Looking to reduce your food waste & save money? These food services may be just for you!

Food waste is not just a local issue; it’s a global crisis that demands our attention. The World Food Programme has shared alarming statistics on food waste. Globally, a staggering 1/3 of food produced is lost or wasted every year, amounting to a shocking 1.3 billion tons annually. In terms of money, this translates to a startling 1 Trillion US Dollars. These numbers might be hard to fathom, but they underscore the gravity of the situation. It’s time we start taking action, beginning with our own actions!  

Let’s check in with ourselves, where are we in terms of our food footprint! We can take a step towards raising awareness of our relationship with food waste by answering the following questions. 

Ask yourself the following questions…

Do you have a green or compost bin in your local garbage disposal program? How often do you empty your green bin? Do you have a meal plan or shop for what you want now? How frequently do you shop for food? How often do you eat out when there is food in the fridge?

Many of us go through the motions of tossing out our leftovers or bringing out our green bin on garbage day, but we often need to be more connected to the true extent of our waste. However, a significant portion of food waste occurs before reaching our grocery stores and refrigerators. This realization presents a massive potential for change, a potential that starts with each and every one of us committing to small changes every day.

Change Making Companies Tackling Food Waste

Despite the enormity of the food waste issue, there is hope. Innovative companies are stepping up with creative solutions. From making juices from ‘ugly’ fruits and vegetables to rescuing food that’s too good to be tossed, these companies are showing us a way forward. 

Too Good to Go

Too Good To Go is a certified B Corporation whose mission is to connect its users to stores and restaurants with unsold food so that they can stop it before it goes into the garbage. In 2023, the app saved 121,686,720 meals from ending up in the landfill. The app and service have 93.7 million users and 218,954 partner businesses and counting! It offers foods from your favourite restaurants at 1/3 of the cost! 

Loop Mission

LOOP Mission is a company dedicated to giving fruits and vegetables that are simply discarded because of aesthetic reasons, otherwise known as ugly fruit, a second chance at life. It turns rejected fruit into gorgeous juices, smoothies, beer and gin, and even soaps! The company has saved over 45,911,949 pounds of fruits and vegetables from landfills and avoided 28,648,345 pounds of GHG emissions. 

Imperfect Foods

Imperfect Foods is a company dedicated to reducing food waste and emissions levels with a new way to shop! Providing shoppers with groceries delivered to their doors once per week to reduce carbon emissions. Packaged in 100% recycled boxes, you will find high-quality produce and pantry items, some with what they call cosmetic quirks. You may receive some irregularly sized items, but they will be just as delicious as those in the store! This company has saved 172.5 million pounds of food, 85,610 tonnes in emissions and 5.8 gallons of water! 

With these change-making companies existing around the globe, we can be excited that we are on the right path towards a less wasteful future! However, a key piece in the puzzle is trying these services out yourself and reducing your impact! 

Have you tried out any of these services before? Are there other companies you would like to see highlighted? Let us know over on our social media @housethirty!