How To Reduce Food Waste

Let's talk about food waste. Every year between 30-40% of food in the U.S. goes to waste as it makes its way through the supply chain—that’s equivalent to two out of five bags of groceries never making it onto your plate. Unbelievable, right? Especially because consumers don't even realize they're doing it a lot of the time. But those random slices of bread and eggs that are a bit past their expiration date add up. Then consider this - food production uses 10% of our total energy budget, 50% of our land and a whopping 80% of all freshwater consumed. In fact, producing the food consumers throw away generates more greenhouse gases than most entire countries do. So as consumers we are not just being wasteful, we're hurting our environment too!

Americans are tossing out an average of $120 each month per household of four in the form of uneaten food. And that's actual money going into the garbage and not into your savings account or to your bills. Much like a $5 latte every morning, this adds up as well - $1440 a year, actually. Think what you could do with that!

What can counteract this? Well, what we here at Top Chef Meals are doing is this - we work with local food purveyors and farmers buying directly from them, supporting local communities while saving dollars and cents on every ingredient we buy, and passing on those savings to our customers. Also, with our perfectly portioned meals, you're never wasting food and throwing money away. You're also not buying food items, such as unique spices, that you'll use only once that will then sit in the back of your cabinet forever.

So what steps can YOU take to help reduce food waste? One thing you can do is think about how you can double up on ingredients when you're not dining with Top Chef Meals. For example, if you're shredding chicken for chicken noodle soup, use any extra later in the week for chicken tacos. Then use the leftover tortillas and taco shells from the tacos for something else! Also, get creative with leftovers! The typical consumer tosses WAY too many leftovers in the garbage. If you don't want to eat what's left as is, incorporate it into another meal! Finally, by eating with Top Chef Meals, you're getting fresh, locally sourced ingredients that are used to help support our sustainable food system in perfect portions designed to reduce waste. With our extensive menu and customizable meals, you're sure to find something you love!

Questions? Call us at 800-616-8044 or Email Us today!