This Thanksgiving, approximately $550 million worth of food will go to waste across America, according to a new analysis by ReFED, a nonprofit focused on reducing food waste.
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ReFED estimates that 320 million pounds of food will be wasted this Thanksgiving, equivalent to 267 million meals.
The tradition of preparing more food than needed for Thanksgiving gatherings contributes significantly to this waste.
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Survey data from NielsenIQ and ReFED indicate that over 90% of Thanksgiving hosts intentionally prepare excess food, resulting in leftovers.
Nearly half of the hosts surveyed are not concerned about food waste, and 12% do not plan to manage leftovers in any special way, which increases the likelihood of food ending up in the trash.
The emissions associated with wasted food on Thanksgiving are estimated at 811,726 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, comparable to driving 190,000 gasoline-powered vehicles for a year.
Additionally, 39 billion gallons of water are used to produce the food that will be wasted, enough to fill more than 59,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
Economic factors also contribute to the issue, with USDA reporting that wholesale prices for frozen turkeys are 40% higher than in 2023.
This price increase means that the financial impact of wasted food is even greater.
To combat food waste, people can maximize the use of leftovers by sending guests home with food, making new meals from leftovers, and freezing excess food. Supporting local charitable food systems and adopting waste-reducing behaviors can also help mitigate the problem.
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