Americans are stressed about grocery prices, so why do they toss or overlook so much 'misfit' food?

Many Americans are feeling financially strained due to rising grocery costs. However, this has led to a curious contradiction: a significant amount of safe-to-eat food is discarded, amounting to 30% to 40% of all food produced, sold, or consumed in the U.S. This waste contributes not only to the issue of food insecurity but also to global warming, accounting for 8%-10% of worldwide carbon emissions.

In response, a growing market has emerged to rescue discarded groceries, transform food scraps, and repurpose by-products. This includes marketing "ugly" produce, or imperfect-looking fruits and vegetables, to consumers. Companies like Hungry Harvest and Misfits Market have successfully rescued over 265 million pounds of food since 2018, selling it at an average discount of 35%.

Another example is the app Too Good To Go, which sells surplus food at around one-third of the retail price, saving approximately 26 million meals. Similarly, Flashfood encourages grocery stores to list meat, dairy, and produce nearing their expiration date at half price, benefiting shoppers, including those receiving public assistance.

Effective labeling is crucial in changing consumer perceptions. Shoppers tend to view misshapen produce as lower quality, but labeling these products as "ugly" reduces this bias by signaling that the only flaw is cosmetic. In-store messages also play a role, such as "Different Outside. Same Inside," encouraging shoppers to overlook external appearances when judging food quality.

The trend extends to the processed and semi-processed food market, where rescued ingredients are converted into upcycled products like flour made from soybean pulp and snacks that leave fruit peels intact. These products often carry third-party certification through Upcycled Certified, with sales of certified products growing by 17% from 2024 to 2025.

Despite the growing market, generational attitudes differ. Gen Z, millennials, and baby boomers are more likely to purchase upcycled foods if they believe they are of equal quality and offer environmental benefits. However, Gen Xers, born between 1965 and 1979, show less enthusiasm due to a perception of lower quality. This suggests that brick-and-mortar retailers, rather than online platforms, must assure these skeptics of quality through trust rather than green benefits.