"Do meal kits reduce food waste? USDA explores potential amid rise in plant-based convenience foods"
(Published on Food Ingredients First on July 29, 2021) - Meal kits have become more popular during the COVID-19 pandemic, with many consumers turning to ready-to-assemble meals and subscription services for food that provides preparation convenience. But do meal kits help reduce food waste?
Brenna Ellison, associate professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, recently shared her insights on the sustainability credentials of meal kits.
“Meal kits are designed to provide households with precise quantities of ingredients to make a specific meal.
They can reduce food waste, particularly for food items that are infrequently used and unavailable in small quantities,” she highlights. More