Quick answer
The US had about 70 million tons of surplus food in 2024, roughly 29% of the food supply, worth $380 billion. Households are the biggest single source at about a third of it.
- Food waste fell 2.2% in 2024, the first real drop in years.
- The average American spends about $762 a year on food that gets wasted.
- Produce is the food households throw out most: 10.5 million tons.
- Wasted food makes up 24% of what goes into US landfills.
Food waste is one of those problems that feels too big to matter at the kitchen table. The 2026 numbers say otherwise: households are the largest single source of wasted food in the country, and they are also where the newest drop came from. We pulled the latest figures from ReFED, the United Nations and others, and tied them back to what you can do with scraps, a compost pile and a few backyard hens.
Key numbers at a glance
| Statistic | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| US surplus food, 2024 | 70 million tons | ReFED 2026 report |
| Share of US food supply | About 29% | ReFED 2026 report |
| Value of surplus food | $380 billion | ReFED 2026 report |
| Change from 2023 | Down 2.2% | Waste Dive |
| Household share of surplus food | 33.5% (23.4 million tons) | ReFED fact sheet |
| Spending on wasted food per person | $762 a year | ReFED 2026 report |
| Meals worth of surplus food | 114 billion | ReFED fact sheet |
| Share of landfill inputs that is wasted food | 24% | ReFED fact sheet |
| Food wasted worldwide, 2022 | 1.05 billion tonnes | UNEP |
How much food is wasted in the US in 2026?
The US generated about 70 million tons of surplus food in 2024, the latest year measured, according to ReFED’s April 2026 report. That is about 29% of the entire food supply, and it was worth roughly $380 billion (ReFED 2026 report).
Surplus food means food that goes unsold or uneaten. About 86% of it, or roughly 60 million tons, ends up as actual waste in landfills, incinerators, sewers or left in fields. Less than 2% is donated (ReFED fact sheet).
To picture it: the surplus equals about 114 billion meals, uses 16% of US cropland and 15.5% of the freshwater used in the country (ReFED fact sheet).
Is food waste going down?
Yes, for the first time in years. Surplus food fell 2.2% from 2023 to 2024, and per person food waste fell 3.7%. It peaked at 74.6 million tons in 2019, dropped to 56.4 million in 2020 during the pandemic, then climbed back to 71.6 million in 2023 (Waste Dive).
Households drove most of the improvement, cutting residential food waste by nearly 950,000 tons in a single year (Waste Dive). That is the clearest sign yet that changes in home kitchens add up.
Who wastes the most food in America?
Households do. Homes generated 23.4 million tons of surplus food in 2024, or 33.5% of the national total, more than farms (24.2%), manufacturers (18.8%), restaurants and other foodservice (17.9%) or grocery stores (5.7%), according to the ReFED fact sheet.
| Sector | Surplus food | Share | Meals | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households | 23.4M tons | 33.5% | 39 billion | $141B |
| Farms | 16.9M tons | 24.2% | 27.8 billion | $13.4B |
| Manufacturing | 13.1M tons | 18.8% | 21.1 billion | $42.6B |
| Foodservice | 12.5M tons | 17.9% | 20.7 billion | $156B |
| Retail | 3.98M tons | 5.7% | 5.21 billion | $26.9B |
What food do households throw away most?
Fruits and vegetables, by a wide margin. US households wasted 10.5 million tons of produce in 2024, three times more than dry goods like bread, pasta and cereal at 3.45 million tons. Dairy and eggs came third at 2.31 million tons (ReFED fact sheet).
That is good news for anyone with a compost pile or a flock. Most produce scraps are exactly what home composting handles best, and many are safe chicken treats. Just check our list of foods chickens should not eat first.
Confusing date labels also play a role. ReFED estimates more than 3.5 million tons of food is thrown out each year because people misread labels like best by and sell by (ReFED 2026 report). Fresh eggs are a common example; see how long fresh eggs last.
How much does food waste cost an average family?
The average American spends about $762 a year on food that ends up wasted, according to the ReFED 2026 report. For a family of four, that works out to roughly $3,000 a year.
Across all homes, consumers spent $141 billion on food they never ate in 2024, about 13% of all money spent on food at home (ReFED fact sheet).
Where does wasted food end up?
Mostly in landfills. Wasted food makes up 24% of everything that goes into US landfills and produces 58% of landfill methane, according to the ReFED fact sheet.
Households send 48.4% of their food waste, or 11.2 million tons, to landfill. Restaurants and other foodservice send even more, at 78.4%. Manufacturers send just 7.2%, because most of their scraps go to animal feed and other uses (ReFED fact sheet).
On farms the problem looks different: 94.2% of farm food waste, about 14 million tons, is simply never harvested (ReFED fact sheet).
How bad is food waste for the environment?
US surplus food accounts for about 3.5% of national greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 10% of methane emissions, according to the ReFED fact sheet. ReFED compares it to the yearly emissions of 51 million cars (ReFED 2026 report).
Household waste alone produced 99.8 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2024, about the same as powering nearly 13 million homes for a year (ReFED fact sheet).
How much food is wasted around the world?
The world wasted about 1.05 billion tonnes of food in 2022, roughly 132 kilograms per person, according to the United Nations Environment Programme’s most recent Food Waste Index. Households were responsible for about 60% of it, the same pattern seen in the US.
| Measure | United States | World |
|---|---|---|
| Total wasted or surplus food | 70M tons (2024) | 1.05B tonnes (2022) |
| Largest source | Households, 33.5% | Households, about 60% |
| Share of food supply | About 29% | About 19% of food available to consumers |
What actually reduces food waste at home?
The fastest wins are planning, storage and giving scraps a second life. Since produce is the biggest category, buying smaller amounts more often and freezing extras before they spoil makes the largest dent.
- Compost what you cannot eat. Our composting statistics show how much this keeps out of landfills.
- Feed safe scraps to chickens. Greens and trimmings are good treats; see our list of the best greens for chickens.
- Read date labels correctly. Best by is about quality, not safety, for most foods.
- Grow what you eat. Picking garden vegetables as you need them means less sits forgotten in the fridge.
Policy is moving too. Twenty four supportive state bills passed in 2025, and Maine became the 12th state with a food waste diversion requirement (Waste Dive). Yet just under 13% of donatable food was actually donated (ReFED 2026 report).
For more on the bigger picture, read our sustainable living statistics and composting facts.
How we gathered these numbers
US figures come from ReFED’s April 2026 report and fact sheet, which measure 2024, the most recent year available. Global figures come from the UN Environment Programme’s latest Food Waste Index. We link every number to its source.
Keep reading
Frequently Asked Questions
How much food does the average American waste?
The average American spends about $762 a year on food that ends up wasted, according to ReFED’s 2026 report. Across all homes, US households generated 23.4 million tons of surplus food in 2024, about a third of the national total, and spent $141 billion on food they never ate.
What percentage of food is wasted in the US?
About 29% of the US food supply went unsold or uneaten in 2024, roughly 70 million tons worth $380 billion, according to ReFED. About 86% of that surplus became actual waste, mostly sent to landfills, while less than 2% was donated.
Is food waste getting better or worse?
Slightly better. ReFED found US surplus food fell 2.2% from 2023 to 2024, and food waste per person fell 3.7%. Households drove most of the drop, cutting nearly 950,000 tons. It is still well above the 2020 low of 56.4 million tons.
What food is wasted the most?
Fruits and vegetables. US households threw away 10.5 million tons of produce in 2024, three times more than dry goods at 3.45 million tons, according to the ReFED fact sheet. Dairy and eggs were third at 2.31 million tons.
Can I feed food scraps to backyard chickens?
Many scraps, yes. Leafy greens, vegetable trimmings and most fruit are good treats in small amounts. Avoid raw dried beans, avocado skins and pits, moldy food and anything very salty or sugary. Scraps should stay a small part of the diet, with layer feed as the main meal.
