April 28, 2026

10 Ways To Waste Less Food

April 29th is Stop Food Waste Day—a timely reminder of the impact our everyday habits can have on both our wallets and the planet. Food waste is responsible for an estimated 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and the average family loses around $1,866 each year on food that goes uneaten. By becoming more mindful about how we shop, store, and use our food, we can cut down on waste, save money, reduce our environmental footprint, and help ensure more food reaches those who truly need it.

10 Tips to Help You Waste Less Food

There are many ways to waste less food! Here are some of our favorites-

Make and shop with a list: Having a plan for the food you buy really makes a difference in whether it gets used or not. Shopping with a list ensures you buy what you need and reduces all the extra impulse buys.
Take advantage of your freezer: Each of us tosses nearly 300 pounds of food each year. Waste less food and save money by freezing leftovers, produce, and bread. Also, did you know freezing things like cheese, chocolate, and nuts will lengthen their shelf-life? Pretty neat!
Don't toss produce so soon: If you have produce that is past its prime, don't toss it just yet! You can use overripe fruit in baking, smoothies, to make jams or compote, and purée. You can use vegetables that are past their prime in soups or cook them in just about anything. You likely won't notice a difference!
Waste less food with kids: Start by serving your kids smaller serving sizes. If they are still hungry you can always give them more!
Shop your pantry first: Be sure to see what food you already have on hand before you buy new food and utilize it in your meal plan for the following week.
Get creative: If you are someone who struggles eating a lot of leftovers, just think of different ways to use them up! For example, if you have a lot of leftover chili, you could have it on top of a baked potato one day, on a taco salad the next, as a quesadilla filling, etc.
Clean out the fridge meals: Plan to have a "clean out the fridge" meal once a week. These meals could be casseroles, soups, grains bowls, salads, or whatever works best with the ingredients you have that need to be used up ASAP.
Freeze food properly: Be sure to use airtight packaging or squeeze all the air out of ziplock bags before you freeze food. More air means more freezer burn.
Learn about dates on food packaging: The "best by" or "use by" labels on food packaging does not usually mean that the food has gone bad. Sometimes the quality has gone down, but it's perfectly safe to eat still.
Donate and share: If you have food you can't get to in time or a lot of leftovers, share with neighbors or family! Share shelf-stable food and fresh produce with your local food pantry. They will truly appreciate your donation.

Resources

Stop Food Waste Day Website: Stop Food Waste Day is now a globally recognized movement uniting people around the world to take action on food waste. This website has a lot of tips, recipes, and resources to help you waste less food.

Create Better Health Creates Recipes: We have Creates recipes that are meant to help you use what food you already have on hand! Check them out at this link.