Best Way to Save Money - and our Climate - Stop Wasting Food... Here's Why

fruit bowls kitchen banana apple orange basket eggs onions – Maura Myles Image

We’re losing money and wasting our environment in ways we don’t even realize. After a meal or a snack, do you scrape the uneaten food or even the untouched servings into the garbage, rather than seal it up for a snack, later?

You’re not alone. But more of us are figuring out that it not only saves money, but it saves our surroundings.

In fact, 30% more companies (almost one out of three) are beefing up their effort to wipe out food waste, for good.

Did you know that about $418 billion worth of food gets wasted, each year, in the United States? It does… billions. That’s 418 with nine zeroes… The average American spends about $3,000 per year on unused groceries.

And this is all while the spoiled food then releases planet-warming chemicals into the atmosphere.

Startups hope to solve the global issue by getting us to save food into leftover containers, rather than jam up landfills. And they’re treating delicate fruits or veggies with organic solutions to extend shelf life.

Meanwhile, top personal financial advisors, like Suze Ormon, advise that you buy only the food you need, and make meals out of what you’ve got. Otherwise, that food thrown in the garbage might as well be dollar bills.

Taste of Home points out that some folks are just wasteful and without remorse: Nearly 40% admitted that they’ve thrown food away just because they didn’t feel like eating it after purchasing it.

So, what can WE do, at home? Get creative with turning leftovers into new meals or snacks. Start meal planning (which will save money). Composting peels and remnants upcycles them into something useful.

Lunchrooms manage servings of produce, so it will not get immediately tossed. Lunchmakers should bring home leftovers to eat, later. You get the idea. We should teach our kids to be more mindful.

And everyone should tour a landfill, at least once. It’s a life-changing sight, a wasteful site. Learn more, here: (AP)

Hello Fresh did a study. The top 10 most wasted foods according to survey respondents are: