Food Waste in the U.S.

In the middle of a Saturday night rush at the restaurant, I feel like I’m on autopilot. Taking orders, running food, printing checks, and… scraping food plates clean. Scraping A LOT of food off of plates. Seeing half eaten steaks, potatoes, and vegetables constantly going into the trash. I wonder why no one brings it home…even for their dog?! Why order all that in the first place?!

I’m guilty of this too of course. Meal prep gone bad because I ordered takeout instead. Fruit and vegetables sit untouched on my counter until they’re unusable. Taking more food than I need at a buffet.

Photocredit: https://stacker.com/stories/business-economy/what-happens-tons-food-waste-restaurants-generate

There is an estimated 30-40% food waste in the United States every year, or 133 billion pounds and $161 billion worth of food. It’s not just the food we leave on our plates, there’s also plenty of prepared or unprepared food in restaurants and other food establishments that never even reaches the consumer.

“Why don’t they at least try to re-allocate this food to the needy instead of throwing it away!” is the common thought most people have when hearing about this. There is a common misconception (that I only knew the actual details of when researching for this post) that there is a law or some type of legal reason this can’t happen. However, that is not fully true. The short and sweet answer is that businesses would rather not deal with the extra effort, manpower, and logistical hoops surrounding this endeavor. Many foodbanks and organizations have specific guidelines they must follow to accept donations.

Anyway, this is just one sustainability topic that stays on my mind a lot. One of those things that when you start thinking about the scale of it, and how much goes unseen, can feel a bit…overwhelming? Daunting? Like many other things in this world. So, I bring it back to me, back to my little corner of the world. I can’t solve world hunger or food waste in the U.S. But what can we do in our homes, and with our friends and family, to remain more cognizant of our food usage and waste?

1. Plan ahead and shop smart

Life happens, a plan will never be kept to perfection. However, taking just a few extra minutes to at least plan your lunches and dinners for the work week and knowing exactly what ingredients you’ll need helps to reduce impulse food purchases that you want in the moment and “might” need but don’t end up using later.

2. Have a compost bin

Even if you can’t end up using certain foods in time before expiring, a compost is a great way to recycle these scraps. If you don’t need the soil for yourself, someone in your community will be dying to have it. Learn more about starting a compost here.

3. Give away leftovers

Have a big BBQ, wedding, or party? Make sure you know where the food ends up and offer it to your guests so you don’t end up with more than you can handle. Everyone loves free food!

4. Store your food and leftovers properly

Store leftovers in airtight containers in the fridge. Don’t let your cheese get hard and moldy from leaving the plastic open! Also, putting fruit like lemons and avocados in water in the fridge can make them last longer (whole and uncut!).

Photo credit: https://www.lovelyluckylife.com/how-to-keep-berries-fresh-longer/

These small changes are not world-altering, but with them we find a way to make our own everyday lives just a bit more sustainable, a bit more thought out, and a bit slower. When we take the time to notice our food, understand it came from somewhere, with labor poured into every ounce of its existence, we can grow an appreciation and respect to use our ingredients with love and affection. Being in touch with our needs and learning to discard the noise and in a world of impulsive desires screaming “more, more more”and “not enough!”, remaining in touch with our true intuitive needs can be quite a beautiful domino effect.

Be well,

Erin