Food Cost & Planning
Food Waste Cost Calculator
See what thrown-away food really costs, per item and over a year.
Measurement System PreferenceAuto-saved
Currently active across all 60 calculators: US Customary (cups, tbsp, oz, °F, in)
Cost of Discarded Food
$2.40 (40% of package)
If this happens every week: ~$124.80/year
How to use this calculator
- 1Enter how much of a package you threw away, in grams.
- 2Enter the full package size and what it cost.
- 3See the cost of what was wasted, and what it adds up to over a year if it happens weekly.
Tip: Plan meals around what's already in the fridge before you shop.
How it's calculated
Cost wasted = (Grams thrown away ÷ Package grams) × Package price; Yearly = Cost wasted × 52
We do the math at full precision and only round the final answer, so the numbers you see are as close as kitchen measurements allow. The assumptions and limits are listed alongside.
Worked example
Scenario: Throwing away 200g of a 500g, $6.00 bag of salad greens every week.
Inputs200g wasted of a 500g package costing $6.00
Calculation(200 ÷ 500) × $6.00 = $2.40; $2.40 × 52 = $124.80
Result$2.40 each time, about $125 a year
Common questions
What foods are wasted most often in home kitchens?
Fresh produce, bread, dairy, and leftovers are among the most commonly wasted foods at home. Planning meals and checking the fridge before shopping helps most.