Not wasting food is a form of generosity: toward the people who could have eaten it, and toward the farmers, drivers and cooks whose work goes into every bag of groceries. Here's how to waste less at home and how to pass along good food when you have more than you need.
How much food goes to waste
ReFED, a nonprofit that tracks U.S. food waste, estimates that in 2024 the country let 29% of its 240-million-ton food supply go unsold or uneaten. That food was worth about $381 billion, or almost 114 billion meals. There's some good news: ReFED's 2026 food waste report found surplus food fell 2.2% from 2023 to 70 million tons. Households led the drop, cutting residential food waste by nearly 950,000 tons.
Where wasted food ends up matters too. The EPA estimates that in 2019, 66 million tons of wasted food came from food retail, food service and homes, and about 60% of it went to landfills.
The EPA's Wasted Food Scale, in plain English
The EPA's Wasted Food Scale ranks what to do with food from most to least preferred. In short:
- Prevent it. Buy, store and cook so food gets eaten.
- Donate it. Get good food to people while it's still good.
- Upcycle it into new food products.
- Feed animals, where that's safe and legal.
- Compost or anaerobic digestion, which turns scraps into soil amendments or energy.
- Last resorts: sending it down the drain, landfilling, or incineration.
Prevention and donation sit at the top. Both are within reach for any household.
Waste less at home
Most home food waste isn't careless. It's food we meant to eat that got pushed to the back of the fridge. A few habits fix most of it:
- Shop your kitchen first. Before writing a grocery list, look at what's already there and plan meals around what spoils soonest. A pantry-first planner like PantryRx builds the week's meals from what you already have and keeps the grocery list to the gaps.
- Keep a "use it up" shelf at eye level in the fridge for leftovers and open containers.
- Track what's expiring. A simple log helps. Eat First, a free food expiry tracker, works offline in the browser with no account.
- Freeze before it turns. Bread, ripe bananas, cooked grains, soups and most leftovers freeze well. The FDA advises keeping your freezer at 0°F or below and your fridge at 40°F or below (FDA).
- Cool leftovers fast. Refrigerate within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F, and split big batches into shallow containers (FDA).
For more small kitchen systems, see this practical guide on how to cut food waste at home without trying harder.
What date labels really mean
Confusion over date labels sends a lot of good food to the trash. Except for infant formula, federal rules don't require product dating, and most dates are about quality rather than safety. USDA and FDA have pushed manufacturers toward "Best if Used By" for quality dates (USDA FSIS).
| Label | What it usually means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Best if Used By | When the product is at peak quality | Usually fine after the date if stored well. Look, smell, then decide |
| Sell By | A note to the store for stock rotation | Not a safety deadline for you |
| Use By | The last date recommended for peak quality. On infant formula it is a safety date | Follow it strictly for infant formula |
Note: Food banks have their own date rules for donations, which are often stricter than what's fine at home. Check before you drop off. See what food banks need most.
How to share surplus food
From your home or garden
- Neighbors first. A text to the block or a post in a neighborhood group is often the quickest way to move a glut of zucchini or an extra tray of lasagna.
- Community fridges. These are often outdoor fridges anyone can take from or stock. A University of Washington report describes them operating in a regulatory "grey zone". Store-bought canned food is welcome, home-canned food is not, and volunteers check for spoilage. Follow each fridge's posted rules.
- Food-sharing apps. Several apps connect neighbors giving away extra groceries, or let restaurants and bakeries sell end-of-day food at a discount. Look for one with active users in your area.
- Garden produce. Some pantries take fresh produce. Call first and ask about drop-off times.
- Cook for someone. Turning surplus into a meal for a new parent or a grieving neighbor is one of the best uses there is. Start with how to organize a meal train.
From a business, school or event
Restaurants, caterers and grocers sometimes hold back on donating because they fear lawsuits. Federal law protects them. The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act shields people and organizations who donate "apparently wholesome" food in good faith to a nonprofit for people in need. It also covers the nonprofits that receive it. The exceptions are gross negligence and intentional misconduct.
The Food Donation Improvement Act, enacted January 5, 2023 (Pub. L. 117–362), expanded those protections. As reflected in 42 U.S.C. § 1791:
- Direct donation is covered. "Qualified direct donors," including grocers, restaurants, caterers, farms, schools and colleges, can give food directly to people in need at no cost and stay protected.
- Nonprofits can charge a small fee at a "good Samaritan reduced price" that covers handling and distribution costs, and remain protected.
This is general information, not legal advice. State and local health rules still apply, so talk to your local food bank or health department about safe handling for prepared food.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to eat food past the "best by" date?
Often, yes. "Best if Used By" is a quality date, not a safety date. Federal rules require product dating only on infant formula. Use your senses, and toss anything with signs of spoilage.
Can restaurants legally donate leftover food?
Yes. The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act protects good-faith donations of apparently wholesome food. Since 2023, qualified direct donors like restaurants can also give food directly to people in need at no cost.
Can I put homemade food in a community fridge?
It depends on the fridge. Rules vary, and home-canned food is generally not accepted. Read the posted guidelines or contact the organizers.
What's the single best way to waste less food at home?
Plan meals around what you already have before you shop. Prevention sits at the top of the EPA's Wasted Food Scale for a reason.
Sources
- ReFED — Food waste: the problem
- ReFED — Progress on the Plate: 2026 U.S. Food Waste Report announcement (April 2026)
- U.S. EPA — Food: Material-Specific Data
- U.S. EPA — Wasted Food Scale
- U.S. FDA — Safe Food Handling
- USDA FSIS — USDA Revises Guidance on Date Labeling to Reduce Food Waste
- Cornell LII — 42 U.S.C. § 1791, Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act (as amended 2023)
- University of Washington DEOHS — With community fridges, neighbors feed each other (Dec. 2025)