An average family of four loses nearly $1,500 to uneaten food each year, according to USDA research. Wasted food is wasted money.
Not to mention the food that goes in the trash winds up in a landfill where it creates methane, a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change, explains USDA’s Food Loss and Waste Liaison Dr. Jean Buzby.
Buzby offers four easy steps to help prevent food waste.
• Plan ahead.
Before you go to the grocery store or order online, make a list so you don’t buy more than you need.
• Serve smart.
Portion control is good for your waistline, and good for reducing plate waste.
• Love your leftovers.
Pack leftovers in small portions in shallow containers, mark the contents and date, and refrigerate or freeze immediately.
• Compost, don’t trash.
Food in landfills produces harmful methane. You can recycle your food scraps in a home compost bin or at a local compost center.
“With every meal, you can save food, save money and protect the environment,” Buzby says. Learn more about food loss and waste prevention at usda.gov/foodlossandwaste.
More from Farm Journal’s PORK:
Want Not, Waste Much: 5 Ways to Reduce and Recycle Food Waste
