[engacenus]

Americans throw away 40 percent of their food:
http://bottomline.nbcnews.com/_news/...ood-study?lite
Mom was onto something. Americans are not cleaning their plates. Instead, they are tossing away 40 percent of their meals – “essentially every other piece of food that crosses our path” – or the equivalent of $2,275 a year for a family of four, according to a new report.

Food waste has swelled by 50 percent since the 1970s in this country. A total $165 billion annually in leftovers gets trashed by homeowners and in unsold or unused perishables or scraps dumped by grocers or restaurants, according to research compiled by the Natural Resources Defense Council released Tuesday.

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“Given the drought, rising food prices, and increased food demands we’re looking at as the population grows, having a more efficient food system is going to be a critical step – but also one of the lowest hanging fruit (in terms of a solution),” said Dana Gunders, the study’s author and a project scientist at NRDC, a nonprofit environmental group.

“Everyone has a role to play in reducing food waste,” Gunders said. “This is just something that’s really flown under our radar. As a country, we just haven’t been thinking about this. But it’s one of the easiest things we can do to reduce our environmental footprint.”

Ironically, the food squandering findings come just as a new Gallup poll shows that nearly one in five Americans say they haven’t had enough money to buy groceries on some days during the past 12 months.

At the same time, a record drought baking half the country will help drive food prices 3 to 4 percent higher next year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Much of the waste is fueled by food companies and grocery chains that oversell and overstock. Also to blame are consumers who over-purchase - packing their shopping carts and refrigerators with far more than they need after being tempted by buy-one-get-one-free deals that often include short, shelf-life items like milk and produce, the NRDC reports

[ARKLqAZ6]

Americans may be losing a lot of weight next year (that's the cup half full)

[ticfarentibia]

This is why I am going to raise animals, I got the time and the left over food is never wasted.

.
I only can control what I am eating, if the liberals dont try and pass some law trying to stop me.

Like cockroaches them liberals.

[disappointment2]

Americans throw away 40 percent of their food:
http://bottomline.nbcnews.com/_news/...ood-study?lite
Mom was onto something. Americans are not cleaning their plates. Instead, they are tossing away 40 percent of their meals – “essentially every other piece of food that crosses our path” – or the equivalent of $2,275 a year for a family of four, according to a new report.

Food waste has swelled by 50 percent since the 1970s in this country. A total $165 billion annually in leftovers gets trashed by homeowners and in unsold or unused perishables or scraps dumped by grocers or restaurants, according to research compiled by the Natural Resources Defense Council released Tuesday.

Advertise | AdChoices
“Given the drought, rising food prices, and increased food demands we’re looking at as the population grows, having a more efficient food system is going to be a critical step – but also one of the lowest hanging fruit (in terms of a solution),” said Dana Gunders, the study’s author and a project scientist at NRDC, a nonprofit environmental group.

“Everyone has a role to play in reducing food waste,” Gunders said. “This is just something that’s really flown under our radar. As a country, we just haven’t been thinking about this. But it’s one of the easiest things we can do to reduce our environmental footprint.”

Ironically, the food squandering findings come just as a new Gallup poll shows that nearly one in five Americans say they haven’t had enough money to buy groceries on some days during the past 12 months.

At the same time, a record drought baking half the country will help drive food prices 3 to 4 percent higher next year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Much of the waste is fueled by food companies and grocery chains that oversell and overstock. Also to blame are consumers who over-purchase - packing their shopping carts and refrigerators with far more than they need after being tempted by buy-one-get-one-free deals that often include short, shelf-life items like milk and produce, the NRDC reports

The grocery stores around here donate many of the items that are near expiration to the local food bank. And, there are plenty that come to the food bank that are grateful for it.

[Unoloknovagog]

Oh god...I wince every time anything goes bad before it gets eaten...and I *never* fail to finish off what's on my plate. My roommate has really been working at teaching his little girl - 'we don't throw away good food'.

This report just makes me queasy.

[k1ePRlda]

This is why I am going to raise animals, I got the time and the left over food is never wasted.

.
I only can control what I am eating, if the liberals dont try and pass some law trying to stop me.

Like cockroaches them liberals.

What are you going to raise?? Some llamas or Alpacas & you can sell them to the drug trade there in Bolivia or Ecuador or wherever you end up......

I hear they call them the Andes hummers in the high mountain drug trade.....lol

[avaissema]

Americans throw away 40 percent of their food:
http://bottomline.nbcnews.com/_news/...ood-study?lite
Mom was onto something. Americans are not cleaning their plates. Instead, they are tossing away 40 percent of their meals – “essentially every other piece of food that crosses our path” – or the equivalent of $2,275 a year for a family of four, according to a new report.

Food waste has swelled by 50 percent since the 1970s in this country. A total $165 billion annually in leftovers gets trashed by homeowners and in unsold or unused perishables or scraps dumped by grocers or restaurants, according to research compiled by the Natural Resources Defense Council released Tuesday.

Advertise | AdChoices
“Given the drought, rising food prices, and increased food demands we’re looking at as the population grows, having a more efficient food system is going to be a critical step – but also one of the lowest hanging fruit (in terms of a solution),” said Dana Gunders, the study’s author and a project scientist at NRDC, a nonprofit environmental group.

“Everyone has a role to play in reducing food waste,” Gunders said. “This is just something that’s really flown under our radar. As a country, we just haven’t been thinking about this. But it’s one of the easiest things we can do to reduce our environmental footprint.”

Ironically, the food squandering findings come just as a new Gallup poll shows that nearly one in five Americans say they haven’t had enough money to buy groceries on some days during the past 12 months.

At the same time, a record drought baking half the country will help drive food prices 3 to 4 percent higher next year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Much of the waste is fueled by food companies and grocery chains that oversell and overstock. Also to blame are consumers who over-purchase - packing their shopping carts and refrigerators with far more than they need after being tempted by buy-one-get-one-free deals that often include short, shelf-life items like milk and produce, the NRDC reports

Sad..... I was hearing something about this yesterday or the day before on NPR..........

On trash day I really see it, big 55 gallon cans over flowing... I have the smallest can they have & I only put it out every two weeks-&then it is almost empty......... (Only time I get my monies worth is maybe during the holidays)..

We also have a couple free dump days, (one pickup truck load free) + they come around once a year for a curb side pick up of stuff, up 4 ft X 8 ft by 6 or 8 ft high..........

I recycle or compost everything.......

[slimfifa]

The grocery stores around here donate many of the items that are near expiration to the local food bank. And, there are plenty that come to the food bank that are grateful for it.

being Florida, we don't have the many grocery chains - Publix is the big one.

They will donnate - it's also an employeee owned chain, and the make cash donations too ( 2nd Harvest etc.).

The perishables are a problem, they are reluctant to doante, since they can be sued ( they claim) if someone gets sick off a past dated item.
Seems bogus -but in this litiguous society, i understand.

I used a food bank for awhile when I was down and out - really helped, even though i had to drink canned milk and such.

I'm poor, but do donate to animal shelters ( non government), and a few bucks towards food banks.

If I wasn't bringing in income i could get food stamps, but even owning a house makes me ineligible. ( I tried to apply through a Fl web -wouldn't take me).
It really sucks being low middle class, all the bills, but no public support.