when you’re hungry as you always buy more than you need.

Back to my cucumber example, they were two for $1.00 and I bought two when I should have just bought one. Most grocery stores will sell you the one item for 1/2 the cost, but pay attention at checkout.

There’s a lot that we can do to save money and the environment by minimizing or eliminating food waste.

Please share other ways that you have for reducing food waste and tips for saving money where food waste is concerned. Let’s all get creative and reduce the waste and instead have $1,500 – $2,000 more in our pockets each year.

Resources to Learn More About Reducing Food Waste:

Wasteage.com

Estimating and Addressing America’s Food Losses – USDA

National Institute of Health

The Environmental Protection Agency – Food Waste