How Much Food Is Wasted?
Here is a shocking fact: about ONE-THIRD of all food produced in the world is wasted! That means for every three meals made, one ends up in the trash.
In the United States alone, about 80 billion pounds of food is thrown away every year. That is enough to fill a football stadium every single day!
Where does food waste happen?
- Farms: Crops that do not look perfect (oddly shaped carrots, spotted apples) get thrown out even though they taste fine
- Grocery stores: Food that reaches its 'sell by' date is often discarded even if it is still good
- Restaurants: Large portions that people do not finish
- Your home: This is where 43% of all food waste happens! Leftovers nobody eats, fruit that goes bad, food forgotten in the back of the fridge
Think about it: all the water, energy, and work that went into growing, transporting, and preparing that food — all wasted when it goes in the trash. And there are millions of people who do not have enough to eat. Reducing food waste helps both the planet and people.