This Earth Month, let’s work together to reduce food waste

It’s Earth Month! Ibotta is always working to make the world as green as possible. More than 60% of Ibotta Savers made a charitable contribution in the last year. As an organization, we’re amplifying your generosity by spreading green through donating $25,000 to Feeding America as part of our year-long partnership.

Feeding America is the country’s largest food rescue organization helping to reduce the impact that food waste has on the Earth. With Feeding America, we’re also working to reduce food waste in an effort to nurture mother earth and neighbors in need.

Easy ways you can help reduce waste

For Earth month, let’s focus on how to reduce waste and benefit the planet. Last year, the Feeding America network and partners rescued 4.7 billion pounds of food that would have otherwise gone to waste. And did you know the U.S. has a national food waste reduction goal, as well? The goal is to reduce food waste by 50% by the year 2030. We recommend checking out these tips from the FDA.

Here are 6 easy actions to start reducing food waste when shopping and after:

Before you hit the store…

Create a list before shopping— and stick to it. We know, we know, this rule is everywhere! But along with helping you save money, when you stick to the list, you’re also naturally minimizing the amount of food in your home, so you waste less. Buying more food than your family needs is one of the biggest contributors to food waste at home.

Shop at home first.

Also before you head to the store, try planning some meals around what’s already at home. Take inventory of your pantry, fridge, and freezer then buy ingredients to add to your existing items. This also helps prevent you from buying what you already have (and didn’t need)!

Banish produce vanity.

No need to fear “ugly” produce! Fruits and veggies that are bruised, scratched, or misshapen are overlooked by most buyers— simply because they aren’t the prettiest. Go ahead, be the trendsetter at your store. Pick the quirky ones first!

Learn the meanings behind expiration labels.

Expiration labels are notoriously misleading to buyers. With label confusion, buyers often leave fresh food on shelves that’s good for consumption two or three days beyond the date on the label. Much like passing up the first item on the shelf, the more people that pass up that item, the more likely it is to be thrown out by the store.

Now the food’s home! Store properly for longevity.

Fresh foods can go bad fast. Having proper storage for all your perishable foods makes them last longer, which means there’s less chance you’ll throw it out for spoiling before you get to it.

Donate those extra freebies you may have stocked too much of.

With Ibotta, there are tons of products we want to try just by scrolling through offers! And with cash back, BOGO, and free after offers, there’s no resisting. If you get a little too excited and are thinking you need to get rid of stuff, see what you can give to families facing hunger. Some good places to start include Feeding America, FoodPantries.org, and We Don’t Waste.

More than ever, it’s important to work towards a better future. We know that family comes first— from putting food on the table to creating a more sustainable world for our loved ones. Reducing food waste is one way we can fight food insecurity and improve our collective future at the same time.

Don’t forget to save extra money! Download the free Ibotta browser extension and never miss a digital deal across the web.