About the Wasted Food Scale

The Wasted Food Scale prioritizes actions that prevent and divert wasted food from disposal. Tiers of the scale highlight different pathways for preventing or managing wasted food, arranged in order from most preferred on the top left to least preferred on the top right. Within a given tier, pathways are ranked equally.

The most preferred pathways – prevent wasted food, donate and upcycle food – offer the most benefits to the environment and to a circular economy. These “top” pathways prioritize using food for its intended purpose: to nourish people. The least preferred pathways – landfilling, incineration, and sending food down the drain – have the largest environmental impacts and have limited potential for circularity.

EPA developed the Wasted Food Scale based on the findings of its 2023 report From Field to Bin: The Environmental Impacts of U.S. Food Waste Management Pathways. This report assesses 11 common pathways for managing wasted food in the U.S. based on their environmental impacts and potential contributions to a circular economy. The Wasted Food Scale is an update to the previous Food Recovery Hierarchy and reflects the latest science and changes in technologies and operational practices for wasted food management pathways.

Notes on the Wasted Food Scale:

• The rankings in this scale apply only to the management of wasted food by these pathways and are not applicable to other categories of municipal solid waste that may be managed by the same pathways.
• This scale does not consider economic and social factors.
• “Landfill” and “incinerate” consider impacts with and without energy recovery.
• “Send down the drain” refers to wasted food that travels via the sewer system to a water resource recovery facility with or without anaerobic digestion.
• When food is delivered by truck directly to an anerobic digester this is considered the anaerobic digestion pathway, even if the anaerobic digester is located at a water resource recovery facility.
• The rankings for “leave unharvested” and “apply to the land” are based on limited data.

Wasted Food Pathways

Prevent Wasted Food

Preventing food from going to waste in the first place is the most environmentally beneficial option on the Wasted Food Scale. When food is wasted, all the resources that went into producing, processing, distributing, and preparing that food are wasted too. Learn more about preventing wasted food.

Donate

Wholesome food that goes unsold or uneaten can be rescued, donated, or redistributed to feed people. This pathway includes food from across the food supply chain, from produce gleaned from farm fields to shelf-stable goods at a grocery store to extra meals prepared at a cafeteria. Donating food is one of the most preferred pathways because it ensures that food and the resources used to produce it are not wasted. When food is donated, it is used for its intended purpose which is to nourish people. Learn more about donating food.

Upcycle

Upcycling food into new food products usually takes place at the production or manufacturing stage of the food supply chain. Edible parts of food as well as less desirable scraps can be upcycled into new food products. For example, orange peels can flavor beverages, broccoli stems can be turned into slaw or be dried into powder, and spent grains from the brewing process can be turned into bread. Upcycling food is one of the most preferred pathways because it keeps food in the human food supply chain and avoids the wasting of food and the resources used to produce it.

Feed Animals

Using wasted food as animal feed can displace the production of traditional animal feed (e.g., growing soy, corn or barley) and avoid the environmental impacts associated with the production of that feed. Turning wasted food into animal feed often requires some processing such as cooking or drying. Learn more about reducing wasted food by feeding animals.

Leave Unharvested

Food crops are ideally harvested and used to nourish people. Sometimes market forces or environmental factors cause crops to remain unharvested in the field. These factors are often beyond the control of farmers, and include commodity prices, market specifications, labor shortages, damage to crops by pests and disease, and weather events such as flooding or drought. Alternative and secondary markets can sell, process, or upcycle crops that do not meet primary market specifications. Gleaning organizations can harvest surplus crops for donation. But if crops will not be consumed even if harvested, leaving them in the field avoids the impacts of picking, processing, packaging, and distributing food that is ultimately wasted. Unharvested crops may be grazed by animals or plowed into the soil. The plant nutrients and carbon in unharvested crops enhance soil health and support the growth of future crops.

Anaerobic Digestion with Beneficial use of Digestate/Biosolids

Anaerobic digestion is the process of breaking down organic materials, such as wasted food, in an oxygen-free environment. The anaerobic digester may be a stand-alone digester that primarily processes wasted food, an on-farm digester that co-digests food waste with manures or a digester at a water resource recovery facility that co-digests food waste with wastewater solids. In the Wasted Food Scale, if the wasted food is delivered to a digester at a water resource recovery facility via the sewer system, then that is considered the “down the drain” pathway. Anaerobic digestion generates biogas, which is a source of renewable energy. It also produces digestate or biosolids, nutrient-rich products that can be used beneficially, for example as fertilizer, soil amendment or animal bedding. When the digester is located at a water resource recovery facility, the final product is called biosolids. Digestate and biosolids can be treated in a variety of ways prior to being applied to land, for example by composting. The use of digestate and biosolids on soils can offset the need for synthetic fertilizers and enhance soil health. Learn more about anaerobic digestion.

Compost

Composting is the controlled, aerobic (oxygen-required) biological decomposition of organic materials by microorganisms. Composting wasted food with other organic materials like yard trim produces a valuable, stable soil amendment that can be used to build soil health, increase soil water retention, and reduce soil erosion. Producing and using compost recycles organic matter and nutrients that are important for long-term soil health and ecosystem resilience. Learn more about composting and using compost.

Anaerobic Digestion with Disposal of Digestate/Biosolids

Anaerobic digestion is the process of breaking down organic materials, such as wasted food, in an oxygen-free environment. The anaerobic digester may be a stand-alone digester that primarily processes wasted food, an on-farm digester that co-digests food waste with manures or a digester at a water resource recovery facility that co-digests food waste with wastewater solids. In the Wasted Food Scale, if the wasted food is delivered to a digester at a water resource recovery facility via the sewer system, then that is considered the “down the drain” pathway. Anaerobic digestion generates biogas, which is a source of renewable energy. It also produces digestate or biosolids, nutrient-rich products that can be used beneficially, for example as fertilizer, soil amendment or animal bedding. When the digester is located at a water resource recovery facility, the final product is called biosolids. Digestate and biosolids are sometimes disposed of in a landfill. When the digestate or biosolids is disposed of, valuable nutrients are lost. Even if renewable energy (biogas) is generated, the environmental benefits are fewer than if digestate or biosolids had been beneficially used. Learn more about anaerobic digestion.

Apply to Land

Raw wasted food from the food manufacturing and processing sector is sometimes applied to fields as a soil amendment. Land application of raw wasted food may involve spreading, spraying, or injecting the wasted food on or below the surface of the soil. The benefits and impacts of land application of food processing waste streams can vary widely based on the composition of the wasted food.

Landfill

EPA estimates that in the U.S., 24 percent of material in municipal solid waste landfills is food. Landfilling is one of the least preferred pathways because wasted food in landfills generates methane, a powerful and short-lived greenhouse gas. Because wasted food decays relatively rapidly, most of the methane it emits avoids capture by landfill gas collection systems. Wasted food has an outsized impact on landfill methane emissions: it is responsible for 58 percent of landfill methane emissions to the atmosphere. Also, the valuable nutrients in wasted food are not recovered when landfilled. Read more about landfill methane emissions from wasted food.

Incinerate

Wasted food (when it is mixed with other municipal solid waste) may be incinerated (also referred to as combustion with energy recovery, or controlled combustion). Incineration is one of the least preferred pathways because valuable nutrients in wasted food are not recovered. Though incineration produces energy, wasted food makes for a poor feedstock because it is so wet and produces little energy compared to other municipal solid waste.

Send Down the Drain

When wasted food is sent down the drain, it combines with other wastes in the sewer system and ends up at a water resource recovery facility, or wastewater treatment plant. Sending wasted food down the drain is one of the least preferred pathways because wasted food decays rapidly in the sewer system and generates methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. Methane emissions from sewers are released directly into the atmosphere. Energy is required to treat wastewater that contains nutrient-rich wasted food. Depending on the operations at the water resource recovery facility, the valuable nutrients in wasted food may not be recovered for beneficial use. Even if the water resource recovery facility generates energy through anaerobic digestion, the recovered energy does not offset the methane emissions from wasted food in sewers and extra energy demand for wastewater treatment.

What is Sustainable Management of Food?

Sustainable Management of Food is a systematic approach that seeks to reduce wasted food and its associated impacts over the entire life cycle, starting with the use of natural resources, manufacturing, sales, and consumption and ending with decisions on recovery or final disposal. EPA works to promote innovation and highlight the value and efficient management of food as a resource. Through the sustainable management of food, we can help businesses and consumers save money, provide a bridge in our communities for those who do not have enough to eat, and conserve resources for future generations. Building on the familiar concept of "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle," this approach shifts the view on environmental protection and more fully recognizes the impacts of the food we waste.

What is Wasted Food and Where Does it Come From?

The term “wasted food” describes food that was not used for its intended purpose and is managed in a variety of ways, such as donation to feed people, creation of animal feed, composting, anaerobic digestion, or sending to landfills or combustion facilities. Examples include unsold food from retail stores; plate waste, uneaten prepared food, or kitchen trimmings from restaurants, cafeterias, and households; or by-products from food and beverage processing facilities. EPA uses the overarching term “wasted food” instead of “food waste” for food that was not used for its intended purpose because it conveys that a valuable resource is being wasted, whereas “food waste” implies that the food no longer has value and needs to be managed as waste.

• Excess food refers to food that is recovered and donated to feed people.
• Food waste refers to food such as plate waste (i.e., food that has been served but not eaten), spoiled food, or peels and rinds considered inedible that is sent to feed animals, to be composted or anaerobically digested, or to be landfilled or combusted with energy recovery.
• Food loss refers to unused product from the agricultural sector, such as unharvested crops.

EPA encourages anyone managing wasted food to reference the Food Recovery Hierarchy. When the higher levels of the hierarchy are no longer feasible, then the food waste left over should be put to beneficial use such as composted or sent to be broken down through anaerobic digestion. Additional resources on wasted food can be found at Further with Food: Center for Food Loss and Waste Solutions.

Why is Sustainable Management of Food Important?

Wasted food is a growing problem in our modern society and an untapped opportunity. In 2018 alone, EPA estimates that about 63 million tons of wasted food were generated in the commercial, institutional, and residential sectors, with about 32 percent being managed by animal feed, bio-based materials/biochemical processing, codigestion/anaerobic digestion, composting, donation, land application, and sewer/wastewater treatment. EPA estimated that in 2018 in the United States, more food reached landfills and combustion facilities than any other single material in our everyday trash, at 24 percent of the amount landfilled and at 22 percent of the amount combusted with energy recovery. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that in 2010, 31 percent or 133 billion pounds of the 430 billion pounds of food produced was not available for human consumption at the retail and consumer levels (i.e., one-third of the food available was not eaten).

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimated in 2011 that approximately one-third of all food produced for human consumption worldwide is lost or wasted. Taking simple steps in your everyday life can make a difference in addressing this issue. Reducing wasted food is a triple win; it's good for the economy, for communities, and for the environment.

Saving Money

When we waste food, we’re not just creating a problem, we’re also missing an opportunity to save businesses and consumers money:

• Pay Less for Trash Pickup – Organizations might pay less for trash pickup by keeping wasted food out of the garbage. Some haulers lower fees if wasted food is separated from the trash and sent to a compost facility instead of the landfill.
• Receive Tax Benefits by Donating – If you donate healthy, safe, and edible food to hungry people, your organization can claim tax benefits. The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Act protects food donors from legal liability.

• Waste Less and Spend Less – If you or your organization can find ways to prevent waste in the first place, you can spend less by buying only the food you will use. Preventing wasted food can also reduce energy and labor costs associated with throwing away good food.

Helping People

Preventing wasted food and recovering wholesome, nutritious food can help you make a difference in your community:

• Feed People, Not Landfills – Instead of feeding landfills, we should be feeding people in our communities. You can donate a variety of foods to many different types of organizations. Contact Feeding America or your local food rescue organizations for information about where you can donate and what types of food your local organization is able to accept.
• Feed Children – In 2012, the U.S. Department of Agriculture National School Lunch Program provided nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to more than 31 million children each school day. By redirecting food that would otherwise be wasted to homes and schools, we can help feed our country’s children.
• Create Job Opportunities – Recovering and recycling wasted food through donation, salvaging, processing, industrial reuse, and composting strengthens infrastructure and creates jobs. Food recycling in these sectors employs more than 36,000 people, supporting local economies and promoting innovation.
• Feed the World – According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, from 2012 to 2014 there were about 805 million hungry people on earth. They predict that by eliminating food loss and wasted food we would have enough food to feed all the chronically undernourished. They also expect that we wouldn’t have to increase food production or put additional pressure on our natural resources to do so.

Conserving Resources

Reducing wasted food does great things for the environment:

• Reduce Methane from Landfills – When food goes to the landfill, it’s similar to tying food in a plastic bag. The nutrients in the food never return to the soil. The wasted food rots and produces methane gas.
• Save Resources –Wasted food wastes the water, gasoline, energy, labor, pesticides, land, and fertilizers used to make the food. When we throw food in the trash, we’re throwing away much more than food.
• ​Return Nutrients to the Soil – If you can’t prevent, reduce or donate wasted food, you can compost. By sending food scraps to a composting facility instead of to a landfill or composting at home, you’re helping make healthy soils. Adding compost to gardens, highway construction sites, and poor soils makes great things happen. Properly composted organics (wasted food and yard waste) improve soil health and structure, improve water retention, support more native plants, and reduce the need for fertilizers and pesticides.

Food safety is a major concern. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that there are about 48 million cases of foodborne illness annually – the equivalent of sickening 1 in 6 Americans each year. And each year these illnesses result in an estimated 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths.

Food waste is also a major concern. Wasted food is a huge challenge to our natural resources, our environment, and our pocketbooks.

Our resources? Each year getting food to U.S. tables requires:

• 80 percent of our freshwater,
• 10 percent of our available energy, and,
• Half of our land.

The environment? Organic waste, mostly food, is the second biggest component of landfills, and landfills are the third largest source of methane emissions. Methane is a major factor in global warming because it is so effective at absorbing the sun’s heat, which warms the atmosphere.

And, finally, our pocketbooks:
Between 30 and 40 percent of food in the United States goes uneaten – as much as 20 pounds of food per person per month. That means Americans are throwing out the equivalent of $165 billion in food each year.

How Food Waste and Food Safety Are Connected

The major sources of food waste in the United States are the food industry and consumers. Within the food industry, waste occurs at every step — on the farm and with packers, processors, distributors, and retailers. Some of it is the result of economic forces, some of management problems, and some is caused simply by dumping products that are less than perfect in appearance.

Food Product Dating and Food Waste

Food waste by consumers may result from a misunderstanding of what the phrases on product date labels mean, along with uncertainty about storage of perishable foods. Confusion over date labeling accounts for an estimated 20 percent of consumer food waste.

What are Food Product Dates?

Many consumers misunderstand the purpose and meaning of the date labels that often appear on packaged foods. Confusion over date labeling accounts for an estimated 20 percent of consumer food waste.

Except for infant formula, manufacturers are not required by Federal law or regulation to place quality-based date labels on packaged food.

There are no uniform or universally accepted descriptions used on food labels for open dating (calendar dates) in the United States. As a result, there are a wide variety of phrases used for product dating.

FDA supports efforts by the food industry to make “Best if Used By” the standard phrase to indicate the date when a product will be at its best flavor and quality. Consumers should examine foods for signs of spoilage that are past their “Best if used by” date. If the products have changed noticeably in color, consistency or texture, consumers may want to avoid eating them. If you have questions or concerns about the quality, safety and labeling of the packaged foods you buy, you are encouraged to reach out to the company that produced the product. Many packaged foods provide the company’s contact information on the package.

Manufacturers apply date labels at their own discretion and for a variety of reasons. The most common is to inform consumers and retailers of the date to which they can expect the food to retain its desired quality and flavor.

Industry is moving toward more uniform practices for date labeling of packaged foods. But, for now, consumers may see different phrases used for product dating, such as Sell By, Best By, Expires on, etc.

How to Best to Store Perishables and How Long They Will Keep Safely

The FoodKeeper, developed cooperatively by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cornell University and the Food Marketing Institute, is a complete guide to how long virtually every food available in the United States will keep in the pantry, in the refrigerator, and in the freezer. The Fresh Fruits section, for example, covers apples (3 weeks in the pantry, 4 – 6 weeks in the fridge, and — only if cooked — 8 months in the freezer) to pomegranates (2 – 5 days pantry, 1 – 3 months fridge, and 10 – 12 months freezer). The Meat, Poultry and Seafood sections are equally complete, and include smoked as well fresh products.

More Ways to Avoid Wasting Food

• Be aware of how much food you throw away.
• Don’t buy more food than can be used before it spoils.
• Plan meals and use shopping lists. Think about what you are buying and when it will be eaten. Check the fridge and pantry to avoid buying what you already have.
• Avoid impulse and bulk purchases, especially produce and dairy that have a limited shelf life. Promotions encouraging purchases of unusual or bulk products often result in consumers buying foods outside their typical needs or family preferences, and portions — potentially large portions — of these foods may end up in the trash.
• When eating out, become a more mindful eater. If you’re not terribly hungry request smaller portions. Bring your leftovers home and refrigerate or freeze them within two hours, and check the Food Keeper to see how long they’ll be safe to eat.
• Check the temperature setting of your fridge. Use a refrigerator thermometer to be sure the temperature is at 40° F or below to keep foods safe. The temperature of your freezer should be 0° F or below.
• Avoid "overpacking:" Cold air must circulate around refrigerated foods to keep them properly chilled.
• Wipe up spills immediately: It not only reduces the growth of Listeria bacteria (which can grow at refrigerator temperatures), cleaning up spills — especially drips from thawing meats — will help prevent "cross-contamination," where bacteria from one food spread to another.
• Keep it covered: Store refrigerated foods in covered containers or sealed storage bags, and check leftovers daily for spoilage.
• Refrigerate peeled or cut veggies for freshness and to keep them from going bad.
• Use your freezer! Freezing is a great way to store most foods to keep them from going bad until you are ready to eat them. The FoodKeeper has information on how long most common foods can be stored in the freezer.
• Check your fridge often to keep track of what you have and what needs to be used. Eat or freeze items before you need to throw them away.
• To keep foods safe when entertaining, remember the 2-Hour Rule: don’t leave perishable foods out at room temperature for more than two hours, unless you're keeping hot foods hot and cold foods cold. If you’re eating outdoors and the temperature is above 90° F, perishable foods shouldn’t be left out for more than one hour.

Most people don't realize how much food they throw away every day — from uneaten leftovers to spoiled produce to parts of fruits and vegetables that could be eaten or repurposed.

One-third of all food in the United States goes uneaten. EPA estimates that in 2018, about 81 percent - 20.3 tons - of households' wasted food ended up in landfills or combustion facilities.

Preventing food from going to waste is one of the easiest and most powerful actions you can take to save money and lower your climate change footprint by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and conserving natural resources.

Benefits of Preventing Wasted Food at Home

• Save money by buying only what you need, eating what you buy, and avoiding throwing away food. The average family of four spends $1,500 each year on food that ends up uneaten.
• Reduce your environmental and climate change footprint.
  • Conserve resources and energy. When food is wasted, the land, water, energy, and other inputs that are used in producing, processing, transporting, preparing, storing, and disposing the food are wasted as well.
  • Reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. More than 85 percent of GHG emissions from landfilled food waste result from activities prior to food entering a landfill, including the production, transport, processing, and distribution of food. Plus, when food decomposes in a landfill, methane, a potent greenhouse gas, is emitted—and food is the single largest category of material placed in municipal landfills. Municipal solid waste landfills are the third-largest source of human-related methane emissions in the United States.

Ways to Prevent Wasted Food at Home

Planning, prepping, and storing food can help your household waste less food. Below are some tips to help you do just that:

Planning and Shopping Tips

Making a list with weekly meals in mind can save you money and time. If you only buy what you expect to use, you will be more likely to keep it fresh and use it all.

• Keep a running list of meals and their ingredients that your household already enjoys - that way, you can easily choose, shop for, and prepare meals that you are likely to consume.
• Look in your refrigerator, freezer, and pantry first to avoid buying food you already have. Make a list each week of what needs to be used up and plan upcoming meals around it.
• Plan your meals for the week before you go shopping and buy only the things needed for those meals.
• Make your shopping list based on how many meals you’ll eat at home. Consider how often you will eat out, if you plan to eat frozen precooked meals, and if you will eat leftovers for any of your meals.
• Include quantities on your shopping list noting how many meals you’ll make with each item to avoid overbuying. For example: “salad greens - enough for two lunches”.
• Buying in large quantities (e.g., buy one, get one free deals) only saves money if you use all the food before it spoils.
• Buying food from bulk bins can save you money and reduce food waste and packaging as you can purchase the amount of food you need as opposed to a pre-determined amount. When buying in bulk, remember to store food properly in airtight, labeled containers.
• Purchase imperfect produce or upcycled products. Imperfect produce may have physical imperfections but is just as safe and nutritious and can sometimes be found at discounted prices. Upcycled products are made from ingredients that might have otherwise gone to waste.

Storage Tips

• Properly store fruits and vegetables for maximum freshness; they’ll taste better and last longer, helping you to eat more of them before they go bad.
  • Most veggies, especially those that could wilt (such as leafy greens, carrots, cucumbers, and broccoli) should go in the high humidity drawer of the fridge.
  • Most fruits, as well as vegetables that tend to rot (such as mushrooms and peppers), should go in the low humidity drawer of the fridge.
  • Some fruits (such as bananas, apples, pears, stone fruits, and avocados) release ethylene gas as they ripen, making other nearby produce ripen, and potentially spoil, faster. Store these away from other produce.
  • Wait to wash berries, cherries, and grapes until you’re ready to eat them to prevent mold.
  • Some produce, such as potatoes, eggplant, winter squash, onions, and garlic, should be stored in a cool, dry, dark, and well-ventilated place.
• Make sure you are properly storing food in your refrigerator.
  • The refrigerator door is the warmest part of the fridge. You can store condiments there, but it is not recommended to store milk or eggs in the door.
  • The lower shelves are the coldest part of the fridge. Store meat, poultry, and fish here.
  • Refrigerators should be set to maintain a temperature of 40 °F or below.
• Store grains in airtight containers and label the container with the contents and the date.
• Befriend your freezer and visit it often. Freeze food such as bread, sliced fruit, meat, or leftovers that you know won’t be eaten in time. Label with the contents and the date.

Cooking and Preparation Tips

• Produce that is past its prime, as well as odds and ends of ingredients and leftovers, may still be fine for cooking. Repurpose these ingredients in soups, casseroles, stir fries, frittatas, sauces, baked goods, pancakes, or smoothies. You’ll avoid wasting these items and may even create a new favorite dish.
• If safe and healthy, use the edible parts of food that you normally do not eat. For example, stale bread can be used to make croutons, beet greens can be sautéed for a delicious side dish, and vegetable scraps can be used for soup stock.
• Learn the difference between “sell-by,” “use-by,” “best-by,” and expiration datesEXITEXIT EPA WEBSITE.
• Aim to cook and serve the right portions for the number of people you are feeding.
• Freeze, pickle, dehydrate, can, or make jam/jelly from surplus fruits and vegetables - especially abundant seasonal produce.
• Don’t leave perishable food at room temperature for more than two hours.
• Refrigerate or freeze any leftovers in small, clear, labeled containers with a date.

If You Can't Reduce Wasted Food, Divert It From Landfills

• Nutritious, safe, and untouched food can be donated to food banks to help those in need.
• Compost food scraps rather than throwing them away. Learn more through this infographic on composting.

Between the food industry and consumers, Americans are throwing out about a third of our food — about $161 billion worth each year.

“Imagine this: You go to your favorite supermarket and come out with three bags full of groceries. Before you get in your car, you toss one of those bags in the garbage. Sound ridiculous? Of course it does, but that’s in essence what food waste looks like every day across our country,” says Frank Yiannas, the FDA’s Deputy Commissioner for Food Policy and Response.

Consumer uncertainty about the meaning of the dates that appear on the labels of packaged foods is believed to contribute to about 20 percent of food waste in the home. That’s not surprising when you consider the variety of terms used with date labels, such as “use before,” “sell by,” “expires on,” and many more.

To help dispel this confusion, the FDA is supporting the food industry’s efforts to standardize the use of the term “Best if Used By” on its packaged-food labeling if the date is simply related to optimal quality — not safety. Studies have shown that this best conveys to consumers that these products do not have to be discarded after the date if they are stored properly. “We expect that over time, the number of various date labels will be reduced as industry aligns on this ‘Best if Used By’ terminology,” says Yiannas. “This change is already being adopted by many food producers.”

The FDA’s efforts are part of a White House initiative called Winning on Reducing Food Waste. And part of this collaboration between the FDA, the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Agriculture involves educating consumers on ways to reduce food loss and waste, and how to do it safely without risking illness from consuming spoiled food.

Most Date Labels Are Not Based on Exact Science

Manufacturers generally apply date labels at their own discretion and for a variety of reasons. The most common is to inform consumers and retailers of the date up to which they can expect the food to retain its desired quality and flavor. The key exception to this general rule is for infant formula products. These products are required to bear a “Use By” date, up to which the manufacturer has confirmed that the product contains no less than a minimum amount of each nutrient identified on the product label, and that the product will be of an acceptable quality.

Date labels are generally not required on packaged foods. While manufacturers are prohibited from placing false or misleading information on a label, they are not required to obtain agency approval of the voluntary quality-based date labels they use or specify how they arrived at the date they’ve applied.

According to Kevin Smith, Senior Advisor for Food Safety in the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, the “Best if Used By” labels you see on packaged foods relate to the quality of the product, but that predicting when a food will no longer be of adequate quality for consumption is not an exact science.

Smith advises consumers to routinely examine foods in their kitchen cabinets or pantry that are past their “Best if Used By” date to determine if the quality is sufficient for use. If the products have changed noticeably in color, consistency or texture, consumers may want to avoid eating them.

Additionally, there are resources available online for consumers with questions about how long to keep perishable foods, including meat, seafood and dairy products:

• The FoodKeeper App, designed to promote understanding of food and beverage storage to maximize freshness and quality.
• The Refrigerator and Freezer Storage Chart on page 4 of the FDA’s Food Facts brochure, providing more information about which products to refrigerate or freeze, and for how long.

Waste Not: Advice on How to Reduce Food Waste

The FDA is working with federal partners and other stakeholders to help consumers better understand the variety of actions they can take to reduce food waste. The FDA’s Food Waste and Loss page links to resources from the FDA, EPA and USDA.

Other ways to reduce waste include:

• Refrigerate peeled or cut vegetables for freshness, quality and safety.
• Use the freezer as your friend. It’s a great way to store many foods to retain their quality until you are ready to eat them.
• Avoid bulk and impulse purchases, especially of produce and dairy products that have a limited shelf life.
• When eating out, if you’re not terribly hungry, request smaller portions. Bring your leftovers home, and refrigerate or freeze them within two hours.

“Reducing food waste is a shared responsibility, and consumers have an especially important role to play,” says Yiannas. “The FDA is committed to providing the information they need to make safe and sound decisions for their family. Food is too important to waste.”

We can be leaders in our communities by collecting unspoiled, healthy food and donating it to our neighbors in need. By donating food, we’re feeding people, not landfills, supporting local communities, and saving all the resources that went into producing that food from going to waste.

Anyone Can Be a Food Donor

Large manufacturers, supermarket chains, wholesalers, farmers, food brokers, and organized community food drives typically give food to food banks. Restaurants, caterers, corporate dining rooms, hotels, and other food establishments promptly distribute perishable and prepared foods to hungry people in their communities. Many food banks and food rescue organizations will pick up food donations free of charge, saving donors time and money.

Legal Basics

Corporate donors are protected from liability under the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act (PDF) (2 pp, 207K, About PDF). Under this Act, as long as the donor has not acted with negligence or intentional misconduct, the company is not liable for damage incurred as the result of illness.

Safety Basics

Many non-perishable and unspoiled perishable foods can be donated to local food banks, soup kitchens, pantries, and shelters if the transaction is managed properly. Check with your local food bank or food rescue operation to find out what items they will accept.

Tax Benefits

There are potential tax benefits for companies that donate food. See Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic’s Federal Enhanced Tax Deduction for Food Donation, a Legal Guide for information on enhanced tax deductions available to businesses donating food.

How to Donate Food

Where to Donate

• Food pantries, food banks and food rescue programs are available across the country to collect food and redistribute it to those in need.

• Food banks are community-based, professional organizations that collect food from a variety of sources and save the food in warehouses. The food bank then distributes the food to hungry families and individuals through a variety of emergency food assistance agencies, such as soup kitchens, youth or senior centers, shelters and pantries. Most food banks tend to collect nonperishable foods such as canned goods because they can be stored for a longer time.

• Food rescue organizations operate food rescue programming, which includes the retrieval of excess food from donors and/or the delivery of donated food directly to clients or to other organizations that redistribute food to clients. These organizations may also offer other programming, such as education/skills training and the repurposing of donated food into meals or other food products, etc., and many of them apply software solutions, like apps, to coordinate the redistribution of excess food by volunteers or other organizations.

Ideas for Increasing Food Donations in Your Community

• Leverage your existing relationships with food banks to donate food after events.

• Reach out to your local grocers, restaurants, venues and/or schools to suggest that they could donate wholesome food that will be wasted.

• Create a schedule for pick-up of donated food from your organization or business on a weekly, biweekly or monthly basis.

• Use donated food to feed the hungry or elderly of your community or for events held at your facility.

• Become a volunteer for a food rescue organization to help transport food from donors to food recipient organizations!

• Are you a faith-based organization? Check out the Food Stewards Toolkit to learn more about how your organization can reduce wasted food by modifying food purchases, donating, composting, getting others involved, and sharing your story.

What is Composting?

Composting is a controlled, aerobic (oxygen-required) process that converts organic materials into a nutrient-rich soil amendment or mulch through natural decomposition. The end product is compost – a dark, crumbly, earthy-smelling material. Microorganisms feed on the materials added to the compost pile during the composting process. They use carbon and nitrogen to grow and reproduce, water to digest materials, and oxygen to breathe. 

You can compost at home using food scraps from your kitchen and dry leaves and woody material from your yard.

Why Compost at Home?

Composting is nature’s way of recycling. It is one of the most powerful actions we can take to reduce our trash, address climate change, and build healthy soil. By turning our food scraps and yard trim into compost, we can transform our waste streams into a beneficial, value-added soil amendment and use it to protect the environment and create resilient communities.

• Composting is a resourceful way to recycle the food scraps and yard trim you generate at home all year and manage your waste more sustainably.
• You reduce the volume of materials that might otherwise be disposed in landfills or trash incinerators - leaves, grass clippings, yard trim, and food scraps – and prevent powerful greenhouse gases from being emitted into the atmosphere.
• Composting involves minimal effort, equipment, expense, and expertise, and can be fun. 
• You save money by producing a free, high quality soil amendment – compost, which reduces your use of fertilizer and pesticides.
• You can use your compost to build healthier soil, prevent soil erosion, conserve water, and improve plant growth in your garden and yard.

Options for Composting at Home

There are different ways to compost at home:

• Backyard composting with a pile or a bin you can build yourself or purchase.
• Vermicomposting (worm composting) with a bin.

If you don’t have an outside space for composting, consider participating in a local community-based composting program, which may collect your food scraps or have a designated location where you can drop them off. Alternatively, vermicomposting can be done indoors (more information is below). 

Composting in Your Backyard

Ingredients for Composting

The ingredients for composting include a proper balance of the following materials:

• Carbon-rich materials (“browns”) can include dry leaves, plant stalks, and twigs. The carbon-rich materials provide food for the microorganisms to consume and digest.
• Nitrogen-rich materials (“greens”) include grass clippings and food scraps. The nitrogen-rich materials heat up the pile to create ideal conditions for the material to breakdown. 
• Water (moisture).
• Air (oxygen).

What You Can Compost 

*Backyard composting piles do not generally reach high enough temperatures to fully decompose certified compostable food service ware and bags. These items are designed to be composted at commercial composting facilities. 

Steps for Backyard Composting

1. Determine how you will collect and store your browns and greens.
   Collect and store your fruit and vegetable scraps in a closed container on your kitchen counter, under your sink, or in your fridge or freezer. For browns, set aside an area outside to store your steady supply of leaves, twigs, or other carbon-rich material (to mix with your food scraps).

2. Set aside space for your compost pile and build or buy a bin. 
   Choose a space in your yard for your compost pile that is easily accessible year-round and has good drainage. Avoid placing it right up against a fence and ensure there is a water source nearby. Your compost pile will break down in sun or shade. Next, choose a type of bin for your pile. Bins can be constructed from materials such as wire, wood, and cinder blocks. They can also be enclosed and include barrels and tumblers. 

3. Prepare your ingredients for composting.
   Before adding your browns and greens to the pile, try to chop and break them up into smaller pieces (e.g., corn cobs, broccoli stalks, and other tough food scraps). Doing so will help the materials in the pile break down faster.

4. How to build your compost pile.
   Start your pile with a four- to six-inch layer of bulky browns such as twigs and wood chips. This layer will absorb extra liquids, elevate your pile and allow air to circulate at the base of the pile. Then layer your greens and browns like lasagna. If needed, add a little water to dampen the pile.

   Having the right proportions of ingredients in your compost pile will provide the composting microorganisms the carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and moisture they need to break down the material into finished compost. 

   When adding browns and greens to your pile, add at least two to three times the volume of browns (such as dry leaves) to the volume of greens (such as food scraps). Always ensure your food scraps are covered by four to eight inches of dry leaves or other browns.

   Air and water are the other key ingredients in your pile. To ensure air circulation, add enough browns and turn your compost occasionally. To maintain moisture in your pile, ensure your combined materials have the consistency of a wrung-out sponge.

5. Maintain your compost pile.
   As the materials in your compost pile begin to decompose, the temperature of the pile will initially begin to rise, especially in the center. A backyard pile, if well maintained, can reach temperatures of 130° to 160° F. High temperatures help reduce the presence of pathogens and weed seeds.  
   
   Turning and mixing your pile from time to time will help speed up the decomposition process and aerate the pile. Use a garden fork to turn the outside of the pile inward. 
   
   Monitor your pile for moisture, odor, and temperature and make adjustments as needed.

   1. If the pile is too dry, activity in the pile will slow or cease. Moisten the pile and turn it. (Refer to the note above about maintaining moisture in your pile.)

   2. If the pile has a bad odor, it may be too wet or need more air circulation. Add more browns/dry material to the pile and turn the pile. 

   3. If the pile is not heating up, mix in greens and turn the pile.

6. Harvest your finished compost.
   When your compost pile is no longer heating up after mixing, and when there are no visible food scraps, allow your pile to cure, or finish, for at least four weeks. You can relocate the oldest compost at the bottom of the pile to a separate area to cure or stop adding materials to your pile. After curing, your pile will have shrunk to about one-third of its original size. 

   Compost in a well-maintained pile will be finished and ready for use in about three to five months. Left untended, a pile may take a year to decompose. The compost will look dark, loose, and crumbly and smell like fresh soil. Most, if not all, of the materials that went into the compost pile should be decomposed. 
   Screen or sift your finished compost to filter out materials that didn’t break down - twigs, fruit pits, eggshells, and items like produce stickers and plastic. (You can make a homemade screener out of ¼ inch hardware cloth.) Pits, eggshells, etc. that you sifted out can be added back into the active pile or to a new pile.

Avoiding Rodents

Compost piles that are well constructed and maintained properly should not attract pests or rodents.

• If using a bin, it is important to reinforce the bin with a lid and potentially a floor. There should be no holes or gaps in your bin that are larger than ¼ inch. 
• Maintain the proper ratio of materials in your pile: two to three parts carbon-rich material (browns) to one part nitrogen-rich material (greens).
• Ensure you cover and bury your food scraps in your pile.
• Do not add meat, dairy, or greasy foods to your pile. 

Worm Composting (Vermicomposting)

Worm composting, or vermicomposting, is another method of composting you can do at home. It takes up little space, the materials are simple and inexpensive, and it can be done indoors or outdoors. You will need a container or bin, bedding material, worms, and food scraps. If your worm bin is properly maintained, it should not emit odors or attract pests. The resulting product is vermicompost, a soil amendment.

Steps for Vermicomposting

1. Make or buy a worm bin. 

   You can purchase a worm bin or make your own of untreated wood or plastic storage bins. The bin should have a tight-fitting lid and be a dark color to keep out light. If using plastic storage containers, drill air holes around the upper sides of one bin near the lid, and drainage holes on the bottom of the same bin. Place the bin with the drilled holes inside the other bin. (The bottom bin will catch any liquid that drains out of the top bin.)

2. Choose a space for your worm bin.
   You can keep your worm bin indoors (e.g., under a sink, in a closet or basement) or outdoors in the shade. If your bin is outdoors (e.g., garage, carport, porch, deck, or apartment balcony), insulate the bin with blankets, straw, or other materials to keep it warm during colder months. You want to maintain a bin temperature of 59° to 77° F; however, the worms can survive at 32° to 95° F if they have at least four  inches of bedding. 

3. Materials for your bin.

   1. Worms – Of the 9,000 species of earthworms, only seven are suitable for vermicomposting. One of the most commonly used is the “red wriggler” or Eisenia fetida. It is essential to use a suitable species. Do not use worms you might find outdoors or purchase at a bait shop. Begin your bin with one pound (about 1,000) of worms. Purchase them from a worm grower or find a neighbor in your community who has a vermicomposting bin and can give you some.  

   2. Bedding – Shred or tear non-glossy newspaper, office paper, cardboard, or dry leaves and soak the bedding material for 10 minutes. Wring it out so it feels like a moist sponge. Place it in your bin and fluff it up. Fill the bin almost halfway with the moist bedding and then add a handful of soil. 

   3. Food – You can feed your worms most fruit and vegetables scraps, coffee grounds and paper filters, crushed eggshells, paper tea bags (without staples), and crushed eggshells. Avoid citrus fruits, odorous foods like onions and garlic, meat, dairy products, greasy foods, bones, and pet waste. Chop up scraps into small pieces before adding them to the bin to allow for faster decomposition.

4. Start your bin and feed your worms.
   Place worms on top of the bedding in the bin. Once the worms have settled in the bin, add some food scraps on the surface of the bedding. Each time you add food scraps, make sure to cover them with two inches of bedding. Adding the proper ratio of materials to the bin and covering them is important. Worms eat about 25 percent of their weight each day. As worms reproduce quickly, you can increase the amount you feed them. Always ensure the food scraps have been eaten before adding more.

5. Harvest and use your vermicompost.
   After three to six months, you will be able to harvest your vermicompost, or worm castings, at the bottom of your worm bin. Vermicompost doesn’t need to cure and can be used immediately or stored for future use. 

Benefits of Using Your Finished Compost

You can add compost to your flower and vegetable beds, window boxes, and container gardens; incorporate it into tree beds; mix it with potting soil for indoor plants; or spread it on top of the soil on your lawn.

Compost can be used as a soil amendment or as a mulch. As a soil amendment, mix in two to four inches of compost to the top six to nine inches of your soil. As a mulch, loosen the top two to three inches of soil and add a three-inch layer of compost on the surface, a few inches away from plant stems and tree trunks. 

Adding finished compost to your soil :

• Improves the structure and health of your soil by adding organic matter.
• Helps the soil retain moisture and nutrients.
• Attracts beneficial organisms to the soil and reduces the need for pesticides and fertilizers.
• Reduces the potential for soil erosion.
• Sequesters carbon in the soil.
• Builds resiliency to the impacts of climate change.

We can all play a part in reaching the national food waste reduction goal – to reduce food waste by 50% by the year 2030. Start using these tips today to reduce food waste, save money, and protect the environment.

At the Grocery Store or When Eating Out

• Preplan and write your shopping list before going to the grocery store. As you write your list, think about what meals you will be preparing the following week, and check your fridge to see what items you already have.
• When at the store, buy only what you need and stick to your shopping list. Be careful when buying in bulk, especially with items that have a limited shelf life.
• If available, purchase “ugly” fruits or vegetables that often get left behind at the grocery store but are safe to eat. “Ugly” produce has physical imperfections but are not damaged or rotten. “Ugly” fruits and vegetables are safe and nutritious and can sometimes be found at discounted prices.
• When eating out, ask for smaller portions to prevent plate waste and keep you from overeating. You can also request a take-away box to take leftovers home instead of leaving food on your plate.

In the Kitchen - Storage and Prep

• Check the temperature setting of your fridge. Keep the temperature at 40° F or below to keep foods safe. The temperature of your freezer should be 0° F.
• Use the FoodKeeper App for information on how to safely store different foods to maintain freshness and quality.
• Refrigerate peeled or cut veggies for freshness and to keep them from going bad.
• Use your freezer! Freezing is a great way to store most foods to keep them from going bad until you are ready to eat them. Check the FoodKeeper App for information on how long different items can be stored in the freezer.
• Create a designated space in your fridge for foods that you think will be going bad within a few days.
• Check your fridge often to keep track of what you have and what needs to be used. Eat or freeze items before you need to throw them away.
• If you have more food on hand than you can use or you need, consider donating your extra supply of packaged foods to a local food pantry or a food drive.
• Learn about food product dating – Many consumers misunderstand the purpose and meaning of the date labels that often appear on packaged foods. Confusion over date labeling accounts for an estimated 20 percent of consumer food waste.

  Except for infant formula, manufacturers are not required by Federal law or regulation to place quality-based date labels on packaged food.

  There are no uniform or universally accepted descriptions used on food labels for open dating (calendar dates) in the United States. As a result, there are a wide variety of phrases used for product dating.

  FDA supports efforts by the food industry to make “Best if Used By” the standard phrase to indicate the date when a product will be at its best flavor and quality. Consumers should examine foods for signs of spoilage that are past their “Best if used by” date. If the products have changed noticeably in color, consistency or texture, consumers may want to avoid eating them. If you have questions or concerns about the quality, safety and labeling of the packaged foods you buy, you are encouraged to reach out to the company that produced the product. Many packaged foods provide the company’s contact information on the package.

  Manufacturers apply date labels at their own discretion and for a variety of reasons. The most common is to inform consumers and retailers of the date to which they can expect the food to retain its desired quality and flavor.

  Industry is moving toward more uniform practices for date labeling of packaged foods. But, for now, consumers may see different phrases used for product dating, such as Sell By, Best By, Expires on, etc.

At Home: Cooking, Serving and Enjoying Food with Family and Friends

• Use “ugly” fruits or vegetables to whip up healthy smoothies and soups for your friends or family. No one will notice the difference!
• Be creative and have fun! Create new dishes and snacks with leftovers or items you think will go bad if not eaten soon. Have a cook off to find out who can come up with the best dish.
• Follow the 2-Hour Rule. For safety reasons, don’t leave perishables out at room temperature for more than two hours, unless you're keeping it hot or cold. If the temperature is above 90° F, food shouldn’t be left out for more than one hour. Also, remember to refrigerate leftovers within two hours.
• Use serving size information on the Nutrition Facts label to help you portion meals or snacks. You can always add more to your plate after finishing off the first helping.
• Prepared too much food for a party at your home? Pack extras in containers for guests to take home or take some over to a neighbor as a nice gesture.
• Have a friendly competition with your friends or family members to see who can go the longest without any food waste.