The Assembly Environment, Natural Resources, and Solid Waste Committee convened on April 23, 2025, to discuss pressing issues surrounding food waste and food insecurity in New Jersey. The meeting featured presentations from various stakeholders, including representatives from the nonprofit sector and food recovery initiatives.

The session began with a presentation from Zach, a representative of a food recovery platform that connects consumers with local businesses offering surplus food at reduced prices. He explained the concept of the "surprise bag," where businesses like grocery stores and bakeries package leftover food for sale at one-third of the retail price. Currently, nearly 1,700 stores in New Jersey have participated, generating approximately $3.7 million in revenue from surplus food sales.

Following this, Helene Lantuit, co-chair of the New Jersey Meal Recovery Coalition, and Karen Lemon, CEO of Share My Meals, presented their organization's efforts to combat food insecurity and reduce food waste. Share My Meals, founded in 2020, focuses on recovering healthy meals from corporations, hospitals, and universities and delivering them to those in need. They highlighted the significant amount of food waste in New Jersey, estimating that 45,000 tons of prepared meals are discarded annually, which could translate to 75 million meals.

The coalition aims to recover 5 million meals each year, leveraging partnerships with various organizations, including major corporations and local governments. They emphasized the economic benefits of meal recovery, noting that for every dollar spent, New Jersey could see a return of $14 through cost avoidance and health benefits.

The meeting concluded with a call for collaboration among stakeholders to make meal recovery a standard practice in New Jersey. The coalition seeks to raise awareness of food waste and food insecurity, create sustainable funding for meal recovery initiatives, and serve as a model for similar efforts in other states. The discussions underscored the importance of addressing these interconnected issues to improve community health and reduce environmental impact.