Americans waste hundreds of billions of dollars worth of food annually, throwing away scraps or other perfectly enjoyable edible goods that may not commonly be interpreted as ingredients. But if you're tossing your orange peels in the garbage disposal and cutting off the leaves of your veggies without a second glance, you too are throwing away money and flavor that's already in your kitchen.
On major holidays centered around food, waste can be even more rampant - guests overfill their plates, hosts over-prepare, the chaos of entertaining leads to perfectly edible leftovers ending up un the dumpster. But with a little pre-planning, Fourth of July hosts can ensure that their barbecues are food waste-free. Or at least, close. Food system think tank Food Tank shares easily implementable kitchen hacks to lower your environmental impact this holiday - and save a little cash for future summer meals.