excess food

USAGE SUMMARY

'excess food' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to food that is left over or in excess of what is needed. For example, "The restaurant donated their excess food to a local charity."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

"It's mostly just excess food turned into fat weight".

The New Yorker

One of them, City Harvest, collects excess food each day from about 170 establishments in New York.

The New York Times

And after Burning Man, festival-goers can deposit excess food and clothing there to be donated to charity.

The Guardian

The task force will also urge restaurants and other businesses to donate excess food to the Vermont Foodbank.

The New York Times

When excess food supplies drove all agricultural prices down, even grain growers failed to benefit from the new tariff.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The final leg of my food table is bartering – using my skills or any excess food I've produced to secure anything not met by the other three methods.

The Guardian

"We are also in the process of transitioning to a biodigester, which will allow us to eliminate any excess food waste without sending it to a landfill".

The Guardian

We need the courage and the will to fix the systems that prevent our excess food from reaching those in desperate need of it.

The New York Times

They made music, deliberated on political affairs and ideas, and distributed excess food, blankets, and other supplies to the surrounding community.

The New Yorker

When food prices drop, the Department of Agriculture props them up by buying excess food and turning it over to the nation's pantries.

The New York Times

Spoiler Alert has raised $2.5 million for enterprise software that helps manufacturers and farms put excess food inventory to good use, instead of tossing it out.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In academic papers, use "excess food" to describe the impact of overconsumption on public health.

Common error

Don't use "excess food" and "food waste" interchangeably. "Excess food" refers to the surplus before it becomes waste, representing a potential resource. "Food waste" refers to discarded food that has lost its value.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "excess food" functions primarily as a noun phrase, often acting as the subject or object of a sentence. It identifies food that is available in surplus or beyond what is needed. Ludwig examples demonstrate this usage across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

25%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Formal & Business

3%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "excess food" correctly identifies food that is available in surplus. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. It functions as a noun phrase, often describing surplus food suitable for donation or a problem of waste, commonly used in news, scientific, and general contexts. To prevent confusing it with "food waste", remember that "excess food" is the raw material before it's discarded. Consider using alternatives like "surplus food" or "leftover food" for nuanced expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

surplus food

Indicates more food than is needed.

leftover food

Refers to food remaining after a meal.

surplus of food

Highlights the overabundance of food.

extra food

Simple way to indicate more food than required.

food waste

Implies food that is discarded due to being in excess.

unused food

Refers to food that has not been consumed.

unconsumed food

Similar to unused food, but emphasizes the lack of consumption.

waste food

Food which has spoiled or is no longer fit for consumption and has been discarded.

overabundance of food

Emphasizes a large amount of food that is excessive.

food surplus

Highlights a higher amount of food than needed.

FAQs

How can I use "excess food" in a sentence?

You can use "excess food" to describe surplus food that can be donated or repurposed. For example, "The restaurant donates its "excess food" to a local shelter."

What's a good alternative to "excess food"?

Alternatives include "surplus food", "leftover food", or "extra food", depending on the context.

Is it better to say "excess food" or "food waste"?

It depends on the context. "Excess food" describes surplus food that could still be used. "Food waste" refers to food that has already been discarded. Use "food waste" when describing food that has already spoiled or been thrown away.

What are some ways to reduce "excess food"?

Strategies to reduce "excess food" include better meal planning, proper storage, and donating leftovers to food banks or shelters.