We’ve all found ourselves clutching that lonely can of forgotten pantry beans, thinking about how far past the “best by” date we can conscientiously donate the uneaten food. You might throw them in the trash or (hopefully) send them to your local food bank, alongside pasta, boxed mac and cheese, and other dry goods. And that’s probably where our understanding of food waste begins and ends.
But the nationwide problem(opens in a new tab) of excess food waste, and the subsequent movement(opens in a new tab) to reduce and reallocate our country’s excess, is much more complex. Food rescue(opens in a new tab), or reallocation, is the umbrella term for a wide array of initiatives that seek to save food destined for landfills and redistribute it to those in need, with the hope of reducing environmental harm and curbing food insecurity. The movement goes beyond just efforts to donate food to those in need: It addresses overconsumption, encouraging people to donate what they’ve already grown or purchased, rather than adding more food into a system of waste.
And the movement operates across industries, on multiple levels, addressing both larger-scale agricultural waste and smaller-scale household waste. Government programs encourage farms and businesses to donate food surpluses through government incentives. Food banks redistribute would-be-waste to communities in need, and new tech ventures, like on-demand food donation apps, connect people to food on an individual basis.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture(opens in a new tab) estimates that the United States wastes 133 billion pounds of food a year due to things like issues during transportation, over-ordering by retail businesses, and household waste. Food waste (or “surplus”) makes up about 24% of what goes into American landfills(opens in a new tab), with consumer-facing businesses creating 23 million tons of waste and households creating 30 million tons of waste each year, according to ReFed(opens in a new tab), a nonprofit that collects data on food waste across the United States. Globally, the massive amount of food waste is associated with up to 10 percent of greenhouse emissions, according to a 2021 report(opens in a new tab) from the United Nations. “Reducing food waste would cut greenhouse gas emissions, slow the destruction of nature through land conversion and pollution, enhance the availability of food and thus reduce hunger and save money at a time of global recession," Inger Andersen, executive director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), said in a press release(opens in a new tab).
As national hunger nonprofit Feeding America(opens in a new tab) estimates, more than 42 million people(opens in a new tab) will face food insecurity this year. That’s a lot of hungry households that could be fed with the billions of pounds of food going to landfills.
Dr. Roni Neff, program director of the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future and associate professor at the Bloomberg School of Public Health, says the push to rescue food has grown over the last decade as the nation’s network of food pantries and food banks expanded, especially during the pandemic. “There's massive inequities in need, and that's been shown during COVID-19 quite clearly,” Neff said. “I think that the 'big bang for the buck' is in larger scale processes, but there are really important ways that individuals can come into it.”
While food waste and food insecurity aren’t going to be eradicated purely by individual actions, Neff says, your choices can still help.
Here's how you can take part in food rescue on almost every level, from donations through work to daily choices to reduce your waste:
1. Offer your uneaten food before it goes to waste
Traditional food banks are the most common, and often accessible, way to donate your unused food to those in need. Justin Block is the managing director of Digital Platform Technology at hunger nonprofit Feeding America(opens in a new tab), a national organization working to end hunger through a system of nationwide food pantries and nutrition programs. It coordinates multi-level donations of would-be food waste from individuals, small businesses, and larger corporate donors through a program called Meal Connect(opens in a new tab).
Meal Connect supports food rescue on many levels. First, there’s mealconnect.org, an online platform for donors to post extra, available food to be claimed by food pantries around the country, Block explains. Meal Connect connects donors directly to individuals or transportation businesses that can pick up and deliver food to the closest participating food bank or food pantry. It also distributes larger amounts of food from restaurants, small-businesses, and individuals to food vendors, soup kitchens, and food pantries, using volunteers trained to handle and transport food.
To donate food directly from your own kitchen, find your closest Feeding America food pantry. The organization has a searchable database of local participating food banks(opens in a new tab) in your area. For food pantries outside the Feeding American network, check out foodfinder.us(opens in a new tab) — an interactive virtual map of food pantries around the country.
Small business owners who would like to donate unused, excess food can register for the Meal Connect program(opens in a new tab).
Also check out other nonprofits attempting to reduce food waste through community-generated initiatives and creative tech:
Move For Hunger(opens in a new tab), teams up with businesses, licensed moving companies, and volunteers to transport unwanted food to local food banks, allowing businesses and individuals to curb their own waste and provide food to people in need. Founded in New Jersey, the organizations now operates in all 50 states and Canada. If you're moving and need to get rid of pantry items, find a registered food mover(opens in a new tab) on Move for Hunger’s website.
Rescuing Leftover Cuisine(opens in a new tab), a nonprofit focused on saving food surplus from places like offices, dining halls, and restaurants. Through a digital network of volunteers, the organization coordinates food pickups and distribution across 16 cities in New York, Ohio, Georgia, Texas, New Jersey, Louisiana and Massachusetts. You can sign up to donate(opens in a new tab) your organization's excess food online.
Food Rescue US(opens in a new tab)'s network of food donors, movers, community organizations, and food banks distribute food directly from donors to individuals in need in 18 states. You can register(opens in a new tab) online to be a pick up and transport volunteer, start a Food Rescue US location in your area, or contact a local chapter's director(opens in a new tab) to become a donor.
Food Rescue Hero(opens in a new tab) is a food rescue app, available on the Apple Store(opens in a new tab) and Google Play(opens in a new tab), that connects donors to those in need. While the operation is based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the app coordinates food rescue in eight other cities: Cleveland, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Northern Virginia, Los Angeles, New Haven, Bergen County, NJ and Vancouver, B.C.
Waste No Food(opens in a new tab) is a non-profit online “marketplace” for businesses, farms, and nonprofits to connect in order to reduce and redistribute uneaten food. You can register as a donor(opens in a new tab) yourself (primarily for business, farm, or grocery store owners). Charities or nonprofit organizations are encouraged to register(opens in a new tab) with Waste No Food to claim excess food through the organization’s online system.
Ample Harvest(opens in a new tab) is a nonprofit that encourages individuals to reduce their food waste by donating excess produce from home and larger-scale(opens in a new tab) gardening initiatives. Those interested in either growing or donating already-grown food(opens in a new tab) can sign up online.
Or you can go even more hyperlocal, by donating your food directly to your neighbors. For example, community fridge programs — mutual aid initiatives where volunteers maintain publicly-accessible fridges open 24/7 — accept a wide array of food, both cooked and nonperishable. You can find a map of fridges near you on Freedge.com(opens in a new tab), an international nonprofit supporting community fridges around the world.
Each organization has its own guidelines for food safety and donations. But, broadly, Neff says that people are quick to throw out food long before it’s actually bad(opens in a new tab), and that's adding to our waste problem. “It's important to recognize that most state labels are not about food safety. They're the manufacturer's best estimate of when quality might decline, but it often is declining at an imperceptible amount,” Neff explains. The USDA's guide to food safety labels(opens in a new tab) explains that "best if used by" or "use by" dates — which typically aren't required by federal law — are only indicators of a product's quality, not food safety. Except for select products like baby formula, "if the date passes during home storage, a product should still be safe and wholesome if handled properly," the USDA explains.
Additionally, many food businesses are now abiding by voluntary industry guidelines(opens in a new tab), Neff says. In these guidelines, "best if used by" is used to mark the quality date for the vast majority of foods (like the USDA explains). Where these guidelines diverge are with"“use by" labels, which many grocers and food retailers are now using to mark a smaller portion of products where safety could be a concern if consumed after the date.
If you’re unsure, check with food rescue organizations for specific guidance on their donation protocols.
2. Give your time and money to nonprofits and rescue initiatives
No food to offer? No worries. Neff says money and time make the biggest impact in reducing waste, helping organizations with their efforts in food rescue, environmental activism, and hunger relief to make wide-reaching, longterm change.
And while donating money over food might seem a bit disconnected, or might not “feel as good as giving some concrete product,” Neff says, “the money can often go a much longer way.” Depending on the organization, monetary donations can also help build stronger food rescue networks, funding more transportation, storage facilities, or other operating costs needed to expand across the country. Donations also support political outreach for environmentally friendly policies, and can fund initiatives that provide educational resources to communities addressing food waste and insecurity, she says. Volunteering similarly helps organizations expand their capacity to collect and distribute mass amounts of food waste, says Neff.
Consider volunteering(opens in a new tab) with Feeding America to help Meal Connect’s work with participating, nearby food banks. Volunteers help sort and pack food, staff COVID-safe food pantries, and deliver meals directly to homes.
Monetary donations(opens in a new tab) to Ample Harvest currently go toward its efforts to address food insecurity during COVID-19, including stocking food pantries across the country with excess, home-grown produce. You can also sponsor a single food pantry(opens in a new tab) in your area.
Move for Hunger operates off of donations(opens in a new tab) to fund its transportation services, food drives, and more. Current donations go towards the organization's COVID-19 relief efforts, which provide meals for hungry families. According to the organization, a $25 donation provides enough resources to deliver 63 meals. You can also volunteer(opens in a new tab) with the organization as a mover(opens in a new tab), join a marathon fundraiser(opens in a new tab), or register(opens in a new tab) your community in the Move for Hunger network to facilitate neighborhood donations.
Rescuing Leftover Cuisine needs volunteers to transport(opens in a new tab) donations. The organization also accepts monetary donations(opens in a new tab) that go towards the transportation and delivery of excess food. You can donate directly to a rescue branch in your area.
Food Rescue US uses a robust volunteer network to help with food rescue across 18 participating states, staff community kitchens reusing food surplus, and deliver meals directly to those in need. The organization also accepts monetary donations(opens in a new tab) that go towards operating costs as well as food transportation. You can also donate directly to one of its local chapters by scrolling to the bottom of the page.
You can donate(opens in a new tab) to the founding organization behind the Food Rescue Hero app, 412 Food Rescue(opens in a new tab), which also delivers would-be food waste to a network of nonprofits battling food insecurity. Donations fund the organization's transportation and delivery costs, as well as its partner programs(opens in a new tab), including a monthly grocery subscription(opens in a new tab) that distributes "ugly" produce and a program that turns salvaged food surplus into fresh meals(opens in a new tab).
To help Waste No Food’s mission, sign up as an outreach volunteer(opens in a new tab) in the organization’s efforts to enroll more food surplus donors. Volunteers reach out directly to food businesses and farms to enroll them in local food rescue efforts. You can also donate(opens in a new tab) money directly, which goes towards transportation and supply costs for volunteer deliveries. Connect with the organization on Twitter(opens in a new tab) to find up-to-date information on volunteering and donating.
For more organizations to support, ReFED's Solution Provider Directory(opens in a new tab) lists more than 700 organizations working to prevent, rescue, and recycle food surpluses.
3. Support environment and people-focused policies
These individual actions are just a small part of the solution to a nationwide problem. As Neff explains, food rescue initiatives are necessary but act only as temporary and limited solutions. “It's something we absolutely should do, but sometimes we kind over-romanticize what it can do,” she says. “If we really want to address hunger, it's not about collecting chunks of food and giving it to people, it's about addressing the root causes of hunger.”
So, alongside these short term actions, waste-conscious consumers can advocate for federal policies that target things like employment, living wages, universal basic income, and assistance programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP(opens in a new tab)), Neff says. The mass amount of food waste going to landfills each year proves that food insecurity isn't the product of food scarcity, she says. Part of the problem is simply a lack of money to purchase varied, nutritious food before it goes to waste. Supporting federal programs(opens in a new tab) like SNAP and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)(opens in a new tab) provide low-income households with this purchasing power, Neff says.
Individuals can also encourage their representatives to enact legislation targeting food waste directly. Policies like Vermont's new Universal Recycling Law(opens in a new tab) prohibit food waste from residential and commercial trash, encouraging food to be donated or composted in environmentally-friendly ways. Or ask your Congressperson to support federal-level food rescue initiatives, like the EPA and USDA's Food Recovery Challenge(opens in a new tab), a mission to cut the country’s food waste in half(opens in a new tab) by 2030.
In ReFed’s Roadmap to 2030(opens in a new tab) report — outlining the main causes of food waste and seven solutions(opens in a new tab) to curb waste over the next ten years — the organization reinforced the need to incentivize food rescue(opens in a new tab) initiatives with tax credits for rescue programs. Angel Veza, ReFED's capital, innovation, and engagement senior manager, says these tax credits would help both food businesses and food rescue organizations, which she says need this type of support to build self-sustainable business models beyond just charitable donations. Federal tax incentives offer a stronger platform for businesses to prioritize food rescue within their operations and individuals should encourage their representatives to integrate these benefits into climate and health policy when possible. Veza also says individuals should advocate for increased liability protections — like the federal Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act(opens in a new tab) that protects food donors from legal liability — for food businesses and organizations that distribute or re-sell rescued food.
And to help prevent food waste before it even happens, ReFED emphasizes the need for a federally supported food waste education(opens in a new tab) — whether in the form of large scale educational campaigns or integrated into the school system itself. Individuals can begin doing this work themselves, educating their families, friends, and coworkers about the impact of food waste and how they can support food rescuers. Check out ReFED's Insights Engine(opens in a new tab) to learn more about the country's food system, read about solutions, and calculate the environmental and social impact of food waste yourself.
UPDATE: April 30, 2021, 10:29 a.m. EDT This story was updated to include more information about food safety guidelines.
