Food Waste in the U.S.A Challenge We Can No Longer Ignore
Every year in the United States, over 91 million tons of food goes unsold or uneaten. That’s more than 42 million tons wasted in homes alone—and it’s a crisis with serious environmental, social, and economic consequences.
At Too Good To Go, we believe that food belongs on plates, not in the trash. Because with every meal we help save from going to waste, we help people access good food at a great value, cut emissions, reduce unnecessary waste, and create value for our communities, businesses and the planet.
The Scale of Food Waste in the U.S.
The numbers behind America’s food waste crisis are staggering.
- 91.2 million tons of food goes unsold or uneaten every year (ReFED, 2024). That’s the equivalent weight of over 250 Empire State Buildings.
- Total cost: $473 billion in food waste across the supply chain
And that doesn’t even count the hidden cost: the land, water, and energy used to produce food that never gets eaten. It’s one of the most preventable contributors to climate change today.
Where It HappensA Look Across the U.S. Food Chain
Food waste doesn’t begin and end at home. It starts in the fields and happens all the way through to your fridge. Here’s how it breaks down in the U.S.:
1. Primary Production
17.5 million tons (19.3%)
Food is lost before it ever leaves the farm. From overproduction and weather losses to strict cosmetic standards, this accounts for $13.2 billion in lost value.
2. Manufacturing
13.2 million tons (14.4%)
Supply chain inefficiencies, production overages and quality control processes result in $41.9 billion of wasted food each year.
3. CONSUMER-FACING BUSINESSES
17.2 MILLION TONS (18.8%)
Restaurants, retailers, and food service companies discard massive quantities of edible food. Combined, this sector accounts for $175.7 billion in wasted food. Breaking it down:
- Retail: 4.4 million tons (26%), $28.7B
- Full-Service Restaurants: 5.8 million tons (34%), $70.4B
- Limited-Service Restaurants: 2.5 million tons (14%), $26.6B
- Other Food Services (incl. healthcare, schools, hospitality): 4.4 million tons (26%), $50B
4. HOMES
42.2 MILLION TONS (48.2%)
This is the single largest contributor to food waste in the U.S. Households are responsible for nearly half of all wasted food, with a staggering $264 billion in lost value.
Why It Matters
- Nearly 1 in 2 pounds of wasted food in the U.S. happens at home.
- The U.S. wastes more than 91 million tons of food annually.
- Food waste in restaurants alone costs over $97 billion.
- The environmental impact? Massive. Food waste contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and resource depletion.
Small Changes, Big Impact
Wasted food isn’t just wasted money. It’s wasted water, land, energy—and potential. Fortunately, food waste is one of the most fixable environmental challenges we face today.
- Reducing food waste is the #1 action we can take to reduce climate impact (Project Drawdown, 2020)
- 1 ton of food waste = 2.5–3 tons of CO₂e, mostly from methane in landfills
- Every meal matters. At scale, small actions lead to real change
When we waste less food, we reduce emissions, support families, and drive a more efficient food system.
Fighting Food Waste Together
Too Good To Go is the world’s largest marketplace for surplus food. Through our app, we connect people with food businesses that have great food left at the end of the day—food that would otherwise go to waste. Here’s what we’ve achieved together with our global community:
- 400 million+ meals saved from going to waste
- 1.1 million tons of CO₂e avoided
- 324 billion liters of water and 1.1 billion m² of land saved
Whether it’s bakeries, restaurants, grocery stores or caterers, our partners use Too Good To Go to turn surplus into value, reaching new customers and fighting waste at the same time.
From Awareness to Action
Food waste is everyone’s responsibility—and everyone can be part of the solution. Here are five simple ways to start:
- Plan ahead – Shop with a list to avoid overbuying
- Store smart – Keep food fresh longer with proper storage
- Understand labels – "Best By" doesn’t mean "bad after"
- Use your senses – Trust your eyes, nose and taste before tossing
- Download Too Good To Go – Rescue Surprise Bags in your neighborhood. One bag rescued = one step closer to a better future.
Let’s Waste Less, Together
Food is too valuable to waste. Yet every second, food goes uneaten while people go hungry—and the climate suffers.
At Too Good To Go, we’re building a win-win-win system: For people, for the planet, and for business. But we can’t do it alone.