Timothy Jones of the University of Arizona studies food loss; he says that 50 percent of the food in America, with a value of a hundred billion dollars, is just wasted. It rots in the field when prices are low and farmers don't bother picking it; it is thrown out from supermarkets because it doesn't look perfect or has been on the shelves too long; huge amounts of it are thrown out at fast-food restaurants that leave cooked food on the steam trays or under the heat lamps and throw it away after specified times.

In the home, Americans waste 14 percent of their food purchases, including leftovers and stale dated products. Jones estimates that the average family of four tosses out close to $ 600 per year in fruit, meat, vegetables, and other unidentifiable substances at the bottom of the crisper drawer.

Read rest of article HERE

This is my biggest pet peeve... wasting food! That $600 a year would look much better in the bank than in the trash!
There are times when Rick will get something out and forget to put it away... I'll find a half full bowl of leftovers or whatever on the counter in the morning when I get up... he'll be like - "Oh, yeah... guess I forgot." It's like trying to keep tabs on a teenager... lol
of course there have been times when I have forgotten we had leftovers - and let them spoil. I'm really lucky that I have no picky eaters, and no one here has a problem with eating leftovers - we usually finish them up for lunch the next day. That makes it easier when I plan menus for several weeks at a time, I only have to come up with one meal a day, the leftovers scheduled for the next days lunch, and breakfasts are easy - Rick rarely eats it, and Isaiah always wants cereal... I usually eat oatmeal. boring, I know, but it's so good for you!