In a study done by NRDC, the average family of four wastes somewhere between $1,365 and $2,275 on food that is thrown out every year. On the consumer level, a lack of awareness about food waste is deeply rooted in misconceptions, specifically regarding food's value and ambiguous sell-by dates.
On a national level, food waste accounts to 165 billion dollars, which is more than the federal budget for national parks, libraries, the FBI, the FDA, prisons, and veteran care COMBINED!