In 2022, households around the world wasted 631 million tons of food, the equivalent of 1 billion meals each day. This staggering number comes with heavy costs for household budgets, global hunger and the environment. International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste on Sept. 29, 2025, calls attention to the urgency of this worldwide challenge and offers everyday steps you can take to reduce waste in your own kitchen.
The scale of the food waste problem
Food loss can occur throughout the supply chain. From unharvested produce to damage during storage and transportation, a significant amount of loss occurs before food even reaches consumers. Once in homes, waste continues as families buy more food than they can use and have to throw it out when it goes bad.
The 2024 Food Waste Index Report from the United Nations’ Environment Programme discovered that 19% of food available to consumers goes to waste. That is approximately 1.1 billion tons of food waste annually across households, food service and retail. Approximately 28.9% of the global population, or 2.33 billion people, were moderately or severely food insecure in 2023.
With grocery prices already on the rise, buying unnecessary groceries significantly impacts family budgets. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency estimates food waste costs a household of four almost $3,000 each year.
Beyond homes, food waste results in wasted energy, water and labor, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. The U.N. report also notes that over 780 million people experience food insecurity worldwide, a sharp contrast to the number of meals that go to waste.
Why awareness matters
Sept. 29, 2025, is the sixth annual International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste. The United Nations proclaimed the holiday in order to improve food security around the world as the population grows. Minimizing food loss also protects natural resources and reduces pollution for a more sustainable future.
For households, the holiday is an invitation to explore ways to reduce waste in your kitchen. In addition to making your own impact on a larger global problem, small adjustments can also save you money.
Cooking creatively to reduce waste
Changing the way you look at ingredients can help you use up food that you might otherwise throw away. Customizable recipes, such as soups, stews, stir fries, fried rice and pastas, are convenient ways to use up meats and vegetables. You can also experiment with greens and herbs by adding them to new dishes if you have extra. Try cabbage steaks for a flavorful way to use up cabbage instead of letting it wilt.
Finding new recipes for favorites gives you a way to use up extras. If you buy avocados only to miss their narrow window of ripeness, make avocado spread for toast, sandwiches or grain bowls. Before fresh berries go bad, add them to a pie or cake or puree them to make homemade fruit leather.
Focusing your cooking around ingredients with a longer shelf life gives you more time to use up ingredients. Foods such as rice, beans, lentils, cured meats, squashes and root vegetables are last longer. By switching out more delicate ingredients in a few meals a week, you can reduce waste and stretch your grocery budget.
Tips for making fresh food last
Proper storage is key to extending the shelf life of groceries. Sealed, air-tight containers reduce oxidation and exposure to bacteria. Keep refrigerated items cool as much as possible to slow down spoilage and freeze ingredients you cannot use immediately. If you slice up fruits and vegetables before freezing, you can make convenient smoothie or stir-fry packs that are ready to go when you’re cooking.
Canning and other preservation techniques can also extend the life of produce. When properly canned, produce like tomatoes, corn, beans, peaches, pineapple, jams and pickles can last for over a year and make great edible holiday gifts. Even if you do not have the time and equipment for traditional canning, quick recipes like refrigerator jam or pickles will last for several weeks.
Drying or candying can preserve produce for longer. You can make sun-dried tomatoes by dehydrating fresh tomatoes in your oven. Homemade candied lemon slices can turn extra lemons into a delightful treat.
Household grocery strategies that make a difference
Preventing waste often starts before food ever enters your kitchen. Planning meals for the week ahead and shopping with a list helps avoid buying too much food. Choosing meals that utilize some of the same ingredients lets you use up entire packages. If you want to save by buying food in bulk, consider splitting quantities with friends or family.
Buying imperfect produce at the grocery store can also reduce waste. Misshapen fruits and vegetables are still edible, but are often tossed by grocers when they can’t be sold. However, it is still best to avoid any produce with bruises or breaks in the skin, as these may rot faster.
At home, keep track of expiration dates. Practice a first-in, first-out strategy in which you use up older groceries before opening new ones. If your family often lets leftovers go to waste, freezing is also ideal. Otherwise, consider a weekly leftover night where your family can focus on clearing out the fridge.
Get inspired to rethink food loss
While International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste happens once a year, it is an opportunity to rethink year-round habits with small changes that start at home. Awareness can help you reduce your own spending and ensure that food going to landfills instead nourishes the planet.
Kristen Wood is an award-winning photographer, food writer, recipe developer and certified functional nutrition expert. She is also the creator of MOON and spoon and yum, a vegetarian food blog, and the author of “Vegetarian Family Cookbook,” “Fermented Hot Sauce Cookbook” and “Hot Sauce Cookbook for Beginners.” Her work has appeared in various online and print publications, including NBC, Seattle Times, ABC, Elle, Fox, CBS, Forbes, Chicago Sun-Times and more.
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