Food waste is a massive problem around the world. Nearly one third of the food produced globally for human consumption gets lost or wasted every year. This amounts to a staggering 1.3 billion tons per year! Not only does this have huge environmental impacts, it’s also a terrible waste of money, resources and human effort.
The good news is that there are many simple things we can all do to reduce food waste. With a few easy behavior changes and smart planning, you can dramatically cut down on the amount of food your household throws away. This saves money, reduces your environmental footprint, and means the resources that went into growing, transporting and selling that food aren’t wasted.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explain:
- The main causes of food waste and why it matters
- Tips for grocery shopping and meal planning to minimize waste
- Proper food storage methods to make ingredients last longer
- Creative ways to use up leftovers and food scraps
- How to compost unavoidable food waste
Plus we’ll suggest policy and technology solutions that can help reduce waste on a larger scale. With these practical tips, anyone can start wasting less food and be part of the solution. Let’s get started!
Why Food Waste Matters
Before diving into solutions, it helps to understand why reducing food waste is so important in the first place. Here are some key reasons:
Environmental Impact
Food waste has major environmental consequences. Land, water, energy and other precious resources go into producing, processing, transporting, storing and cooking all the food that ultimately gets thrown away.
When food rots in landfills, it generates methane – a greenhouse gas more than 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Landfills are a major source of methane emissions, and food waste is their biggest contributor. Composting food scraps avoids some of these impacts, but prevention is even better.
Wasted Money
All the food we waste also represents a tremendous amount of money down the drain. The average American family throws away around $1,500 worth of edible food each year! At restaurants, buffets and other food service operations, wasted food adds up to big losses.
Cutting waste saves money for households, businesses and the wider food system. Those savings can be put to better use.
Global Food Security
Finally, with around 800 million people suffering from hunger worldwide, food waste takes on an ethical dimension. Wasting edible food that could feed people in need is morally troubling. Eliminating losses from farm to fork is one way to work towards food security for all.
Reducing waste makes the whole food system more efficient. In a world with growing population and demand, being less wasteful can help ensure everyone’s needs are met sustainably.
Grocery Shopping & Meal Planning
The first place to start cutting waste is right at the grocery store. With some smart shopping habits and meal planning, you can avoid buying more than you need and letting food go bad. Here are our best tips:
Make a List
Always do your grocery shopping with a list! Tracking what you have and what you need prevents buying duplicates and impulsive purchases that lead to waste.
- Take an inventory of your kitchen before shopping and note items you’re low on or out of.
- Plan meals for the week ahead and add needed ingredients to the list.
- Check your fridge, freezer and pantry for anything that needs using up.
- Stick to your list at the store – don’t veer off track!
Buy Only What You Need
When shopping, purchase only what you’re sure you’ll eat or use up before it spoils. A few habits help with this:
- Pay attention to portion sizes called for in recipes so you don’t buy too much.
- Unless you’ll use them quickly, steer clear of bulk sizes of perishable items.
- For fruits and veggies, buy smaller quantities more frequently instead of huge amounts.
- If you live alone or are cooking for a few people, consider buying pre-cut produce in smaller packages to avoid waste.
- At the deli counter, ask for thinner slices of meat or cheese to use up rather than having leftovers go bad.
First In, First Out
Practice FIFO – first in, first out – when putting away groceries. Move older items to the front and position new purchases behind them. This ensures you use up food before it expires.
Freeze for Later
Many foods like bread, meat, dairy, fresh produce and leftovers can be frozen to extend their shelf life. So when recipes call for half an onion or just 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, freeze the rest for another use instead of tossing it out.
- Bread is easy to freeze sliced or whole. Toast or thaw before eating.
- Most raw meats freeze well for 3-6 months. Remember to thaw safely in the fridge.
- Grate and freeze extra cheese to sprinkle on dishes later.
- Chop, cook or blanch produce before freezing in airtight bags.
Understand Dates
Don’t assume food that’s passed its “best before” date needs throwing out. These dates are about peak quality, not safety. Many items are still fine to eat for days or weeks after.
- For high-risk items like meat and dairy, use smell and appearance to determine if they’re off.
- For dry goods and canned foods, dates can often be ignored entirely if the food looks and smells normal.
Learning to interpret date labels cuts waste from trashing still-edible food due to confusion over dates.
Shop Waste-Free Stores
Look for grocery stores and markets with waste-reducing policies like:
- Selling ugly or surplus produce at a discount to prevent food waste.
- Offering smaller produce packs and meat portions for smaller households.
- Having easy-access bulk bins for cereal, spices, etc. so you can buy just what you need.
- Letting shoppers bring reusable containers for meat, fish and prepared foods to avoid single-use packaging.
Prioritizing these types of waste-conscious retailers helps prevent food waste at the source.
Proper Food Storage
Storing food properly is one of the best ways to make groceries last longer and avoid waste. Follow these food storage guidelines:
Fridge Temperature
- Keep fridge temp at or below 40°F. Higher temps accelerate spoilage.
- Use a thermometer to monitor the temperature and adjust as needed.
- Allow for airflow – don’t overcrowd the fridge.
Location Matters
- Store meat, poultry and fish on bottom shelves to prevent juices from dripping onto other food.
- Keep eggs in their carton on a middle shelf.
- Place fruits, veggies and leftovers in high-humidity drawers or bins.
- Site condiments, sauces and dairy in interior door shelves.
Use Containers
- Transfer leftovers or cut produce into airtight glass or plastic containers to prolong freshness. Use up within 3-5 days.
- For bulk vegetables, prep and portion them out into bags or boxes for easy use later in the week.
Wrap It Up
- Use plastic wrap or aluminum foil to seal plates, bowls and containers of perishable leftovers.
- For partial produce, tightly wrap cut surfaces in plastic wrap to limit air exposure.
FIFO Fridge Style
- Adopt FIFO with fridge items too. Keep newly purchased milk, yogurt, etc. towards the back and use up older items first.
Know When To Toss
- Don’t hang onto leftovers for too long. Toss after 3-5 days.
- Remove moldy or spoiled produce and dairy so it doesn’t contaminate other food.
- Trust your senses! If it smells funky or looks off, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
With proper storage methods, you can make the most of what you buy and waste less in the process.
Strategic Meal Planning
Planning out meals for the week strategically also helps limit food waste. Here are some meal planning best practices:
Take Leftover Inventory
Before making a meal plan, check your fridge and freezer for leftovers that need eating. Find creative ways to transform them into new dishes later in the week.
Shop Your Pantry
Note ingredients you already have on hand like canned goods, spices, grains and dry pasta. Use them up creatively in your weekly menu plan.
Plan Versatile Ingredients
Choose recipes that use overlapping ingredients to avoid buying too many one-off items. For example, plan two chicken dishes that both need carrots, onions and garlic.
Mix Shelf Lives
Balance meals with shorter shelf life ingredients like fresh greens or seafood with longer lasting ones like beans or root vegetables. This gives you more flexibility in prep timing.
Prep Produce for Maximum Use
When you prep veggies for one meal, take a bit of extra time to pre-chop ingredients for use later in the week too. Store them in containers to simply grab and go for future recipes.
Cook Smart Portions
When cooking proteins or starches, prepare only what you expect to eat at that meal. Avoid overcooking extras that often just end up in the trash later.
Repurpose Leftovers
Get creative about using up extra cooked foods. For example, extra chicken can go into salads, tacos, pasta dishes, soups and more throughout the week.
With a purposeful meal plan designed to use up what you have on hand and limit new purchases, you can avoid accumulating excess.
Get Creative with Leftovers
Inevitably, you’ll sometimes still end up with leftovers. But with a dose of creativity, you can transform leftovers into exciting new dishes instead of tossing them out. Here are ways to give leftovers new life:
Turn Leftover Meat Into…
- Quesadillas or burritos
- Stir fries with veggies and rice or noodles
- Taco salad topping
- Hearty sandwiches or wraps
- Egg dishes like omelets, strata or frittata
- Pasta casseroles or lasagna
Transform Leftover Veggies Into…
- Omelets, frittatas or crustless quiche
- Soups like minestrone, veggie chili or stir fry soup
- Veggie fried rice or noodle stir fry
- Casseroles with cheese sauce or creamy mushroom sauce
- Veggie pizza topping
- Wraps with hummus, tahini or baba ganoush
Reuse Leftover Rice or Grains In…
- Fried rice or stir fries
- Added to soups like minestrone for extra bulk
- Mixed into salads for more substantial texture
- Formed into rice cakes then pan fried for breakfast
- Used in sushi rolls or rice paper wraps
Give Leftover Baked Goods New Purpose As…
- Bread pudding or breakfast strata
- Croutons for salads or soups
- Breadcrumbs for coating or topping casseroles
- Panzanella salad
- French toast
- Textured ingredient in smoothies
With a dose of creativity, you can transform leftover ingredients into appealing new meals again and again. Get the whole family involved in finding fun ways to reuse leftovers.
Repurpose Food Scraps
Even when you use up leftovers, some food scraps are unavoidable. But many of these scraps can also be repurposed instead of trashed. Here are smart ways to put food bits to use:
Use Vegetable Peels, Tops & Stems For…
- Stock – Simmer them into homemade broth or stock.
- Soup – Add directly into soups for extra flavor and nutrients.
- Broth – Boil vegetable scraps into a mineral rich broth as a base for risottos or gravies.
- Compost – Great source of nitrogen and micronutrients for compost piles.
Revive Stale Bread Into…
- Breadcrumbs – Blend into crumbs to coat chicken, fish, casseroles, etc.
- Croutons – Cube bread and bake into crunchy salad toppers.
- Stuffing – Use in turkey, mushroom or bread-based stuffing recipes.
Don’t Toss Wilted Produce – Try…
- Juicing or blending into smoothies.
- Adding to soups, stews or braised dishes.
- Roasting in high heat to bring out sweetness.
- Infusing into vinegar or oil.
Get Every Last Bit Out of Citrus Fruit With…
- Zesting the peel first for baking, sauces and dressings.
- Juicing the fruit for drinks, salad dressings or marinades.
- Using citrus halves as scrubbing pads to clean microwaves, sinks, etc.
Stale Nuts & Old Seeds Can Be…
- Ground into nut butter in a food processor.
- Blended into trail mixes with raisins, chocolate chips, etc.
- Sprinkled onto oatmeal, yogurt, salads or baked goods.
- Simmered into creamy nut milks like almond or cashew milk.
Don’t throw out food scraps without first considering creative ways they could still be used. Your recipes will be waste-free and full of added flavor.
Freeze First, Toss Later
Freezing is one of the best ways to pause the shelf life of ingredients you can’t use up in time. Here are tips to freeze more items and prevent tossing unused food:
Good Candidates for Freezing Include…
- Meat, poultry, fish – Freeze raw in airtight packaging up to 6 months.
- Fresh produce like berries, broccoli, spinach – Blanch or cook first, then cool and freeze in bags.
- Leftovers like soups, stews, cooked grains – Let cool before freezing in portioned containers.
- Baked goods like bread, muffins, waffles – Allow to cool fully then tightly wrap or bag for the freezer.
- Dairy products like butter, cheese, milk – Most freeze well for 2-3 months.
Freeze Smartly
- Double wrap foods in plastic wrap and foil or freezer bags. Exclude air pockets.
- Portion ingredients or leftovers into usable amounts so you can thaw just what you need later.
- Label bags with contents and date frozen. Use oldest items first.
- Place flat items like meat on a tray first to freeze solid. Then stack.
Thaw and Use Frozen Foods Safely
- Always thaw meats gradually in the fridge vs. out at room temp.
- Cook frozen produce like spinach or berries instead of thawing first.
- Let doughs, breads and baked goods thaw at room temp unless pressed for time.
- Soups, sauces and stews can often be heated frozen, then thawed while simmering.
Freezing what you can’t use up quickly translates into less food wasted. Get in the habit of freezing first and tossing later.
Compost Unavoidable Scraps
Composting food waste should be the last resort after reducing waste, reusing scraps and freezing whatever is left over. But some food bits just can’t be prevented. Here’s how to start composting if you don’t already:
Compostable Food Waste Includes…
- Fruit and vegetable peels, pits and tops
- Egg shells
- Nut shells
- Moldy or rotten produce and leftovers
- Coffee grounds and filters
- Tea bags
- House plants and dried flowers
Choose a Compost Method
Backyard compost bin
Pros: Convenient for adding scraps regularly. Produces rich compost for gardening.
Cons: Requires yard space and maintenance. May attract pests.
Vermicomposting
Pros: Compact indoor worm bins. No yard or maintenance needed.
Cons: Worm maintenance. Not for large amounts of food waste.
Municipal curbside compost
Pros: Compost pickup services make it easy. Environmentally friendly.
Cons: Limited availability. Costs more than basic trash service.
Maintain Your Compost
- Balance wet and dry materials for best results.
- Turn or stir the compost pile weekly to aerate.
- Monitor moisture and texture. Compost should feel like a wrung-out sponge.
- Finished compost is dark, crumbly and earthy-smelling. May take 3-12 months to mature.
Composting should be the last line of defense against wasting food. But maintaining a compost system allows you to close the loop and generate something useful out of organic waste.
Wider Waste-Fighting Solutions
While household efforts are crucial, wider policies and innovations can also dramatically cut food losses. Here are some promising waste-fighting solutions being implemented around the world:
Regulation
- Expiration date reform – Standardizing and clarifying labeling helps cut consumer confusion and resulting waste.
- Ugly produce rules – Relaxing cosmetic standards helps retailers sell more misshapen but still fresh produce.
- Portion regulation – Limiting plate and buffet sizes reduces excess waste at restaurants and catered events.
Business Initiatives
- Imperfect boxes – Subscribing to “ugly” or surplus produce helps prevent losses on farms.
- Waste tracking – Hotels, restaurants and stores use food waste tracking software to identify waste drivers and reduce losses.
- Secondary markets – Businesses redirect unsold items to secondary buyers like dollar stores to avoid landfilling.
Nonprofit Efforts
- Food rescue – Charities collect unsold items from retailers and redistribute to people in need.
- Education campaigns – Organizations provide households with food waste fighting tips and tools to shift behaviors.
- Policy advocacy – Nonprofits advocate for government policies that enable waste-reducing business models.
Technology
- Shelf life extension – Packaging innovations like ethylene absorption help fruits and vegetables stay fresh longer.
- Cold chain tracking – Sensors monitor time and temperature throughout the supply chain to prevent losses.
- Waste-to-energy – Facilities like anaer
