Food waste in America runs at around 40%, which is the equivalent of between 125 and 160 tons of food that is thrown away every year. The reasons for the waste are many and varied. A large section of the waste could be avoided since much of the produce discarded is still perfectly safe for consumption.
You may think that most of the losses happen across the supply chain, from farm to transportation, storage to the retailer. Not true at all! Almost 50% of the waste happens at the level of the consumer with an average householder wasting around 238 pounds of food every year.
This infographic should give you a good idea of how long you can keep your fruit and vegetables before they are no longer good to eat and should be composted. I was quite surprised at how long fresh produce actually lasts. The rule of thumb is that the more sugar the product contains the quicker it will rot.
In-season produce will also last longer as it has likely not been in cold storage. It is also important to store your fresh produce under optimal conditions. Bring fruit and salad ingredients to room temperature before you eat them for a fresh full-flavored taste explosion.
