President Trump declared the month of April as Winning on Reducing Food Waste Month in his Presidential Message on April 1, 2019 and is encouraging public action and participation from all sectors.
Ways to participate:
- Join the conversation: Share your efforts with the #NoWastedFood hashtag in your social media posts throughout the month.
- Educate your community: Learn about USDA, EPA, and FDA programs and resources to reduce food loss and waste.
- Be a U.S. Food Loss and Waste 2030 Champion: Join other corporate and business leaders who have made a public commitment to reducing food loss and waste in their U.S. operations by 50 percent by the year 2030.
The Administration launched the Winning of Reducing Food Waste Initiative which is a collaborative effort between the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
It is estimated that 90 billion pounds of food are thrown away each year either at home or when eating out.
Did you know the average family loses $1,500 every year on wasted food? All of this waste adds up. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service, the U.S. spends more than $162 billion to grow, process and transport food that goes uneaten. Wasted food not only costs you money, it is also harmful to the environment as it decays in landfills.
If we are to reach the U.S. Food Loss and Waste Reduction Goal (50% reduction in food waste) by 2030, we'll need everyone's commitment. Here are some tips to get you started at home:
1. Understand Date Labels- food packages will have a "best if used by" or "sell by" date. These don't necessarily mean they should be thrown away but their quality is best before this date. In many cases, they are safe to eat beyond the date listed as long as they were stored properly.
2. Make a Plan- try not to buy more than you need. Creating a weekly meal plan will help you stay focused when grocery shopping and avoid buying unnecessary items. If you're cooking for just 1 or 2, consider buying smaller portions and recycle any additional packaging as a result.
3. Get Creative with Leftovers- ½ an avocado and random vegetables hanging out in your fridge? Repurpose the vegetables in an omelet or stir-fry and use the avocado as a sandwich spread or in a nourishing face mask. There are plenty non-edible uses for food scraps like sugar-coffee body scrub (with spent coffee grounds) and combining citrus peels with vinegar for a refreshing counter cleaner. Also, avoid ordering large meals when dining out if you don't intend to eat the leftovers later. Share something instead.
Take this Tossed Treasures Quiz from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to find out how we all can waste less food!
For more information on the Trump Administration's Winning on Reducing Food Waste Initiative, visit
www.epa.gov/reducefoodwaste
www.usda.gov/foodlossandwaste
www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/ucm628706.htm