GITNUXREPORT 2026

United States Food Waste Statistics

American households, restaurants, and farms together waste billions of pounds of food annually.

Gitnux Team

Expert team of market researchers and data analysts.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

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Statistic 1

The total economic value of US food waste is $161 billion annually at retail prices.

Statistic 2

Household food waste costs American families $1,500 per year on average.

Statistic 3

Retail sector food waste equates to $15 billion in losses yearly.

Statistic 4

Foodservice industry loses $25 billion from food waste annually.

Statistic 5

Farm-level food loss costs producers $20 billion per year.

Statistic 6

Manufacturing food waste value is $40 billion annually.

Statistic 7

Wasted food represents 1.3% of US GDP, or $218 billion in 2019.

Statistic 8

Consumers waste $240 billion worth of food yearly at household level.

Statistic 9

Fruit and vegetable waste costs $18 billion in economic losses.

Statistic 10

Meat waste economic impact is $30 billion per year.

Statistic 11

Dairy waste costs the industry $15 billion annually.

Statistic 12

Bakery waste leads to $10 billion in losses.

Statistic 13

Seafood waste economic value is $5 billion yearly.

Statistic 14

Grocery stores lose $2,000 per store weekly to food waste.

Statistic 15

Restaurants average $30,000 annual food waste costs per location.

Statistic 16

Schools waste $1.2 billion in food value yearly.

Statistic 17

US food waste costs taxpayers $2 billion in landfill fees annually.

Statistic 18

Composting food waste saves municipalities $100 million yearly.

Statistic 19

Donation programs recover $1 billion in food value each year.

Statistic 20

Processing inefficiencies cost $50 billion in food manufacturing.

Statistic 21

Overportioning in foodservice wastes $5 billion annually.

Statistic 22

Mislabeling leads to $3 billion in premature discards.

Statistic 23

Aesthetic rejections cost farms $1 billion in produce.

Statistic 24

US food waste emits 170 million tons of CO2 equivalent annually, comparable to 42 coal plants.

Statistic 25

Food waste methane emissions account for 8.3% of US total methane.

Statistic 26

Wasted food uses 18% of US freshwater, or 80 trillion gallons yearly.

Statistic 27

Food loss occupies 18% of US landfill space.

Statistic 28

Producing wasted food consumes 21% of US energy production.

Statistic 29

Fruit and veg waste contributes 10 million tons CO2e.

Statistic 30

Meat waste generates 50 million tons CO2e annually.

Statistic 31

Dairy waste emissions equal 20 million tons CO2e per year.

Statistic 32

Landfilled food waste produces 2.8 billion cubic feet of landfill gas daily.

Statistic 33

Food waste pollutes waterways with 300,000 tons of nutrients yearly.

Statistic 34

Wasted seafood impacts 1 million acres of ocean habitat indirectly.

Statistic 35

Bakery waste contributes 5 million tons CO2e from production.

Statistic 36

Transport of wasted food adds 2 million tons CO2e.

Statistic 37

Packaging for wasted food uses 2.5 million tons of plastic yearly.

Statistic 38

Food waste fertilizers runoff causes 10% of US dead zones.

Statistic 39

Composting diverts 7 million tons, reducing methane by 5 million tons CO2e.

Statistic 40

Anaerobic digestion captures 1 million tons CO2e equivalent yearly.

Statistic 41

Reducing waste by 20% saves 34 million tons CO2e.

Statistic 42

Food waste biodiversity loss equivalent to 10 million acres farmland.

Statistic 43

In 2019, the US generated 66 million tons of food waste from the residential, commercial, and institutional sectors, equivalent to 24% of total municipal solid waste generated.

Statistic 44

US households waste 76 billion pounds of food annually, averaging 325 pounds per household.

Statistic 45

Between 2010 and 2016, total US food waste increased by 20% to over 80 million tons per year.

Statistic 46

In 2022, farms in the US discarded 17 million tons of fruits and vegetables due to aesthetic standards and market conditions.

Statistic 47

Commercial food waste in the US totals 22 million tons annually, primarily from restaurants and stores.

Statistic 48

US food loss and waste account for 133 billion pounds of the food supply each year, per 2010 USDA estimates.

Statistic 49

In 2018, residential food waste reached 27 million tons, up 10% from previous years.

Statistic 50

Supermarkets discard 10% of their fresh produce purchases, equating to 1.2 billion pounds yearly.

Statistic 51

US consumers throw away 40% of all food produced, totaling 165 billion pounds in 2021.

Statistic 52

Dairy products represent 20% of US food waste volume, or about 13 million tons annually.

Statistic 53

Meat and poultry waste in the US amounts to 15 billion pounds per year from households alone.

Statistic 54

Bakeries and food manufacturers waste 1.5 million tons of bread and baked goods yearly.

Statistic 55

Restaurants generate 22-33 billion pounds of food waste annually in the US.

Statistic 56

Fruit waste in the US totals 14 million tons per year, with apples leading at 2.5 million tons.

Statistic 57

Vegetable waste reaches 19 million tons annually, primarily potatoes and onions.

Statistic 58

Seafood waste in the US is 1.5 billion pounds per year, 50% at retail and consumer levels.

Statistic 59

Egg waste amounts to 800 million dozen eggs discarded yearly in the US.

Statistic 60

Cereal waste from households is 1.2 billion pounds annually.

Statistic 61

Candy and snack waste totals 500 million pounds per year in the US.

Statistic 62

Prepared foods waste 4 million tons from foodservice sectors yearly.

Statistic 63

In 2020, COVID-19 increased US household food waste by 10%, adding 2 million tons.

Statistic 64

Schools waste 539,000 tons of food annually from cafeterias.

Statistic 65

Hospitals generate 200,000 tons of food waste per year.

Statistic 66

Hotels discard 150,000 tons of uneaten food yearly.

Statistic 67

Sports venues waste 50,000 tons during events annually.

Statistic 68

Fresh produce waste at packing houses is 5% of production, or 3 million tons.

Statistic 69

Canned goods waste 300 million pounds from dented cans yearly.

Statistic 70

Frozen food waste totals 2 million tons, often due to freezer burn.

Statistic 71

Juice and beverage waste from overproduction is 1 million tons annually.

Statistic 72

Pasta waste in households reaches 800 million pounds per year.

Statistic 73

50 million tons of food waste prevented through donations in 2022.

Statistic 74

Composting programs diverted 4.1 million tons in 2021.

Statistic 75

Anaerobic digesters process 2 million tons of food waste yearly.

Statistic 76

Feeding America rescues 4 billion pounds via 200 food banks.

Statistic 77

Apps like Too Good To Go save 50 million meals annually.

Statistic 78

Farm animal feed uses 20% of recovered waste, 10 million tons.

Statistic 79

Industrial uses recover 5 million tons for biofuels.

Statistic 80

Date labeling standardization could prevent 30% waste.

Statistic 81

Consumer education reduces household waste by 20%.

Statistic 82

Retail donation laws cover 90% of states, recovering 1 billion lbs.

Statistic 83

School salad bar programs cut waste by 25%.

Statistic 84

Inventory tech in stores prevents 15% overstock waste.

Statistic 85

Portion control in restaurants saves 10% food costs.

Statistic 86

Ugly produce sales reached $1 billion in 2022.

Statistic 87

Flash freezing at farms recovers 5 million tons produce.

Statistic 88

Community composting grows 30% yearly, diverting 1 million tons.

Statistic 89

Policy incentives recover 2 million tons via tax credits.

Statistic 90

AI forecasting reduces retail waste by 50% in pilots.

Statistic 91

Employee training cuts foodservice waste 12%.

Statistic 92

National strategy aims for 50% reduction by 2030.

Statistic 93

ReFED roadmap prevents $13 billion in losses by 2030.

Statistic 94

Home composting kits divert 500,000 tons household waste.

Statistic 95

Brewery spent grains recover 1 million tons for feed.

Statistic 96

Retail rounding policies save 10% bakery waste.

Statistic 97

Dynamic pricing apps reduce waste 20% in stores.

Statistic 98

US farms lose 20% of produce to waste, mainly at production stage.

Statistic 99

Processing plants waste 5-10% of raw materials, highest for fruits.

Statistic 100

Retail sector discards 43 billion pounds of food yearly.

Statistic 101

Foodservice wastes 4-10% of purchased food, or 22 billion pounds.

Statistic 102

Households responsible for 54% of total food waste volume.

Statistic 103

Supermarkets waste 10% of produce, 2% of dairy, 4.5% meat.

Statistic 104

Restaurants plate waste is 22%, prep waste 12%.

Statistic 105

Farms account for 18% of losses, mainly grains and produce.

Statistic 106

Manufacturers lose 2% of output to spoilage and defects.

Statistic 107

Institutions (schools, hospitals) waste 12% of food served.

Statistic 108

Convenience stores waste 15% higher per sq ft than supermarkets.

Statistic 109

K-12 schools waste 25-30% of fruits and vegetables served.

Statistic 110

Universities generate 50,000 tons from dining halls yearly.

Statistic 111

Farm to retail loss for apples is 25%, potatoes 12%.

Statistic 112

Retail meat trim waste is 5% of purchases.

Statistic 113

Household dairy waste peaks at 23% of total dairy purchased.

Statistic 114

Restaurant buffets waste 30% more than a la carte.

Statistic 115

Processing poultry loss is 8% post-slaughter.

Statistic 116

Retail bakery overproduction waste 15% daily.

Statistic 117

Consumer seafood waste 30% of purchases.

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Imagine a mountain of food so vast it could fill the Rose Bowl stadium every single day, because that's the staggering scale of the 66 million tons of food the United States wastes each year, a crisis costing us billions, burdening our environment, and squandering enough resources to feed millions.

Key Takeaways

In 2019, the US generated 66 million tons of food waste from the residential, commercial, and institutional sectors, equivalent to 24% of total municipal solid waste generated.
US households waste 76 billion pounds of food annually, averaging 325 pounds per household.
Between 2010 and 2016, total US food waste increased by 20% to over 80 million tons per year.
The total economic value of US food waste is $161 billion annually at retail prices.
Household food waste costs American families $1,500 per year on average.
Retail sector food waste equates to $15 billion in losses yearly.
US food waste emits 170 million tons of CO2 equivalent annually, comparable to 42 coal plants.
Food waste methane emissions account for 8.3% of US total methane.
Wasted food uses 18% of US freshwater, or 80 trillion gallons yearly.
US farms lose 20% of produce to waste, mainly at production stage.
Processing plants waste 5-10% of raw materials, highest for fruits.
Retail sector discards 43 billion pounds of food yearly.
50 million tons of food waste prevented through donations in 2022.
Composting programs diverted 4.1 million tons in 2021.
Anaerobic digesters process 2 million tons of food waste yearly.

American households, restaurants, and farms together waste billions of pounds of food annually.

Economic Value

The total economic value of US food waste is $161 billion annually at retail prices.
Household food waste costs American families $1,500 per year on average.
Retail sector food waste equates to $15 billion in losses yearly.
Foodservice industry loses $25 billion from food waste annually.
Farm-level food loss costs producers $20 billion per year.
Manufacturing food waste value is $40 billion annually.
Wasted food represents 1.3% of US GDP, or $218 billion in 2019.
Consumers waste $240 billion worth of food yearly at household level.
Fruit and vegetable waste costs $18 billion in economic losses.
Meat waste economic impact is $30 billion per year.
Dairy waste costs the industry $15 billion annually.
Bakery waste leads to $10 billion in losses.
Seafood waste economic value is $5 billion yearly.
Grocery stores lose $2,000 per store weekly to food waste.
Restaurants average $30,000 annual food waste costs per location.
Schools waste $1.2 billion in food value yearly.
US food waste costs taxpayers $2 billion in landfill fees annually.
Composting food waste saves municipalities $100 million yearly.
Donation programs recover $1 billion in food value each year.
Processing inefficiencies cost $50 billion in food manufacturing.
Overportioning in foodservice wastes $5 billion annually.
Mislabeling leads to $3 billion in premature discards.
Aesthetic rejections cost farms $1 billion in produce.

Economic Value Interpretation

The United States has perfected a tragic alchemy, turning a mountain of perfectly good food worth hundreds of billions into a monument of economic and moral rot, proving we're far more skilled at wasting meals than providing them.

Environmental Effects

US food waste emits 170 million tons of CO2 equivalent annually, comparable to 42 coal plants.
Food waste methane emissions account for 8.3% of US total methane.
Wasted food uses 18% of US freshwater, or 80 trillion gallons yearly.
Food loss occupies 18% of US landfill space.
Producing wasted food consumes 21% of US energy production.
Fruit and veg waste contributes 10 million tons CO2e.
Meat waste generates 50 million tons CO2e annually.
Dairy waste emissions equal 20 million tons CO2e per year.
Landfilled food waste produces 2.8 billion cubic feet of landfill gas daily.
Food waste pollutes waterways with 300,000 tons of nutrients yearly.
Wasted seafood impacts 1 million acres of ocean habitat indirectly.
Bakery waste contributes 5 million tons CO2e from production.
Transport of wasted food adds 2 million tons CO2e.
Packaging for wasted food uses 2.5 million tons of plastic yearly.
Food waste fertilizers runoff causes 10% of US dead zones.
Composting diverts 7 million tons, reducing methane by 5 million tons CO2e.
Anaerobic digestion captures 1 million tons CO2e equivalent yearly.
Reducing waste by 20% saves 34 million tons CO2e.
Food waste biodiversity loss equivalent to 10 million acres farmland.

Environmental Effects Interpretation

America's forgotten feast—the one we scrape into the trash—is a silent, gluttonous monster devouring our resources, poisoning our planet, and belching out a climate catastrophe with every discarded bite.

Quantity and Volume

In 2019, the US generated 66 million tons of food waste from the residential, commercial, and institutional sectors, equivalent to 24% of total municipal solid waste generated.
US households waste 76 billion pounds of food annually, averaging 325 pounds per household.
Between 2010 and 2016, total US food waste increased by 20% to over 80 million tons per year.
In 2022, farms in the US discarded 17 million tons of fruits and vegetables due to aesthetic standards and market conditions.
Commercial food waste in the US totals 22 million tons annually, primarily from restaurants and stores.
US food loss and waste account for 133 billion pounds of the food supply each year, per 2010 USDA estimates.
In 2018, residential food waste reached 27 million tons, up 10% from previous years.
Supermarkets discard 10% of their fresh produce purchases, equating to 1.2 billion pounds yearly.
US consumers throw away 40% of all food produced, totaling 165 billion pounds in 2021.
Dairy products represent 20% of US food waste volume, or about 13 million tons annually.
Meat and poultry waste in the US amounts to 15 billion pounds per year from households alone.
Bakeries and food manufacturers waste 1.5 million tons of bread and baked goods yearly.
Restaurants generate 22-33 billion pounds of food waste annually in the US.
Fruit waste in the US totals 14 million tons per year, with apples leading at 2.5 million tons.
Vegetable waste reaches 19 million tons annually, primarily potatoes and onions.
Seafood waste in the US is 1.5 billion pounds per year, 50% at retail and consumer levels.
Egg waste amounts to 800 million dozen eggs discarded yearly in the US.
Cereal waste from households is 1.2 billion pounds annually.
Candy and snack waste totals 500 million pounds per year in the US.
Prepared foods waste 4 million tons from foodservice sectors yearly.
In 2020, COVID-19 increased US household food waste by 10%, adding 2 million tons.
Schools waste 539,000 tons of food annually from cafeterias.
Hospitals generate 200,000 tons of food waste per year.
Hotels discard 150,000 tons of uneaten food yearly.
Sports venues waste 50,000 tons during events annually.
Fresh produce waste at packing houses is 5% of production, or 3 million tons.
Canned goods waste 300 million pounds from dented cans yearly.
Frozen food waste totals 2 million tons, often due to freezer burn.
Juice and beverage waste from overproduction is 1 million tons annually.
Pasta waste in households reaches 800 million pounds per year.

Quantity and Volume Interpretation

America, we are throwing away mountains of food with the casual precision of a circus act, managing to waste more each year while one in eight households faces hunger.

Recovery and Prevention

50 million tons of food waste prevented through donations in 2022.
Composting programs diverted 4.1 million tons in 2021.
Anaerobic digesters process 2 million tons of food waste yearly.
Feeding America rescues 4 billion pounds via 200 food banks.
Apps like Too Good To Go save 50 million meals annually.
Farm animal feed uses 20% of recovered waste, 10 million tons.
Industrial uses recover 5 million tons for biofuels.
Date labeling standardization could prevent 30% waste.
Consumer education reduces household waste by 20%.
Retail donation laws cover 90% of states, recovering 1 billion lbs.
School salad bar programs cut waste by 25%.
Inventory tech in stores prevents 15% overstock waste.
Portion control in restaurants saves 10% food costs.
Ugly produce sales reached $1 billion in 2022.
Flash freezing at farms recovers 5 million tons produce.
Community composting grows 30% yearly, diverting 1 million tons.
Policy incentives recover 2 million tons via tax credits.
AI forecasting reduces retail waste by 50% in pilots.
Employee training cuts foodservice waste 12%.
National strategy aims for 50% reduction by 2030.
ReFED roadmap prevents $13 billion in losses by 2030.
Home composting kits divert 500,000 tons household waste.
Brewery spent grains recover 1 million tons for feed.
Retail rounding policies save 10% bakery waste.
Dynamic pricing apps reduce waste 20% in stores.

Recovery and Prevention Interpretation

While a staggering 50 million tons of food were thankfully donated in 2022, the real victory is that preventing waste has become a multi-front war, cleverly waged from apps fighting expiry dates and AI optimizing grocery stores to tax credits and even feeding perfectly good ugly carrots to happy cows and hungry families alike.

Sectoral Breakdown

US farms lose 20% of produce to waste, mainly at production stage.
Processing plants waste 5-10% of raw materials, highest for fruits.
Retail sector discards 43 billion pounds of food yearly.
Foodservice wastes 4-10% of purchased food, or 22 billion pounds.
Households responsible for 54% of total food waste volume.
Supermarkets waste 10% of produce, 2% of dairy, 4.5% meat.
Restaurants plate waste is 22%, prep waste 12%.
Farms account for 18% of losses, mainly grains and produce.
Manufacturers lose 2% of output to spoilage and defects.
Institutions (schools, hospitals) waste 12% of food served.
Convenience stores waste 15% higher per sq ft than supermarkets.
K-12 schools waste 25-30% of fruits and vegetables served.
Universities generate 50,000 tons from dining halls yearly.
Farm to retail loss for apples is 25%, potatoes 12%.
Retail meat trim waste is 5% of purchases.
Household dairy waste peaks at 23% of total dairy purchased.
Restaurant buffets waste 30% more than a la carte.
Processing poultry loss is 8% post-slaughter.
Retail bakery overproduction waste 15% daily.
Consumer seafood waste 30% of purchases.

Sectoral Breakdown Interpretation

From farm to fridge, we've perfected a system where everyone gets a turn to waste food, but households proudly take the gold medal by being responsible for over half of it.