Under the background of global food security issues, food waste has become the focus of all countries. Household is one of the significant sources of food waste. Along with the aims to achieve carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals and promote the construction of ecological civilization, the reduction of household food waste is of substantially economic, social and ecological significance. Noted that domestic research on household food waste is still weak, systematic review of domestic and international research on household food waste can offer important theoretical and practical insights. A systematic literature review was conducted, following a thread of concept, theoretical framework, measurement methods, subthemes. This review aims to summarize the shifts in connotation, advances in methods and theory concerning household food waste. This study argues that China's household food waste has its own characters owing to its historical and social factors, food culture and urban-rural divide. Academic research should be carried out in relation to the Chinese society, culture and institutions. The paper figures out the research prospects on food waste in Chinese families under the backgrounds of new environment and new technology. They include the difference between urban and rural household food waste, the influence of regional food cultures on China's household food waste, the relationship between Chinese family characteristics and food waste in the New Era, the influence of Chinese socio-cultural psychology on household food waste.