One Person Wastes One Lb. Of Food Daily??!!

fmdog44

Well-known Member
Location
Houston, Texas
I just read in the latest AARP Bulletin the following," The average American tosses out almost a pound of food per day. One survey found American households waste $640 every year." I find that nearly impossible to believe. I can't recall the last time I threw any food out.
 

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Food waste in our house is virtually zero.

It's always been that way. My parents who came of age during the depression drilled that into me.

But I'm not surprised at the pound a day average. I remember pulling KP in basic training and being absolutely shocked at how much uneaten chow there was on the trays that were turned in. I just don't understand it. That's like throwing away money. No, actually it's worse than that.
 
Food waste in our house is virtually zero.

It's always been that way. My parents who came of age during the depression drilled that into me.

But I'm not surprised at the pound a day average. I remember pulling KP in basic training and being absolutely shocked at how much uneaten chow there was on the trays that were turned in. I just don't understand it. That's like throwing away money. No, actually it's worse than that.
The idea is to prepare less. Once it's prepared you are stuck with it. One pound a day. That's one Apple.
 
According to a report I've seen on TV, almost 40% of the food in the U.S. is wasted/thrown away. I tend to believe that....grocery store fruits and vegetables that are beyond fresh, restaurant waste, household waste, etc., etc. We try to eat everything we purchase, and waste as little as possible. I even cycle things like banana peels into my garden, where they can provide some "fertilizer" for next year.
 
For me. Can't agree with that 1 lb or 500g for the northern folk of wasted food per day. It is hard at times when the packaging forces you to buy extra, I have started not buying huge quantities of food unless I can freeze them or store them in smaller units. I actually don't like to see food going to waste, so many could use it.
 
I do not even think I eat a pound of food a day. I agree with @lakelandliving. I try to buy only what I know I will use, and prepare no more than what I can eat in a meal or two. Unless I am purposely making enough to freeze some.
I had a whole smoked turkey in my freezer. Had bought it when Rick was alive, as he loved it. My feeling was kind of "meh". So I gave the turkey to a friend who was going through a financial hard spot. A great feast for their family, and did not go to waste.
 
For me. Can't agree with that 1 lb or 500g for the northern folk of wasted food per day. It is hard at times when the packaging forces you to buy extra, I have started not buying huge quantities of food unless I can freeze them or store them in smaller units. I actually don't like to see food going to waste, so many could use it.
I do not like the supermarket trick of buy two for $5.00 and if you buy one it's 2.79. It should be $2.50.
Most of the waste of food comes from the grocery giants. Just walk by the bakery department. All that stuff gets thrown out. They at one time donated it to a food bank but found out the guy transporting it was selling it.
 
I think for myself It's more like weekly. I think about it when old stuff gets thrown into the trash. I think about how what we throw away could be fed to some poor child. It hurts me. But then what can I do about it. I think about that, too. I do what I can. I just hope that what I give gets to who I hope it does.
 
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I just hope that what I give gets to who I hope it does.
If you wish, you can.
There's plenty of hand out organizations that always need help on the front lines.
Churches are big in this, Catholic, protestant, whatever.
I give' em some hours during the week, but strongly considering starting up a soup kitchen situation this winter.
We'll be done handing out fruits and veggies in two weeks
 
The biggest problem of waste for us is vegetables. They all seem to come ready at once and not all are suitable for freezing, pickling etc.. This is compounded by our friends with the market garden who tend to give us their unsold veges. It's never totally wasted as we compost as much as possible.
 
The grocery stores bakery sections interest me because I see what seems to be way too many items on their displays. Cakes, pies cupcakes, donuts, buns,etc. Honestly, I rarely see anyone buying those items other than what appears someone buying for a birthday. In many states the expired produce goes to feed pigs.
 
Where I live it's a mixed bag.

A couple of our local grocery chains mark down the surplus items and sell them as day-old.

The local Wegmans doesn't sell any day-old discounted food, other than fresh meat, it donates the in-store bakery and other surplus food items to various charities in the community if they will commit to picking it up on a regular schedule.

The commercial bakery outlet near my home sells outdated items to local farmers.
 
Kroger has a day old section that I look at in case I can use something. If I have extra bread etc I give to the guys at the office. They know which families here could use it. It has not expired but is too much for one person to use. It's hard to find small loaves of bread anymore and if you do they are more expensive than the large loaves. I will buy the large loaf on sale, take out what I can use and give the rest to Jerry to give to a family that can use it.
 
The grocery stores bakery sections interest me because I see what seems to be way too many items on their displays. Cakes, pies cupcakes, donuts, buns,etc. Honestly, I rarely see anyone buying those items other than what appears someone buying for a birthday. In many states the expired produce goes to feed pigs.
Here, the high end stuff is given to the needy
I find it rather pleasing when we hand out bags of the most expensive bread in the store to those in need
 
I don't know if we have anything like that around here. I'm sure I waste my share.
 


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