The Most Thrown Foods (and How to Stop Throwing Them)

Food waste is a serious problem. According to Feeding America , about 119 billion pounds of food, worth over $408 billion, is wasted in the US every year. Here are some of the most thrown away foods and what changes you can make to save food and money.

Most Throwaway Products

In a recent survey by HelloFresh, 2,000 Americans were asked about their shopping and leftover eating habits. In addition to some surprising statistics, such as how 19% of people overestimate how much food they even need in a given week, or how a third of people don’t eat up the leftovers they save, the foods that are most often wasted have been identified. items:

• Salad (27%)
• Bananas (23%)
• Milk (21%)
• Apples (21%)
• Bread (21%)
• Avocado (17%)
• Delicacies (16%)
• Eggs (16%)
• Meat (15%)
• Carrot (14%)

It’s okay not to eat all your food, but it’s even less okay not to do something productive with it. Luckily, fruits and vegetables, which make up the bulk of the waste list, are among the best composting foods . And these days, it’s easy enough that everyone should do it: store leftover waste in a reusable container in the freezer, then dump it at your local composting site, or purchase a composting machine at home. Here is a complete guide on how to do it . It won’t save you money at the grocery store, but it’s better for the environment and, depending on whether you use compost in your garden or elsewhere, could save you some money in the long run.

For faster savings, use a more efficient grocery list system, like an app that helps you decide what’s missing from your home stock and what needs to be replenished the next time you go to the grocery store.

Finally, find new ways to use products that are often thrown away. ( Lifehacker has plenty of unconventional recipes to help you out.) HelloFresh also offered some good options for the most thrown-away foods, like sautéing salad in oyster sauce or slicing and freezing bananas as soon as you get them.

Older apples can be made into applesauce; you can make croutons from old bread. A little smart thinking can save you time, money and reduce losses. A win-win.