Imagine throwing $1,500 straight into the trash every year—that’s what the average American household loses to food waste, a staggering national habit that squanders billions of pounds of food from our farms, stores, and kitchens.
Key Takeaways
- In 2019, U.S. food waste totaled 103 billion pounds at the retail, foodservice, and residential levels combined.
- Americans generated about 4.1 billion pounds of food waste in restaurants alone in 2018.
- Per capita food waste in the U.S. reached 325 pounds per person annually in 2022 across the supply chain.
- The annual cost of U.S. food waste was estimated at $161 billion in 2019.
- Households lost $1,500 per year on average to food waste in 2021.
- Retail food waste cost U.S. economy $15 billion annually in 2020.
- U.S. food waste emits 170 million tons of CO2 equivalent yearly.
- Food waste accounts for 8.4% of U.S. anthropogenic GHG emissions in 2019.
- U.S. food waste landfill methane equals 30 million cars' emissions annually.
- Fresh vegetables make up 19% of U.S. household food waste by weight in 2019.
- Dairy products account for 17% of total U.S. food waste volume 2021.
- Meats comprise 14% of U.S. residential food waste annually 2020.
- Only 5% of U.S. food waste is composted as of 2021.
- U.S. food recovery programs donated 2 billion pounds in 2020.
- Anaerobic digestion recovers 1% of U.S. food waste energy 2022.
American food waste costs billions and harms our environment, but solutions are growing.
Breakdown by Food Type
- Fresh vegetables make up 19% of U.S. household food waste by weight in 2019.
- Dairy products account for 17% of total U.S. food waste volume 2021.
- Meats comprise 14% of U.S. residential food waste annually 2020.
- Fruits represent 12% of U.S. retail food waste in 2018.
- Prepared foods are 21% of U.g S. restaurant waste 2022.
- Breads and grains 11% of U.S. consumer-level waste 2019.
- Seafood accounts for 9% of U.S. manufacturing food waste yearly.
- Leafy greens 5% of total U.S. produce waste 2021.
- Poultry 8% of U.S. household plate waste 2020.
- Berries 3% of U.S. farm-level fruit losses 2018.
- Cheese 6% of U.S. dairy waste in homes 2019.
- Potatoes 7% of U.S. vegetable retail waste annually.
- Beef 5% of total U.S. meat waste 2022.
- Pasta 4% of U.S. grain product waste 2021.
- Milk 10% of U.S. liquid dairy waste volume 2020.
- Apples 2% of U.S. fruit waste but high value 2019.
- Pork 4% of U.S. protein waste in retail 2018.
- Yogurt 3% of U.S. refrigerated dairy losses yearly.
- Lettuce 4% of U.S. salad category waste 2022.
- Eggs 2% of U.S. protein household waste 2021.
- Bread 9% of U.S. bakery retail discards 2020.
- Tomatoes 6% of U.S. vegetable consumer waste 2019.
- Fish 7% of U.S. seafood supply chain waste.
- Cereal 5% of U.S. dry grain waste annually 2018.
- Citrus fruits 1% of U.S. total fruit losses 2022.
Breakdown by Food Type Interpretation
We are systematically trashing a full and vibrant meal from the farm to our fridge, proving that our most consistent culinary skill is waste.
Economic Costs
- The annual cost of U.S. food waste was estimated at $161 billion in 2019.
- Households lost $1,500 per year on average to food waste in 2021.
- Retail food waste cost U.S. economy $15 billion annually in 2020.
- U.S. manufacturers incurred $25 billion in food waste costs in 2018.
- Restaurants faced $25 billion in avoidable food waste expenses yearly 2019.
- Per capita economic loss from food waste was $1,100 in U.S. 2022.
- U.S. produce waste at farm level cost farmers $14 billion in 2017.
- Dairy waste economic impact was $20 billion annually in U.S. 2020.
- Meat and poultry waste cost $44 billion to U.S. supply chain in 2019.
- U.S. consumer food waste value discarded was $218 billion in 2021.
- Bakery waste at retail cost $3 billion yearly in U.S. 2018.
- Seafood waste economic loss was $1.6 billion at U.S. docks 2021.
- U.S. household vegetable waste cost $30 billion annually 2020.
- Fruit waste value lost $15 billion in U.S. farms and retail 2019.
- U.S. foodservice prep waste cost $18 billion in labor and ingredients 2022.
- Bread waste economic impact $2.5 billion in U.S. 2021.
- U.S. egg waste at retail valued $500 million annually 2018.
- Pork production waste cost $10 billion to U.S. industry 2020.
- Yogurt and dairy consumer loss $12 billion per year in U.S. 2019.
- U.S. salad waste in supermarkets cost $1 billion yearly 2022.
- Grain waste economic loss $8 billion at farm level U.S. 2018.
- U.S. poultry home waste cost households $15 billion 2021.
- Total U.S. food waste recovery savings potential $32 billion annually 2020.
- Beef waste value $22 billion discarded by consumers U.S. 2019.
- U.S. manufacturing overproduction waste $20 billion in 2022.
Economic Costs Interpretation
If you stacked the billions we waste on food each year, you'd have a monument so towering in its stupidity that from the top you could clearly see the groceries we all meant to eat, now rotting quietly at the bottom.
Environmental Impacts
- U.S. food waste emits 170 million tons of CO2 equivalent yearly.
- Food waste accounts for 8.4% of U.S. anthropogenic GHG emissions in 2019.
- U.S. food waste landfill methane equals 30 million cars' emissions annually.
- Wasted food used water equivalent to 2 trillion gallons yearly in U.S. 2020.
- U.S. produce waste wasted 25 billion pounds of fertilizer in 2018.
- Food waste contributes 2.6% of U.S. freshwater use annually 2021.
- Dairy waste methane emissions equal 42 billion pounds CO2e in U.S. 2019.
- U.S. meat waste landfilled uses space of 74 million acres yearly.
- Food waste generates 80 million tons of CO2e from landfills in U.S. 2022.
- U.S. vegetable waste wasted 11 billion gallons of irrigation water 2020.
- Fruit waste contributes 15 million tons CO2e annually U.S. 2018.
- U.S. bakery waste energy loss equals 1.2 billion kWh yearly.
- Seafood waste pollutes oceans with 500,000 tons nutrients U.S. 2021.
- U.S. household food waste methane = emissions of 20 million homes 2019.
- Grain waste wasted 5 million tons nitrogen fertilizer U.S. 2020.
- U.S. poultry waste landfill volume 10 million tons annually 2022.
- Bread waste contributes 8 million tons CO2e in U.S. 2018.
- Egg waste water footprint 300 million gallons wasted U.S. yearly.
- U.S. pork waste GHG emissions 12 million tons CO2e 2021.
- Yogurt waste land use equivalent 1 million acres U.S. 2019.
- U.S. salad waste nutrients runoff 200,000 tons phosphorus yearly.
- Beef waste water use wasted 4 billion gallons U.S. 2020.
- U.S. total food waste energy waste 2.5 quadrillion BTUs annually.
- U.S. dairy farm waste nitrates pollute 15% of groundwater 2022.
Environmental Impacts Interpretation
When you scrape a leftover into the trash, you're not just wasting a meal—you're casually torching resources on a scale that would make a supervillain blush, from suffocating the atmosphere with car-equivalent methane to squandering enough water and land to shame an entire nation.
Prevention and Recovery
- Only 5% of U.S. food waste is composted as of 2021.
- U.S. food recovery programs donated 2 billion pounds in 2020.
- Anaerobic digestion recovers 1% of U.S. food waste energy 2022.
- Consumer education reduced household waste by 20% in pilot programs 2019.
- U.S. farm gleaning recovered 30 million pounds produce yearly 2018.
- Retail donation apps prevented 100 million pounds waste in 2021.
- Composting infrastructure grew 15% in U.S. cities 2020.
- Date labeling standardization could cut U.S. waste 20% by 2025.
- U.S. restaurant portion control saved 10% waste in chains 2019.
- Inventory tech reduced manufacturing waste 25% in U.S. pilots 2022.
- Food banks distributed 5.6 billion pounds via Feeding America 2021.
- U.S. schools composting cut cafeteria waste 40% in programs 2020.
- Packaging innovations prevented 50 million pounds dairy spoilage 2019.
- U.S. policy incentives boosted recovery to 10% potential 2022.
- Meal planning apps reduced U.S. household waste 15% average 2021.
- Retail ugly produce sales grew 30% preventing farm waste 2018.
- U.S. anaerobic digesters process 4 million tons food waste yearly.
- Freezer storage extended shelf life cutting 12% home waste 2020.
- U.S. corporate pledges aim to halve waste by 2030 covering 25% supply.
- Community composting diverted 2 million tons from landfills 2021.
- AI forecasting cut retail overstock 18% in U.S. stores 2019.
- U.S. gleaning networks recovered 50 million pounds fruits 2022.
- Donation tax credits encouraged 1 billion pounds recovery 2020.
- Smart fridges monitored spoilage reducing home waste 22% pilots.
- U.S. farm-to-fork traceability prevented 5% losses 2021.
- Packaging redesigns saved 30 million pounds bakery waste yearly.
- U.S. hotel composting programs diverted 500,000 tons 2019.
- Consumer apps tracked expiration cutting 10% dairy waste.
- Policy for source reduction targeted 50% cut by 2030 U.S.
- U.S. industrial symbiosis recovered 3 million tons organics 2022.
Prevention and Recovery Interpretation
We have enough ingenious solutions to dramatically curb food waste across every link in the chain, but we're still letting most of it rot in landfills because we haven't yet mustered the collective will to compost a good idea.
Quantity and Generation
- In 2019, U.S. food waste totaled 103 billion pounds at the retail, foodservice, and residential levels combined.
- Americans generated about 4.1 billion pounds of food waste in restaurants alone in 2018.
- Per capita food waste in the U.S. reached 325 pounds per person annually in 2022 across the supply chain.
- U.S. households wasted 76 billion pounds of food in 2021, representing 40% of total food supply.
- Retail sector food waste in America amounted to 10 billion pounds yearly as of 2020.
- In 2017, farms discarded 17.8 billion pounds of produce due to cosmetic standards.
- U.S. foodservice establishments wasted 22 billion pounds of food in 2019.
- Residential food waste hit 80 million tons in the U.S. in 2020.
- Total U.S. food loss and waste was 133 billion pounds of available food in 2018.
- Supermarkets in the U.S. discarded 2.3 billion pounds of bakery products annually in 2021.
- U.S. consumers threw away 38% of all fresh vegetables purchased in 2019.
- Manufacturing food waste reached 1.3 billion pounds per month in the U.S. in 2022.
- 2016 data shows U.S. food waste at consumer level was 217 pounds per person.
- U.S. fruit and vegetable waste totaled 52 billion pounds in 2020.
- Restaurants wasted 4-10% of food prepared, equating to 22 billion pounds yearly in 2019.
- U.S. primary production food loss was 20% of fruits in 2018.
- Households accounted for 43% of U.S. food waste volume in 2021.
- Dairy products wasted 20 billion pounds annually in U.S. homes in 2020.
- U.S. retail meat waste was 3.2 billion pounds in 2019.
- Total municipal solid waste food component was 66 million tons in U.S. 2019.
- U.S. seafood waste at dockside reached 1.5 billion pounds in 2021.
- Bread waste in U.S. retail was 1.4 billion pounds yearly in 2018.
- U.S. consumer-level waste for poultry was 21% in 2020.
- Food recovery from farms was only 2% of total U.S. waste in 2022.
- U.S. yogurt waste per capita was 15 pounds annually in households 2019.
- Grain products lost 16% at U.S. farm level in 2018.
- U.S. prepared salads wasted 1.2 billion pounds in retail 2021.
- Pork waste in U.S. homes was 18% of purchased amount in 2020.
- U.S. food banks recovered only 2 billion pounds amid 103 billion wasted in 2019.
- Egg waste totaled 1.1 billion pounds in U.S. retail annually 2022.
Quantity and Generation Interpretation
While we meticulously discard enough perfectly edible food each year to feed entire nations, we somehow still manage to complain about grocery bills.