When groceries cost more, it hurts to throw food away. Research on Canadian food waste shows how much is at stake, and most of the fixes are simple.
What the research found
In 2019, the non-profit Second Harvest and Value Chain Management International published "The Avoidable Crisis of Food Waste." Its headline finding was that 58% of all food produced in Canada is lost or wasted somewhere between the farm and the plate, about 35.5 million tonnes a year. A large share of that happens before food ever reaches your kitchen.
For households, the report estimated that avoidable food loss and waste costs about $1,766 per household per year. That figure comes from the 2019 research, so today's cost is likely higher, but it shows why this matters. Second Harvest has also said that around 21% of avoidable food waste in Canada happens at the household level.
Six habits that reduce waste
- Check before you shop. Look in the fridge, freezer, and pantry first, and write your list around what you already have.
- Plan meals, not just ingredients. Know what each fresh item is for before you buy it.
- Shop with a list. Unplanned items are the ones most likely to go bad.
- Move older food to the front. Keep a "use first" shelf in the fridge.
- Freeze before it spoils. Bread, meat, cooked grains, and leftovers all freeze well. For safe freezing and thawing, follow Health Canada's food safety guidance.
- Cook once, eat twice. Turn leftovers into a new meal within a day or two, such as soup, fried rice, or wraps.
Understand your dates
Confusion about date labels is one reason people throw food out early. In Canada, a "best before" date is about quality, not safety. See our guide to best before and expiration dates for details.
The bottom line
Wasting less is one of the few savings that does not depend on store prices. Buy what you will actually use, plan around sales, and use what you have. GopherCart helps with the first two by showing which nearby store is cheapest for the list you build.
Sources
- CBC News, "More than half of all food produced in Canada is lost or wasted, report says": https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/food-waste-report-second-harvest-1.4981728
- MoneySense, "Inflation and food costs are rising, but so is food waste," quoting Second Harvest: https://www.moneysense.ca/save/budgeting/stop-wasting-food-save-money/
- Second Harvest, "Food waste facts every Canadian should know": https://wfprod.secondharvest.ca/post/food-waste-facts-every-canadian-should-know