How Much Food Goes to Waste in America

How Much Food Goes to Waste in America

Roughly 30 to 40 percent of the U.S. food supply is wasted each year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That translates to about 133 billion pounds and a value estimated at $161 billion, with the bulk of losses coming from households, retailers, and restaurants.

Where the Waste Happens

Households account for the largest share, followed by grocery stores, food service providers, and farms where crops are left unharvested or rejected for cosmetic reasons. At the retail level, oversized portions, strict date labeling, and cosmetic standards push edible food into the trash. On farms, surplus production and supply chain disruptions also contribute.

The Environmental Cost

Wasted food rotting in landfills generates methane, a potent greenhouse gas. The resources used to grow, transport, and refrigerate food that is never eaten — water, land, energy, labor — are effectively discarded along with it.

What Is Being Done

Federal and state efforts focus on standardizing date labels, expanding food donation protections, and scaling composting and anaerobic digestion. The USDA and EPA have set a national goal to halve food waste by 2030.

What You Can Do

Planning meals, storing food properly, understanding that "sell by" and "use by" dates are not safety deadlines, and composting scraps can meaningfully cut the amount of food a household throws away.