Food Waste Prevention Week (FWPW) is an annual event focused on raising awareness of food waste and its negative impacts on our society and environment, while also sharing resources to help individuals, families, and organizations reduce their food waste. In 2026, FWPW will be celebrated September 28 to October 4, 2026.  

According to the US EPA, up to 40% of food is wasted in the US, and the food supply chain generates significant greenhouse gas emissions. When food is wasted, the resources used to grow, harvest, process, transport, store, and cook that food are also wasted. EPA estimates that each year, the emissions caused by wasted food in the US are greater than those from all domestic flights in the US plus all international flights run by US airlines. 

Throughout FWPW week, partners across the nation and internationally will be hosting webinars and other special events, as well as sharing tips and inspiration on social media. Check out the list of webinars at https://foodwastepreventionweek.com/webinars/ and mark your calendars for sessions that interest you. Be sure to browse the “Get Involved” section of the FWPW website which features special tips and resources for K-12 schools, universities, cities, restaurants, faith-based organizations, the hospitality industry, and sports teams. The “Learn” section of the FWPW website offers multiple resources to use food more wisely and prevent waste. 

Here are some tips and resources to help you cut food waste year-round. 

Plan your meals and shop accordingly.  See Utah State University Extension—Meal Planning. This website offers guidance on taking stock of what’s already available in your pantry and provides printable templates for planning meals and creating relevant shopping lists. It also describes apps for your phone that can assist with meal planning. 

Store and preserve food properly. Visit https://savethefood.com/storage to learn how to store a wide variety of foods, including tips for refrigeration, freezing, and using up the last bits of a given ingredient. You can also check out safe food storage tips from the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and information on leftovers and food safety from the USDA.  

Learn about date labels and how confusion around them contributes to food waste. Check out “Understanding Food Date Labels to Reduce Waste” from StopWaste, along with this video on date labels from FDA. 

Get creative with ingredients. The Food Hero website from Oregon State University Extension allows you to search by ingredient for recipes so you can figure out how to use what you’ve got on hand. Also check out Love Food Hate Waste’s “5 Ways With Commonly Wasted Foods” for inspiration. 

Learn about policy to conserve food. Visit Feed and Conserve Illinois to learn more about a food recovery and diversion bill in our state. Regarding confusion around date labels, check out this 8/25/2026 article from the Harvard Gazette on a California food labeling law which highlights the need for national standards on food labels to cut food waste, according to a Harvard policy expert. You can also learn about federal liability protection for food donations from this Harvard fact sheet on the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act.   

This post was written by CCES Board Member Joy Scrogum.