Stop Wasting Money and Food: Essential Insights from the AG Information Network of the West

Food Waste: A Growing Concern

A recent survey shows that Americans are tossing out even more food than in previous years. Many people are throwing away perfectly good food based on confusing date labels.

According to ReFed, a nonprofit focused on reducing food waste, this trend is troubling. The USDA states that most food is still safe to eat after the printed date. Yet, nearly 35 million tons of food go to waste each year in the U.S., costing about $800 per person. Misunderstood date labels alone lead to the loss of around 3 billion pounds of food worth $7 billion.

Roni Neff, a professor at Johns Hopkins University, points out a critical issue: “You might be throwing out food when you don’t need to.” The survey found that 39% of people believed they understood food labels but were mistaken.

It’s essential to be more aware of what these labels mean. They can help you keep food longer and reduce waste in your home, saving both money and resources.