The US generated 70 million tons of surplus food in 2024, about 29% of the food supply and worth $380 billion, according to ReFED’s 2026 U.S. Food Waste Report. Total surplus fell 2.2% from 2023, the first decline since the pandemic, led by a drop of nearly 950,000 tons in household food waste.
Food Waste in the US 2026 – Introduction
Food waste in the US is shrinking for the first time in years, but the problem is still enormous. ReFED, the national nonprofit that models the food system’s waste, counts 70 million tons of surplus food in 2024, or about 412 pounds per person. Consumers, at home and in restaurants, produce 46% of it. High grocery prices appear to be changing habits: a January 2026 ReFED and YouGov survey found that most people spending more on groceries now check their kitchens before shopping and plan meals more closely.
This report uses ReFED’s 2026 report, which covers 2024 data, along with the EPA and USDA figures it draws on. It separates three terms that are often confused. Surplus food is everything that goes unsold or uneaten, including donations and animal feed. Food waste is the part that goes to waste destinations such as landfills or compost. Food loss and waste estimates from other years use different methods, so figures from different studies should not be mixed without checking the definition.
Interesting Facts about Food Waste in the US
US FOOD SURPLUS AND ITS VALUE, 2024
SURPLUS FOOD (MILLION TONS) ████████████████████████████████████████ 70
VALUE OF SURPLUS FOOD ($ BILLIONS) ██████████████████████████████████████████████████████ 380
VALUE COUNTED AS WASTE ($ BILLIONS) ██████████████████████████████████████████████ 325
| Fact | 2024 Data (ReFED 2026 Report) |
|---|---|
| Total surplus food | 70 million tons (29% of the food supply) |
| Change from 2023 | -2.2% (-3.7% per person) |
| Surplus per person | 412 pounds a year |
| Value of surplus food | $380 billion (1.3% of US GDP) |
| Share counted as food waste | 85%, or $325 billion |
| Annual consumer spending on food that goes to waste | $762 per person |
| Household (residential) share of surplus | 33.5% |
| Greenhouse gas emissions from surplus food | 219 million metric tons CO2e (3.5% of US emissions) |
| Food as a share of landfilled material (EPA) | 24% |
The decline is small but notable. Total surplus fell 2.2%, about 1.57 million tons, from 2023 to 2024, and per-person surplus fell 3.7%. Residential food waste fell by about 950,000 tons, the largest single contribution, even though households bought the same amount of food. ReFED reads that as better food management in response to high prices, which suggests the same behaviors could stick if prices stay high.
The scale is still large. Surplus food equals about 29% of the food supply, so close to three of every ten pounds produced goes unsold or uneaten. Of that, 85% goes to waste destinations rather than to people or animals. The US goal is to cut food waste in half by 2030, and ReFED’s report describes the 2024 drop as an inflection point, not a finish line.
How Much Food the US Wastes in 2026
SURPLUS FOOD BY YEAR (MILLION TONS)
2023 (OUR CALCULATION) ████████████████████████████████████████ ~71.6
2024 ███████████████████████████████████████ 70.0
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Total surplus food, 2024 | 70 million tons |
| Total surplus food, 2023 (our back-calculation) | About 71.6 million tons |
| Share of US food supply that is surplus | 29% |
| Surplus per person | 412 pounds |
| Food reaching waste destinations | About 85% of surplus |
| Food donated | About 2.5% of surplus |
| Food sent to livestock feed | About 11% of surplus |
| Older USDA estimate of supply wasted | 30% to 40% |
Data Source: ReFED 2026 U.S. Food Waste Report (April 2026), using 2024 data; USDA Economic Research Service estimate
ReFED puts surplus at 70 million tons, or 29% of supply. The older USDA range of 30% to 40% is a different measure from an earlier period, and it counts loss and waste across retail and consumer levels. Both point to the same conclusion: roughly three in ten pounds of food never gets eaten. We back-calculated 2023 at about 71.6 million tons from the 2.2% decline, so treat that number as approximate.
Where the food ends up matters as much as how much there is. About 85% goes to waste destinations such as landfills, composting, and sewers. Only about 2.5% is donated and about 11% goes to livestock feed. Those destination shares add to about 98.5%, so ReFED’s remainder, which it does not itemize in the summary, covers other repurposing. Under the 2030 goal, even composting and anaerobic digestion count as waste, because they are less preferred than preventing surplus or feeding people.
Annual Cost of Food Waste in the US in 2026
THE COST OF SURPLUS FOOD, 2024 ($)
VALUE OF SURPLUS PER PERSON ████████████████████████████████████████ 1,120
CONSUMER SPEND ON WASTED FOOD ███████████████████████████ 762
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Total value of surplus food | $380 billion |
| Value of food waste (85% of surplus) | $325 billion |
| Lost value to food businesses (excluding plate waste) | $122 billion |
| Value per person | $1,120 a year |
| Consumer spend on wasted food per person (home and restaurants) | $762 a year |
| Consumer spend for a family of four (our calculation) | About $3,050 a year |
| Value as a share of US GDP | 1.3% |
| Popular older estimate for a family of four | $1,500 a year |
Data Source: ReFED 2026 U.S. Food Waste Report; USDA estimate as widely cited
Surplus food was worth $380 billion in 2024, and $325 billion of it was waste. Food businesses lost $122 billion of that value, not counting plate waste, which is food people leave uneaten at restaurants. Consumers bear the largest cost, at $762 per person in a year. That works out to about $3,050 for a family of four, a figure we calculated by multiplying by four.
The commonly quoted $1,500 a year per family of four is an older USDA-based estimate, and it covers a different scope. ReFED’s $762 includes food eaten away from home, such as plate waste in restaurants, while household-only figures run lower. Prices matter too: the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in September 2025 that grocery prices were up 29% since February 2020, so each pound wasted costs more than it did five years ago.
Household Food Waste in the US in 2026
BEHAVIORS PRACTICED MORE OFTEN BY SHOPPERS SPENDING MORE ON GROCERIES (%)
CHECK WHAT THEY HAVE BEFORE SHOPPING ████████████████████████████████████████ 87
EAT LEFTOVERS MORE OFTEN ███████████████████████████████████ 76
MONITOR WHAT NEEDS TO BE USED ███████████████████████████████████ 76
CUT BACK ON NONESSENTIALS ██████████████████████████████████ 75
PLAN MEALS OR LISTS MORE CLOSELY █████████████████████████████████ 72
USE THE FREEZER MORE ████████████████████████████ 62
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Residential share of all surplus food | 33.5% (about 23.5 million tons, our calculation) |
| Consumer share in and out of the home | 46% |
| Drop in residential waste, 2023 to 2024 | About 950,000 tons |
| Drop in household surplus | 4% (5% per person) |
| Americans spending more on groceries than last year (survey) | 58% |
| Of those, checking what they have before shopping | 87% |
| Of those, planning meals or lists more closely | 72% |
| Of those, eating leftovers more often | 76% |
Data Source: ReFED 2026 U.S. Food Waste Report; ReFED and YouGov survey, January 2026
Households are the largest source of surplus food at 33.5%, which is about 23.5 million tons by our calculation from the 70 million total. Add restaurant plate waste and consumers are responsible for 46%. ReFED’s analysis found that households cut waste most where food was easy to see and manage, such as milk and some prepared foods. Harder-to-manage items like fresh fruit did not see the same reductions.
The survey shows how behavior changed. Among the 58% of people spending more on groceries, 87% check what they have before shopping, 76% monitor what needs to be used up, and 76% eat leftovers more often. About 62% use the freezer more, and 75% cut nonessentials. These are self-reported habits, not measured waste, so the survey explains the likely cause of the drop but does not prove it. ReFED also warns that GLP-1 weight loss drugs could change how much people buy, which would raise waste if shopping habits do not adjust.
Food Types Wasted in the US in 2026
SURPLUS FOOD BY FOOD TYPE, 2024 (% OF TONS)
PRODUCE ████████████████████████████████████████████████ 45.4
PREPARED FOODS ████████████████████ 19.9
DAIRY AND EGGS █████████████ 12.7
DRY GOODS ██████████ 9.8
FRESH MEAT AND SEAFOOD █████ 5.2
READY-TO-DRINK BEVERAGES ███ 3.5
BREADS AND BAKERY ██ 2.2
FROZEN █ 1.3
| Food Type | Share of Surplus Food | Tons (our calculation) |
|---|---|---|
| Produce | 45.4% | About 31.8 million |
| Prepared foods | 19.9% | About 13.9 million |
| Dairy and eggs | 12.7% | About 8.9 million |
| Dry goods | 9.8% | About 6.9 million |
| Fresh meat and seafood | 5.2% | About 3.6 million |
| Ready-to-drink beverages | 3.5% | About 2.5 million |
| Breads and bakery | 2.2% | About 1.5 million |
| Frozen | 1.3% | About 0.9 million |
Data Source: ReFED 2026 U.S. Food Waste Report (2024 data); tons calculated by applying shares to 70 million tons
Produce is the largest category by weight at 45.4%, or about 31.8 million tons, which includes fruit and vegetables lost on farms and at home. Prepared foods are second at 19.9%, and dairy and eggs are third at 12.7%. Meat and seafood make up only 5.2% of the tons but cost more per pound, so their share of the dollar value is larger than their share of the weight.
The food-type split covers the whole supply chain, not only homes. Farm losses and trimmings push produce to the top. ReFED’s household analysis notes that fresh fruit stayed hard to manage even as waste fell for milk and prepared foods. Tons are our calculation from ReFED’s shares and the 70 million total, and the small rounding differences mean the figures do not add exactly to 70 million.
Causes of Food Waste in the US in 2026
CAUSES OF SURPLUS FOOD, 2024 (% OF TONS)
TRIMMINGS AND BYPRODUCTS ████████████████████████████████ 30.4
EXCESS ███████████████████████████ 23.7
NOT HARVESTED ██████████████████████ 19.9
SPOILED ██████████████ 12.9
DATE LABEL CONCERNS █████ 5.0
FOOD SAFETY ██ 2.3
BUYER REJECTIONS ██ 2.2
OTHER ██ 1.9
MISTAKES AND MALFUNCTIONS ██ 1.7
| Cause | Share of Surplus Food |
|---|---|
| Trimmings and byproducts | 30.4% |
| Excess | 23.7% |
| Not harvested | 19.9% |
| Spoiled | 12.9% |
| Date label concerns | 5.0% |
| Food safety | 2.3% |
| Buyer rejections | 2.2% |
| Mistakes and malfunctions | 1.7% |
| Cost of date label confusion | $19.2 billion a year (3.5 million tons) |
Data Source: ReFED 2026 U.S. Food Waste Report; ReFED estimates on date labeling
The largest cause is trimmings and byproducts at 30.4%, which includes peels, bones, and other inedible parts. Excess, meaning food made or bought but never used, accounts for 23.7%, and food not harvested for 19.9%. Spoilage causes 12.9%. Together, these four causes account for 86.9% of the tons, by our addition.
Date labels are a smaller cause at 5.0%, yet they are one of the most fixable. ReFED estimates that confusion over date labels wastes 3.5 million tons of food and $19.2 billion a year for consumers and businesses. The proposed federal Food Date Labeling Act would standardize the labels. ReFED estimates it would save consumers at least $1.3 billion a year and retailers $253 million. The bill gained its first Republican Senate co-sponsor this year, but it has not passed.
Where Food Waste Comes From and Where It Goes in 2026
SURPLUS FOOD BY SECTOR, 2024 (%)
RESIDENTIAL ████████████████████████████████████ 33.5
FARM ████████████████████████ 24.2
MANUFACTURING ██████████████████ 18.8
FOODSERVICE █████████████████ 17.9
RETAIL █████ 5.7
| Sector | Share of Surplus | Tons (our calculation) |
|---|---|---|
| Residential | 33.5% | About 23.5 million |
| Farm | 24.2% | About 16.9 million |
| Manufacturing | 18.8% | About 13.2 million |
| Foodservice | 17.9% | About 12.5 million |
| Retail | 5.7% | About 4.0 million |
| Donated through charitable system | 1.7 million tons | Just under 13% of donatable food |
Data Source: ReFED 2026 U.S. Food Waste Report (2024 data)
Homes lead at 33.5%, followed by farms at 24.2%, manufacturing at 18.8%, and foodservice at 17.9%. Retail is smallest at 5.7%, even though grocery stores are the most visible source. Charities received about 1.7 million tons in 2024, but only just under 13% of the food that could have been donated actually was, which shows how much edible food stays out of the donation system.
The sector shares matter for policy. Farms and manufacturers lose food through trimming and unharvested crops, while homes and restaurants lose it through spoilage and plate waste. ReFED has modeled 47 solutions that, if fully implemented, could cut 20 million tons a year, deliver $62 billion a year in net financial benefit, and create 51,000 jobs over 10 years. State policy is moving too: 12 states had food waste diversion policies in effect, and legislators introduced 110 food waste bills in 2025 and passed 24.
Environmental and Social Impact of Food Waste in the US in 2026
ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL FOOTPRINT OF SURPLUS FOOD, 2024
SHARE OF US GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS (%) ███████████████ 3.5
SHARE OF US METHANE EMISSIONS (%) ███████████████████████████ 9
SHARE OF LANDFILLED MATERIAL (%) ████████████████████████████████████ 24
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Greenhouse gas emissions from surplus food | 219 million metric tons CO2e (3.5% of US total) |
| Equivalent in cars | 51 million cars driven for a year |
| Methane from surplus food | 2.6 million metric tons (9% of US methane emissions) |
| Food as share of landfilled material (EPA, 2023) | 24% |
| Water used to grow surplus food | 16 trillion gallons (15% of freshwater withdrawals) |
| Social cost of those emissions | Nearly $60 billion |
| Americans facing food insecurity (USDA, 2024) | 48 million (nearly 1 in 7 households) |
| Lost meals | 114 billion |
Data Source: ReFED 2026 U.S. Food Waste Report; US Environmental Protection Agency (2021, 2023); USDA Economic Research Service, Household Food Security in the United States in 2024
Surplus food produced 219 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions in 2024, about 3.5% of the US total, equal to driving 51 million cars for a year. Methane is the sharpest problem. Food in landfills makes up 24% of landfilled material, and surplus food accounts for 2.6 million metric tons of methane, about 9% of US methane emissions. Growing the wasted food took 16 trillion gallons of water, roughly 15% of US freshwater withdrawals.
The social side is as stark. Nearly one in seven households faced food insecurity in 2024, about 48 million people, according to USDA. ReFED counts 114 billion lost meals, enough to feed nearly a third of the country for a year. The two problems overlap in the donation gap described above: the food exists, but less than 13% of the donatable share reaches charities.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much food does the US waste each year?
ReFED’s 2026 report counts 70 million tons of surplus food in 2024, about 29% of the food supply. About 85% of it goes to waste destinations such as landfills and compost.
How much does food waste cost the US?
Surplus food was worth $380 billion in 2024, of which $325 billion was food waste. Consumers spend about $762 per person each year on food that goes to waste.
How much food does a household waste?
Households account for 33.5% of surplus food, about 23.5 million tons by our calculation. A family of four spends roughly $3,050 a year on wasted food, according to our calculation from ReFED’s per-person figure, which includes meals eaten out.
Is food waste going down in the US?
Yes. Total surplus fell 2.2% from 2023 to 2024, the first decline since the pandemic. Household waste fell by about 950,000 tons.
What food is wasted the most?
Produce, at 45.4% of surplus tons. Prepared foods follow at 19.9% and dairy and eggs at 12.7%.
Why is so much food wasted?
Trimmings and byproducts account for 30.4%, excess for 23.7%, unharvested crops for 19.9%, and spoilage for 12.9%. Date label confusion causes about 5%.
How much methane does food waste create?
Surplus food accounted for 2.6 million metric tons of methane in 2024, about 9% of US methane emissions. Food is 24% of what goes into landfills.
How much food is donated?
About 1.7 million tons were donated in 2024, but only just under 13% of the food that could have been donated actually was.
Is there a national goal to cut food waste?
Yes. The US goal is to cut food waste in half by 2030. ReFED says the 2.2% drop in 2024 marks an inflection point, but reaching the goal will take much larger reductions.
Disclaimer: The data research report we present here is based on information found from various sources. We are not liable for any financial loss, errors, or damages of any kind that may result from the use of the information herein. We acknowledge that though we try to report accurately, we cannot verify the absolute facts of everything that has been represented.
