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Food Waste Calculator

What you actually throw away.

Estimate how much money your household throws away on uneaten food each month and year. Built on USDA Economic Research Service data: US households waste roughly 30% of food purchased, costing the average family $1,500+ per year.

⏱ ~20 sec•USDA ERS / EPA waste estimates•Cost & Savings
Share
30–40%
US food wasted
USDA ERS
$1,500+
Avg family/year
USDA
8%
Of US emissions
EPA
0.5 lb
Per dollar
Avg
STEP 01

Household, spending,
honest answer.

Be honest about waste — most US households underestimate by a lot.

US household average is ~30% (USDA ERS).
Updates live as you type
Wasted per year
Updated live
$2,400
Roughly 1,200 lbs of food per year — or 25% of grocery spend.
Per week
$50
Per month
$200
Under the hood

Numbers from USDA + EPA.

Waste percentages calibrated to USDA Economic Research Service estimates. Pound-per-dollar conversion uses the ERS average retail food cost.

  1. 01

    Waste percentage

    Rarely 15%, sometimes 25% (US average), often 35%, frequently 45%. Calibrated to USDA ERS national waste estimates.

  2. 02

    Dollar conversion

    Monthly spend × waste rate = monthly $. ×12 for yearly cost. ÷4 for weekly cost.

  3. 03

    Pounds wasted

    Yearly $ × 0.5 lb/$. Approximate weight conversion using USDA ERS average retail food costs.

  4. 04

    Why it varies by household

    Larger households waste a smaller percentage per person (more eaters, faster turnover). Bulk shoppers waste more per dollar than weekly shoppers.

Questions

Frequently asked

USDA Economic Research Service estimates 30–40% of the US food supply is wasted. Households account for the largest share — averaging roughly $1,500+ in wasted food per family of four per year, per USDA and EPA estimates.
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Next step

Cut waste with a better fridge layout.

Browse French door fridges with adjustable shelves, full-extension drawers, and LED interior lighting — the layouts that make leftovers and produce easy to see and easy to use.

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