View Food Waste Reduction
United States Department of Agriculture Food Waste Reduction Initiative
Visit www.usda.gov/foodlossandwaste for tools and ideas on how to REDUCE food waste. You may also click here to learn How To Compost at home.
As the world population continues to grow, there is a greater need to set goals and develop initiatives to reduce the amount of food wasted. Less food loss and waste can help save money, improve food access, and protect natural resources. The impacts of food loss and waste include:
- Food waste is the single largest component going into municipal landfills.
- Wholesome food is sent to landfills instead of feeding people in need.
- Producing, processing, transporting, preparing, storing, and disposing of discarded food uses inputs such as land, water, labor, and energy that could be available for other purposes.
What can you do?
Being mindful about planning, purchasing, protecting, preserving, storing, re-purposing, donating and recycling food can help you save money and reduce the amount of food thrown away. Visit the Eating Healthy on a Budget section of MyPlate.gov to find ways to eat healthy and manage food resources at home. Click on the links below to find ways to help you make small changes.
