Food Waste in America: The Numbers Behind What We Throw Away
Food Supply Wasted
30–40%
USDA estimate
Cost per Family of 4
$2,913
per year (EPA, 2025)
National Cost
$384B
per year (ReFED, 2024)
The Scale of the Problem
The USDA estimates that 30 to 40 percent of the food supply in the United States goes uneaten. That is not just an environmental issue — it is money in the trash.
The EPA reported in 2025 that the average American consumer wastes $728 worth of food per year. For a family of four, that number climbs to $2,913 per year — roughly $56 per week going straight into the garbage.
At the national level, ReFED's 2024 data shows that 63 million tons of food reach waste destinations each year, with a total economic cost of $384 billion — approximately 1.3% of US GDP.
Where Wasted Food Ends Up
According to EPA data (2019), of the 66.22 million tons of wasted food generated from retail, food service, and residential sources:
| Destination | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Landfill | 39.62M tons | ~60% |
| Donated | 5.14M tons | 7.8% |
| Composted | 3.3M tons | 5.0% |
| Other (incineration, etc.) | 18.16M tons | 27.2% |
What the Research Says About Reducing Waste
Peer-reviewed research consistently shows that meal planning is one of the most effective ways to reduce household food waste.
A 2023 study published in Resources, Conservation and Recycling found that flexible meal planning strategies reduced household food waste by 27% in Canada and 33% in the US compared to control groups.
A separate 2022 study in the Journal of Cleaner Production analyzed 8,747 meal observations from 955 households and found that pre-portioned meal kits reduced total meal waste by 38% compared to traditionally cooked dinners.
The mechanism is straightforward: when you know exactly what you need, you buy less unnecessary food. When ingredients are pre-measured or precisely listed, there is less left over to spoil.
If a family of four reduced food waste by 50%…
~$1,456
saved per year
Derived from EPA's $2,913/year food waste cost for a family of four (2025).
Buy only what you need
Precise ingredient lists from video recipes mean less food in the trash.
Precise Ingredient Lists
Preplo extracts exact quantities from cooking videos. Instead of guessing, you get a precise list with measurements. Buy 2 pounds of chicken, not a vague amount that leads to waste.
Extracted Ingredients
Exact amounts → less waste
Merged Shopping Lists
Cooking three recipes that all need bell peppers? Preplo merges them into a single item with the combined quantity. No more buying three separate packs when you only need five peppers total.
Cost Awareness
See the estimated cost of every recipe before you shop. When you know what your week costs upfront, you make smarter buying decisions and avoid impulse purchases that often end up uneaten.
Weekly Plan
Plan ahead → buy less → waste less
Recipes from Any Video
Paste a YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram link and get a full recipe with exact ingredients. No more vague estimates or forgotten items that lead to unused groceries sitting in the fridge.
Video → Recipe
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Food Waste FAQ
Common questions about food waste in America.
According to the EPA (2025), the average American consumer wastes about $728 worth of food per year. For a family of four, that figure is $2,913 per year. The USDA estimates that 30 to 40 percent of the total food supply in the United States goes uneaten.
EPA data from 2019 (the most recent comprehensive figures) shows that about 60% of wasted food — roughly 39.62 million tons — was sent to landfills. Only 7.76% was donated and 4.99% was composted. The total amount of wasted food generated was 66.22 million tons.
ReFED estimates the total economic cost of surplus food in the US at $384 billion per year (2024 data). The food waste portion alone accounts for $339 billion, representing approximately 1.3% of US GDP. Consumer-level food waste makes up over 45% of surplus food and costs $259 billion annually.
Yes. A 2023 peer-reviewed study published in Resources, Conservation and Recycling found that meal planning strategies reduced household food waste by 27% in Canada and 33% in the US compared to control groups. A separate 2022 study in the Journal of Cleaner Production found that pre-portioned meal kits reduced total meal waste by 38%.
Preplo extracts exact ingredient lists from cooking videos, so you buy only what you need. When you select multiple recipes for the week, Preplo merges duplicate ingredients and totals quantities. Instead of guessing how much chicken or rice to buy, you get a precise shopping list that reduces over-purchasing and leftovers that end up in the trash.
According to USDA ERS data, the most wasted food categories by value are meat, poultry, and fish (30% of food waste value at $48 billion), followed by vegetables (19% at $30 billion) and dairy products (17% at $27 billion). ReFED data shows that fruits and vegetables constitute more than one-third of total food waste by volume.