It’s Food Waste Prevention Week and you may be surprised to realize just how much food you could be wasting in your daily routine.

“It all starts at home with taking simple steps,” said Jay Apperson, spokesperson for the Maryland Department of the Environment.

The week of awareness runs from April 7 through 14.

He said it begins with shopping smart and planning meals.

“Buy only what you need,” Apperson said. “And then when you get that food, you store it properly so it doesn’t go to waste before you can even eat it. Keep it fresher longer.”

Taking those leftovers and being creative with using them for your next meal helps, too.

“Then, after all that’s done, if you still have food, you can consider composting it, which is good for the environment, or you can donate it to local community organizations,” he said.

Last year, food made up almost 20% of all waste, or 850,000 tons tossed out in Maryland.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, food waste costs the average household about $2,880 annually. Nationwide, this totals over $218 billion in lost economic value each year.

Apperson said that wasted food is key to Maryland’s climate goals of cutting emissions 60% by 2031 and reaching net zero by 2045.

He said if you’re not composting already, you should consider it.

“If you compost, it’s a win-win because not only does it reduce the amount of waste going into the landfills, but you come up with materials that can be used for fertilizer in your own garden,” he said.

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