A new national survey by the American Dairy Association Mideast has revealed that 94 percent of US consumers throw away food at home. The average family wastes nearly a third of the food they buy, with the average US consumer throwing away 250 pounds of food each year, according to the findings.

Food waste at the retail and consumer levels is estimated at between 30 and 40 percent of the US food supply. This figure, based on evaluations by the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Economic Research Service, corresponded to approximately 133 billion pounds and US$161 billion worth of food in 2010.

“Imagine coming home with four bags of groceries and throwing one straight into the trash. That’s really what is happening in most households,” says Karen Bakies, RDN, LD, FAND, a registered dietitian and Vice President of Nutrition Affairs for the American Dairy Association Mideast in Columbus, Ohio.

“Whether people are over purchasing groceries or getting tired of their leftovers, too much food is being thrown away in the US,” she says.

In October, the US government announced a new food waste agreement aimed at improving communication across federal agencies attempting to better educate US consumers on the importance of reducing food loss and waste. With mountains of work ahead to meet the US Food Loss and Waste 2030 Champions initiative, which aims to reduce food waste by 50 percent by 2030, the agreement signals a strengthening of food waste strategies to present economic opportunities and possible cost savings for businesses.

The staggering amount of wasted food in the US has far-reaching impacts on resource conservation and food security while costing businesses and consumers money. To help galvanize national efforts to reduce food loss and waste, the USDA and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced America’s first-ever food loss and waste reduction goal in September 2015, calling for the 50 percent reduction by 2030. However, the government alone cannot reach this goal; it requires effort and action from the entire food system.

The American Dairy Association Mideast survey found the top reason for throwing away food at home is that it’s past its expiration date, while 60 percent have tossed food because they didn't think it was safe to eat. However, a few simple changes can make a big difference, claims Bakies, who offers the following tips to help ease the burden of food waste on the environment:

Organize Your Fridge – Try to follow the “first in, first out” rule, by rotating older food to the front of your refrigerator, so it's not forgotten. Where you store certain foods can also make a big difference in how long they stay fresh. Cheese and yogurt should be tightly sealed on the top shelf, while produce is best stored in humidity-controlled drawers. And even though your refrigerator door seems to be made to hold your gallon of milk, storing it there will cause it to get warm each time the door is opened. Instead, put milk in the back of the bottom shelf where it will stay cold.

Get Creative – Find new ways to use those extra ingredients to create new family favorites. If you bought a pint of whipping cream and a recipe only called for a cup, the extra is great folded into scrambled eggs or mashed potatoes the next day. Think your produce looks like it's past its prime? It could still be added to soups, stir-fry or casseroles. You can also throw any extra fruit and yogurt you have into the blender for a healthy smoothie.

Move Perishables to the Freezer – Whether there are leftovers from a prepared meal or you have some extra fruits and veggies, if you can't use it right away, freeze it. This can be especially helpful for dairy foods. Milk, cheese and butter can be frozen for weeks and taken out of the freezer when you need them. You can also portion out tablespoons of herbs and sauces and freeze them in ice cube trays. Just pop one out to use in any recipe.

“A family of four could save up to US$2,000 by wasting less food, but it's not just great for your family, it's also great for your community. Just half of that money is enough to provide over 8,000 meals to those in need,” notes Bakies. “And if you do find yourself with extra groceries, donate them to a local food pantry rather than letting them go to waste.”

It can be difficult to remember how and where to store foods item, so Bakies also recommends using the USDA’s FoodKeeper app. It's an easy way to get tips and information on how to store and cook foods and it can also send alerts when food is approaching the end of its recommended storage.