Talkin’ Trash: A Guide to Food Waste

TALKIN TRASH A GUIDE TO FOOD WASTE BUILDING OUR LANDFILLS 1/3 %24 fresh milk In 2010, 1/3 of the food produced That's 133 billion This equals pounds of the 430 billion pounds of food produced. $161.6 billion worth of food as purchased at retail prices. was not consumed in the U.S. Food waste is the #1 source of garbage in landfills and it's responsible for 17% of U.S. methane emissions. Per capita food losses and waste 350 - 300 250 - 200 - 150 - 100 - 50- Latin America Industrialized Sub-Saharan North Africa, Africa South and Southeast Europe North America and Asia West and Oceania Central Asia Asia Consumer Production to retaling IT'S JUST A NUMBER Dating labels on food were added in the 1970s Americans began moving from farms to cities and wanted proof of a product's freshness. Today more than 50% of American adults assume sell-by, best-by, and use-by dates indicate food is no longer safe to consume. SELL-BY BEST-BY USE-BY Neither the FDA or the USDA regulate these labels. Infant formula Dest Defere: MAY Infant formula fresh milk Dating on foods is voluntary Infant formula is and at the discretion of the the exception. manufacturer and not generally required by federal regulations. "Use-by," "sell-by," and "best-before" dates Don't relate to food safety They're for shelving and inventory purposes and give estimations for when food is at its peak SELL-BY BEST-BY PEANUT BUTTER Use-By date is the last date Sell-By date tells the store how long to display the product for sale. Buy the product before the date expires. Best if Used By (or Before) date is for best flavor or quality. It is not a purchase or safety date. recommended for use of the product while at peak quality. More than 90% of consumers say they've tossed out something that could be good because of the date labels. MAKE A CHANGE IN YOUR HOME Estimated total amount of food loss in the United States by food group, 2010 Added fats and oils Added sugar 7.5% and sweeteners 12.6% Grain products 13.9% Tree nuts and peanuts 0.4% Eggs 2.1% Fruit 13.9% Meat, poultry and fish 11.5% Vegetables 19.0% Dairy products 19.1% Before You Go Shopping: Take inventory of what you have in the: Fridge Freezer Pantry mal Plan TO BUY: V apples eggs tollet rolls bananas bread Make a shopping list, Make a meal plan based on what's in your fridge. and stick to it. Shopping list V milk V apples V egga tollet rolla V bananas V bread Eat something before you leave home. Only buy what you need. While Shopping: Get fruits and vegetables last and carefully store them in your basket so they don't get damaged or bruised. Shop at a farmers' market. Not subjected to rough transport. The fruits are often fresher as they're picked 1-2 days before. Join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). You'll receive weekly shares of fresh-picked fruits and vegetables. Resist sale or Avoid pre-cut fruits and vegetables; they spoil quicker. Buy groceries for a few days, rather bulk items. than a whole week. At Home: In the Fridge Temperature is the most important Rotate food in your fridge. Bring older items factor for food to the front. storage. Trust your senses. Keep fridge below 40°F. Most date labels are very conservative. In the Frezeer Store leftover carrots, onions, celery, and herbs in a container in the freezer. When the container is full, make a vegetable stock. Freeze leftovers or food near its expiration date. CARROTS 01/24/15 If buying in bulk, divide into portions that are easier to use, and freeze leftovers. Label and date food so it's easier to keep track of. When Cooking wnday Stick to your Season or blacken Make smoothies menu plan. older fruits and out of fruits on vegetables in a pan or grill and serve them in the verge of going bad. a salad or with the main course. Before it goes in the trash Test the quality. Pay attention to food color, odor, and texture to know when you should toss it. High-moisture foods are most likely to rot fresh milk Milk Cheese Meats Poultry Vegetables Fruits Nuts Stay away from dented or bloated cans. They could Canned foods are safest and can last 7 years or longer. have bacteria inside. Food waste is a growing problem in the U.S. but with a few simple lifestyle changes we can take steps to reduce it. Rather than focus on the date, take a closer look (and smell) at your food the next time you're clearing out the fridge. BROUGHT TO YOU BY: endhunger.org • prevention.com endfoodwastenow.org • anfponline.org fsis.usda.gov • marketwatch.com FIX worldwildlife.org fao.org (kg/year)