People have long strived for perfection in many areas of their lives, with little room for accepting the imperfections that occur with being human. So it came as a surprise when produce with their own imperfections, better known as “ugly foods,” started to gain popularity — so much that it was even propelled into a movement. Ugly foods in today’s media are classified as any food that has been rejected by buyers and sellers because of their appearance, whether that is because of misshapenness, bruising, or other factors. This movement has gained great traction for its claims to be helping to reduce food waste, as well as aiding in solving problems of food insecurity. And although it is playing a role in helping combat these critical issues, we cannot just stop there; we must change our mindset around food and food waste entirely, if we hope to break the negative cycle that we have created.  

Currently, the United States discards more food than any other country, with an estimated 80 billion pounds of food waste ending up in landfills each year. The food waste then sits in landfills and releases methane until it fully breaks down. But because of the lack of oxygen in landfills, food waste decomposes at a much slower rate, giving it more time to release methane into the atmosphere, and further depleting the ozone layer. Landfills already account for 15 percent of all methane emissions in the United States, and with the increase in food waste in the country, this number will continue to spike. 

So why is there so much food waste in our landfills? Well, the current statistics on food waste are a culmination of several factors. To start, it has become our nature nowadays to waste food whether it is throwing out the cut off bits from vegetables or discarding leftovers from dinner. According to Feeding America, “Americans waste more than $218 billion each year on food…and the average American family of four throws out $1,600 a year in produce.” As of now, the current American is not exposed to the environmental impacts that come from their individual food waste, and because of this, they continue to discard food at a high rate. 

In conjunction with wasting food at home, we have also conditioned ourselves to be accustomed to having food at our disposal. When you walk into supermarkets, you aren’t necessarily worried about what is in season or how the food you are buying got on the shelves. Instead, consumers are more concerned with prices and the aesthetics of goods. Our preference for many foods comes from aesthetics and how we perceive products, using each of our senses. As a result, when we see fruits and vegetables that fit our perception of ideal health next to ones that are bruised or more aged, we are more inclined to take the “healthier” option. Thus, disregarding imperfect foods leaves them to sit in grocery stores until employees have no other choice but to throw them away. 

Overall, we have been put in this endless cycle of food waste starting from the moment that we step into a supermarket and ending with our discarded food ending up in landfills. Imperfect foods do play a big part in this cycle, but they aren’t the only reason why food waste is such a big problem across the world.  

However, companies like Misfit Markets and Imperfect Foods have been trying to attack the problem of food waste through the imperfect food’s path. These companies work to distribute imperfect foods so that they are not thrown away. Those interested can simply sign up for a monthly subscription, and a box of imperfect foods will be delivered to their homes. Their appreciation for imperfect foods and their passion for reducing food waste should certainly serve as inspiration; however, it is important to also understand the flaws in this solution. 

When it comes to the overall distribution of the imperfect foods from these companies, there are many environmental and accessibility issues. To provide consumers with imperfect foods, there are several steps of transportation before the box of food can be delivered. Usually utilizing trucks and other vehicles for transportation, these companies are actually aiding in carbon emissions. Additionally, the imperfect produce is given to consumers in a box, which is just more waste at the end of the day, especially if the person does not take the time to recycle the box. In terms of accessibility, a journalist for The Atlantic, Amanda Mull notes that, “Most ugly-produce companies deliver to only to select zip codes in major urban areas, which is yet another barrier to the historically deprived.” 

Yes, these might be small issues, but because of the impact of the climate crisis, it’s important that we recognize the problems in these companies’ business models. And due to this, we cannot solely depend on these companies to solve the entirety of the problem of food waste, as they are merely one puzzle piece in our solution. 

The biggest puzzle piece that we need to look at now, however, stems from the individual, and the mindset surrounding food within our homes. If we consider that there are around 80 billion pounds of food waste in the United States, we must also look at the fact that that means each individual person is producing close to 219 pounds of food waste. This works with a statistic that journalist Emily Heil of The Washington Post noted for her own editorial on food waste, where she writes, “The vast majority of waste – more than 80 percent – is generated by homes and consumer-facing businesses like grocery stores and restaurants.” 

So what can we start to do moving forward to remedy the issues of food waste we are seeing on the individual level? You can of course continue to buy imperfect foods and support local businesses and organizations that work to distribute this type of produce. But also look to give back to those who are food insecure; anything from leftover produce to extra meals no longer needed in your home can be used to give to those who are in need. By helping those that are dealing with food insecurity using this method, people will be able to fight food insecurity as well as food waste. Furthermore, learning to compost, not buying in large bulk, and trying to extend the shelf life of your food as much as possible can also prevent opportunities for food waste. Even food education will go a long way, as it can give consumers ideas on how to utilize ingredients in not just one way, helping them use the rest of their resources instead of discarding them. 

In the long run, we should be putting in the work alongside the imperfect food movement to reduce waste, as these companies cannot do it alone. The problem always starts at the individual level. To remedy this problem, we need to utilize solutions at the individual level, so that both food waste and food insecurity are problems of the past.

If we consider that there are around 80 billion pounds of food waste in the United States, we must also look at the fact that that means each individual person is producing close to 219 pounds of food waste. This works with a statistic that journalist Emily Heil of The Washington Post noted for her own editorial on food waste, where she writes, “The vast majority of waste – more than 80 percent – is generated by homes and consumer-facing businesses like grocery stores and restaurants.”