Boomers Continuously Make This Costly Food Mistake

The baby boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, have the wisdom of the ages, though their relationship with food can be contentious at times. For example, they can't stand QR code menus (we're going to agree with this one), with some refusing to eat at an establishment that offers only a digital version. Most of their dinners tend to center around meat, too, owing to the period in which they grew up, when the ingredient became more widespread after years of scarcity. And sadly, boomers continuously waste money by making a costly food mistake.

According to a 2026 study by The Motley Fool, boomers are more likely than younger generations (Gen X, Gen Y, and Gen Z) to throw out leftovers rather than refrigerating and eating them. This is concerning because, contrary to popular thought, many boomers, on the whole, do not have the disposable cash to be literally throwing away money, particularly those on a limited fixed income.

Feeding into this practice is a secondary behavior in which boomers tend to buy extra food because it's on sale or because "it was a good deal." According to The Motley Fool's study, this accounts for the vast majority of boomers' wasteful spending, and there are anecdotal stories all over the internet about the children of these parents having to deal with it, mostly by tossing the food.

Boomer or not, in this current economy, we could all likely benefit from improving how we grocery shop and what we do with leftovers. It all starts with how we buy food. Before you even set foot inside a supermarket, meal planning for the week can help you save a big chunk of change. If you need inspiration, find a website, app, or content creator who designs meal plans for you, and try to stick to them while shopping.

Lots of us, including boomers, like to shop in stores, but perusing aisle upon aisle of food can derail even the best intentions. That's why a grocery pickup or delivery service can make it much easier to monitor your spending as you shop, as well as reduce impulse purchases driven by "great deals."

And finally, if you also don't like leftovers that have been sitting in the fridge for a few days, may we introduce the idea of habitually freezing uneaten portions of dinner? Rather than waiting 48 hours and then throwing them out, package them up and put them in the freezer as part of your post-meal cleanup. Not only will they last longer, but you also won't be throwing out perfectly good food, and you'll have a quick, convenient dinner option down the road when you don't feel like cooking.