A Surplus of Food, Yet There Are Still Food Insecure Households
This may come as a surprise to some but in 2020, 1 in 8 Americans were classified as being Food Insecure. That equates to ~38 Million Americans, ~12 Million of those being children (Feeding America). Food Insecurity, as defined by the USDA, is “...the limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods, or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways” (USDA). Differing from hunger, which relates to the physical sensation of discomfort caused by not eating, Food Insecurity stems from financial instability that prevents households from acquiring the necessary food needed for a balanced meal. The USDA has 4 different classifications for Food Insecurity: High, Marginal, Low, & Very Low.
To imagine anyone in our first-world country struggling to access food to feed their households, especially children, is unfathomable. But what’s even more unfathomable is that within the U.S. alone, roughly 40 Million tons, or 80 Billion pounds of food are thrown away annually (RTS). That’s an estimated 30-40% of our food production is thrown away & sent to landfills. So if an average person consumes around 3-4 pounds of food daily, and we have around 38 Million people classified as food insecure, we would have enough food to feed everyone and there would still be extra food that would go to landfills.
Lack of Money & Wasteful Habits Have Ripple Effects
The biggest driving factor of Food Insecurity is lack of financial resources. U.S. Households are being forced to choose between paying for bills, like medical or housing, and paying for groceries. Oftentimes, parents will forgo meals so their children have enough to eat. Other factors that contribute to Food Insecurity include social isolation, economic/social disadvantage resulting from structural racism, and chronic or acute health problems (Feeding America).
It’s no big secret the wealth gap that continues to grow within the U.S. On one end of the spectrum, we have households struggling to make ends meet, and on the other end, we have households over purchasing at the grocery store. Pair this with frequently dining out and misreading/misunderstanding labels and you’re left with increased food spoilage that eventually makes its way to a landfill.
While individual consumers play a role in food waste, there is notable food waste that happens throughout each step of the supply chain. Starting at the source, food waste on farms can stem from a multitude of uncontrollable variables such as crop quality, market price, & consumer demand (RTS). Moving up the chain, food manufacturers drive food waste through human error, such as lack of standard operating procedures & poor training, and new product development. Lastly, when the finished products finally hit the grocery stores for us consumers to purchase, approximately 30% of food in grocery stores are thrown away. According to RTS, “Wasted food from the retail sector is valued at about twice the amount of profit from food sales.” (RTS)
Like any decision you make in life, the choices you make have a ripple effect. For those unable to purchase food for their families, skipping meals leads to nutrient deficiencies which can increase the risk of long term health problems and ultimately lead towards increased medical bills. For those who are able to purchase food but find that most of it is being thrown away, this food waste leads to increased waste in landfills across the country which ultimately leads to rises in Greenhouse Gas Emissions.
Combatting The Problem
Every challenge & hardship that our society comes across presents the opportunity for improvement & innovation. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has created a system called the Food Recovery Hierarchy, that focuses on the prevention & diversion of wasted food. The most preferred method of prevention & diversion are Source Reduction, which preaches the mindset of taking only what you need. If a consumer purchases only the foods that they need, the less each individual household has to throw out. Following Source Reduction is Feeding Hungry People, where businesses divert edible foods over to food banks & shelters for those in need
Some Food For Thought
With climate change impacting farmers’ ability to grow crops all around the world, and other nations declaring a humanitarian crisis due to the lack of food, we as consumers have the power to make better decisions when it comes to our food consumption. To make change happen in the world, there needs to be change that happens on the individual level first. NeBe honest with yourself when you are perusing the isles at the grocery stores and ask yourself “Is this something I truly need?”
