By J.D. O’Gara

“Thirty-eight percent of available food in the United States goes unsold or uneaten,” Liz Miller, Senior Community Relations Manager of food-recovery organization Spoonfuls told the community members at a recent educational presented by the Franklin Food Pantry and hosted by the Food Justice Team at the First Universalist Society in Franklin. “That is a value of $473 billion dollars, and 90% of that goes directly to waste,” said Miller, adding, “Meanwhile one in six households in Massachusetts are facing food insecurity.” She also pointed out that food waste is the number one material in landfills, which produces about 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions. New Englanders, in particular, “waste enough food annually to fill Fenway Park every 11 days,” she said.

The presentation, “Wasted Food, Hunger, and the Climate Emergency: How Food Recovery Helps,” explained how Spoonfuls, coincided with Hunger Action Month, a nationwide campaign to raise hunger awareness during the month of September, and the release of The Pantry’s 2024-2027 Strategic Plan.

Miller explained that Spoonfuls partners with retailers and recover food they’d otherwise throw out and gets it to those who need it, such as people who use the Franklin Food Pantry. 

The amount of food The Pantry receives from Spoonfuls has multiplied over the past two years. In 2022, The Pantry received 100 pounds of food from Spoonfuls each week. In 2023, deliveries steadily increased, and now stands at 2,000 pounds each week. The increase is due in part to The Pantry’s new location and ability to accept more food, but also is a deliberate response to the increasing need for food assistance and leveraging food suppliers who are utilizing sustainable solutions to reduce food waste.

Although Spoonfuls recovers food at the retail level, Miller noted that a large study of 10,000 households by the organization ReFED found 48% of food waste is happening at the household level, across income levels. In fact, the average household of four wastes $1,500 in discarded food each year. The top three ways households can reduce food waste is by:

• Using leftovers, not only from restaurants, but from food cooked at home

• Rethinking date labels, many of which are arbitrary. “Look, smell, taste …don’t waste,” is a good rule to follow for consumers rather than relying on the date.

• Making a grocery shopping list and sticking to it.

“I think this presentation was a great first step in the Franklin Food Pantry’s and Spoonfuls’ commitment to raising awareness around the issues of food waste,” Tina Powderley, Executive Director, Franklin Food Pantry, told Local Town Pages, “I hope everyone in this room leaves here and makes a little bit of a difference, later adding, “The Pantry is empowering the community by providing knowledge and actionable steps to fight food insecurity,” said Powderly. “By sharing information and working with Spoonfuls, The Pantry is demonstrating our commitment to reducing food waste, serving as responsible stewards of environmental resources, and influencing long term changes that improve outcomes for those we serve.”

About the Franklin Food Pantry, Inc.

The Franklin Food Pantry, Inc. offers supplemental food assistance, household necessities, and resource referral programs to more than 1,800 individuals per year. The Pantry, located at 341 W. Central St. in Franklin, MA on Route 140. Please visit www.franklinfoodpantry.org for more information. 

Learn more about Spoonfuls at spoonfuls.org.