The 10 Most Wasted Foods In America Will Make You Sad

By  Charlotte Beach
Raspberries and blueberries in clear glass containers on the top shelf in the refrigerator. Stephen Paul for Hunker

America's food waste problem is nothing new. We've long been battling wasteful practices, habits, and systems in this country, and the struggle continues. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, a staggering 30% to 40% of the entire food supply in America gets thrown away every year. That's over 100 billion pounds of food and a $161 billion dollar value.

Of course, there are certain foods that are harder to keep than others, and they end up dominating the landfills. Anyone with a kitchen probably already has an idea of what those foods might be, but a new survey conducted by the market research company OnePoll and the meal-kit company HelloFresh takes away the guesswork.

After surveying 2,000 adults, the results are in, and they reveal the top 10 most wasted foods in America:

  1. Lettuce
  2. Bananas
  3. Milk
  4. Apples
  5. Bread
  6. Avocado
  7. Deli items
  8. Eggs
  9. Meat
  10. Carrots

Any surprises here? The top three add up, with lettuce getting slimy and unappetizing seemingly overnight; bananas going from green to freckled and brown in an instant; and milk, well, being milk. Some of the others further down the list might be a bit more unexpected. Eggs? Carrots? Say it ain't so! Luckily, there are some tips and tricks to keeping certain food items fresh for a longer amount of time, ultimately reducing food waste.

How to Prevent Food Waste

TikToker Kira Simpson has a hack that helps revive wilted lettuce to bring it back to life, and all you need is a produce bag or tea towel plus your refrigerator's veggie drawer.

Being more mindful and strategic about where you store certain foods in your refrigerator can also help you reduce waste. Dietitian and author Judy Barbe tells Hunker exactly where to store food in your fridge so that it lasts longer.

Using the right tools is also key to prolonging the life span of your food and reducing waste. Here's a breakdown of the best food storage items that can help increase the longevity of your groceries.

‌(h/t: Eat This, Not That!)‌

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