Are You Throwing Money Away?

Carrie M. Durward, PhD, RD

Nobody would just throw money in the garbage, but that is essentially what we do every time we waste food. It is something we all do! Recent research showed that the average American consumer wastes about one pound of food every day! That adds up to over $1,300 per year on food that goes in the garbage. That’s a lot of money! Food waste may seem inevitable, but you can significantly reduce this amount by simply changing a few of your habits. To learn how you can stop wasting food and start saving money, visit USU Extension Food Waste Series.  You can also join us on Facebook at USU Extension Nutrition where we will be highlighting ways to reduce food waste all month. 

April is National Food Waste Awareness month, and USU Extension Nutrition has developed a series outlining best practices and research-based solutions to help you prevent food waste. This series will help you learn how to meal plan, grocery shop, preserve fruits and vegetables, and use up leftovers in your home. They’ve provided various resources to make saving money and decreasing food waste in your home a breeze!  


Carrie M. Durward, PhD, RD, is a USU Extension Nutrition Specialist and Associate Professor in the Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Sciences.

References: Conrad, Z. (2020). Daily cost of consumer food wasted, inedible, and consumed in the United States, 2001–2016. Nutrition Journal,19(1).