Wasting The Food That Feeds You

Susan Koeppen On How Much We Waste, Why, And How Not To

(CBS)  Every week in homes across America, food is being tossed in the trash.

Some has gone bad, but plenty is perfectly fine.

With food prices rising fast, now's a good time to heed ways to cut back on waste.

What's being thrown out the most? Fruit, veggies, meat and dairy top the list, reports Early Show consumer correspondent Susan Koeppen.

The average American family wastes $1,200 in food each year, says Timothy Jones, who's been studying food waste for almost two decades. Each household throws out about 500 pounds of food annually, and 15 percent of it is still in its original packaging, and still within the dates on the packaging showing how long it's good for.

"The fact is that we live in these realities that we want to eat healthy, that we want to believe that we're healthy, so what do we do when we go to the store, we buy fruits and vegetables and we take them back and what do we do? We don't eat 'em!" and wind up throwing them out, Jones observes.

He says overall food waste in the United States totals $155 billion -- $55 billion from households, $45 billion from restaurants, and $35 billion from farms. Where does that waste go? To our nation's landfills.

"We need to think about our food consumption so we lower our loss rates and still consume the amounts we need," Jones points out.

Lori Johnston, a mom to three growing teens in Monroe Township, N.J., told Koeppen they all have completely different ideas of what to eat, which means having enough food on hand to make sure everyone gets what they want. But that means not everything gets eaten, and plenty ends up in the trash.

Also, says Johnston, "I am throwing out so much stuff because now, with the price of gas, I am buying double the stuff so I don't have to go to the store."

And lately, in an effort to save money, Johnston's been buying in bulk from warehouse stores, and admits to buying food she doesn't really need just because she has a coupon.

So lots is going bad before anyone eats it -- fruits, veggies and meats that look it, and packaged items past their "good until" dates -- and being thrown out.

Johnston says she encourages her kids to eat the food that's about to go bad, and is trying to cut down on how much they waste.

Jones advises that you avoid buying in bulk, especially fruits and veggies, which can go bad quickly. And try shopping on a Thursday -- that way, you'll know if your family is going to be around to eat during the weekend. And, he adds, people get tired during the week and don't feel like making fresh meals -- one reason things go bad.

More tips: arrange food by date in frig, just like supermarkets do -- the oldest up front, the newer stuff toward the back -- so family members will grab the older ones first, before they go bad. And -- brown-bag it more -- so you're always looking for foods to bring.

[lewiston14]

Throwing food away is a tricky problem. Some times it just cant be helped. When I open a = gallon of milk that still has 3 days left I always smell stuff and when it is already turned what are you going to do drink it? Recent examples this month. A head of lettuce when as you go through the pile they all seem to have the brown spots on the bottom so you know that wont last long. A small package of pork ribs opened two day later reveled the slimly smelly smell of rot. We are talking 2 days. A cucumber that felt fine two days later is a big fur ball. Then you have the problem of where it came from and it is it safe. I complain but nothing ever comes of it. One thing in common is the food stores they buy from the lowest bidder i.e. stuff that is not of high quality. So I changed my habits and im only buying for two people.

[lewiston14]

Most fresh stuff forget it besides im not paying $1.50 for a single orange. If I buy an apple I buy maybe 2 that I will eat that day that being said once you bite into that apple it may be rotten on the inside. So meat goes into the freezer right away, no fresh stuff unless it will be eaten that day and only a couple of = gallons of milk almost kept in the freezer section of the frige. I know people will tell me to take it back but I would loose more paying for the gas to return it. I buy in both major chains and both have the same problems. OBTW one chain was bought by a foreign company if that says anything. I buy canned stuff it may not taste as good but I wont be sitting on the toilet for a week.

[rainymitcha]

This story is the perfect example of how the prestigious, irresponsible, indulgent, and wasteful lifestyle of the American family has come full circle to bite them in the pocketbook.

First of all, having a large, prestigious SUV used for running errands is a laughable excuse for throwing away food. Trade it in or purchase a used, 4 cylinder car for groceries, bills, and sending one of those teenagers to the grocery store for the fresh steaks for a weekend dinner or for their impromptu snacks or unplanned dinners for feeding their hungry friends! (why would a mother PLAN to POSSIBLY feed other kids, anyway?) Point made, drive a more efficient car and quit feeding stray kids.

Second, the whole family is fairly irresponsible when the skip the whole meal planning step,grocery list making, and everyone''s schedule when planning meals for the week. A short meeting once a week to discuss FAMILY sack lunches, snacks, and dinners for the week as well as ONE possible impromptu snack for the week. That menu should be posted on the refrigerator for all to see and follow for the week. The shopping list should be made from the menu. NO UNAUTHORIZED PURCHASES!! Food used for recipes should be marked with a sticker so that the ingredient is not consumed by a hungry teenager. Meals and snacks consumed can be Xed off the menu as ''consumed''.

[rainymitcha]

Oh, and that vegetarian teenager? (How indulgent of trendy whims at $5.50!-- that could have purchased enough peanut butter, jelly and bread for 12 vegetarian sandwiches!!) When she is finished researching and reporting on a healthy vegetarian diet and its preparation, she can then help contribute to the cost of those foods as well as preparing her own meals that differ from family meals. Oh, and how about that short order lunch? Those kids harvesting and picking at whatever they want?? Meals decided on for and by the family in the family menu will result in food being consumed, not wasted. For example 3 kids will consume an entire package of hot dogs and buns, three apples, a half gallon of milk and a small bag of chips. Food planned for and purchased is consumed without waste! Genius

[rainymitcha]

Here is another genius idea: Buy freezer or deep freeze. All those fresh vegetables that get thrown in the garbage, BUY FROZEN!! Most meats, vegetables, fruit medleys can be purchased IQF!! These foods are consumed when needed, not left to spoil in a few days like fresh items. Also, it would seem that a mother would know that impromptu snacks or meals can be kept on hand in the freezer and pantry. Mom needs to stay out of the produce area and head directly to frozen food with haste and without waste! Also, Mom needs to realize that all fresh meats can be stored in the freezer until ready to use. I agree that lean meats like steaks, chops and ground beef loose texture and moisture when defrosted, but it is small price to pay to avoid ditching $20 in meat every few days.

It seems that the suburban lifestyle has come full circle and the waste and irresponsibility is not starting to cost the American family what they consider so important: Money. Its time to call your own mother and get some of the basic, Betty Crocker, way of feeding your family. Use those brown bananas to make banana bread, chop that apple to use in cornbread stuffing. Get used to planning your meals in advance, shopping by a list, presenting a meal to your family members, freezing fresh meats to retain freshness, and stop wasting money!! It takes time and work; but with a newly responsible family with three capable, helpful teenagers, it can easily be made to work.

[babalooga]

Good Grief! I wish media wouldn''t say things like this and make stories claiming all of America lives the way one lame city/suburbia slicker lives. People in other countries watch this and think it is true! They think we all can afford the oil! I don''t know anyone who is that wasteful. I''m sure every other person who found themselves at home today and tuned in was yelling at their TV screens about making banana bread. There is just no excuse at all for those choices. If people have a car and don''t know anything at all about fixing them they are likely to pay out the nose for regular upkeep. If people have kitchens and don''t know anything about cooking and shopping they will do the same *** thing.
Just ridiculous and shame on the media for saying we all are like that...I hope we don''t see a story later in the week showing us how to stock and use our fridges and pantries and make compost piles. Isn''t this called wagging the dog?

[superdem]

Take a tip from asian cooking - left over bits of meat or veggies make a fine fried rice or a stir fry, and soups and stews are a great way to use older food. They can be frozen, as well. You can also stew older meats in spaghetti sauce and eat it with pasta. They say many sauces were first made to hide the gamey taste of unrefrigerated meats in Europe. Our elders from the old countries never wasted anything. Older fruit with brown spots make good cobblers and pies. Don''t be so lazy, cooking is fun !