dumpster diving

salembambi

have you ever gone dumpster diving for food?? would you ever consider it?

I keep hearing about people living off of only food they find in grocery store/market bins and it seems pretty interesting

would you eat a meal that was made entirely of food from a dumpster?

another question -- do you think that people who utilize dumpsters as their source of food should donate any mass amounts they find to shelters? Do you think that people doing this are taking away from those who are on the streets and possibly using the food found in bins just to survive??

just something I thought of while reading about it..hmm

some_betty

I have watched numerous youtube videos about this. If the waste food wasn't mixed with gross stuff, I might.

Sinisterly

No :sick:

Docmahi

obsidianwings

I would if I needed to, nothing wrong with the food usually. That said, I'm not sure that much food ends up in dumpsters here

SGM_Adonis

I grew up very poor and was a very independent kid. As a kid, ages 10-14, I would often go dumpster diving for aluminum cans so that I could go recycle them for cash. Back then, it was a means, not something I considered as embarrassing, it was my way of making money to buy what I wanted.

The thought of my 13 year old boy walking up and down alleyways is horrifying to me right now...not to mention embarrassing and humbling.

Sovi_

No... that's for the homeless...Jeez... Seriously have a heart why don't you!



But seriously though... there was an article about it here.

If I had to it would be Panera!

ayamagali

I'm think its an awesome concept, however I think I'm too squeamish to actually go through with it. But for those scavenging warriors, it makes sense if you scored massive amounts of good food to donate it rather than throwing it back in the bin or letting it spoil in your home.

eddiesmith1

yes- I was homeless for 8 months (over the winter yet) when i was 20 so I did a lot of things i wouldn't do now (I could tell you all the places where bread and milk were drop delivered early in the am at the time as well, I lived on bread and milk)

Of_Monsters_and_Meat

I kind of feel bad that I went peep peep on a panera dumpster this weekend. Sorry homeless/thrifty people.

Nessiechickie

Would never eat out of a dumpster
but I use to go out every garbage day morning through peoples garbage to get bottles to return for money...
this was called VEGAS FUND.
Would collect enough to pay for airplane to VEGAS.

SexKittenlovesitrough

No. I would not,

however I have a hippie cousin who is all "stick it to the man" type and she and her partner dumpster dive routinely.

Not just for food, for furniture, and everything really.

She seems to enjoy it however I myself can't get over the fact that most of this food is past date, and has been sitting in a dumpster for a couple of hours.

Also when I have been around after she's done it, I have noticed that all of the food packages she has look like they are beat up, and I would be worried about tears in the packaging, etc.

So would i? no

do people do it? Sure!

do they get sick often (which I expected) not really....but I still wouldn't do it.

1shauna1

On Extreme Cheapskates on TLC they often show people who dumpster dive for food (not homeless or anything). Personally I wouldn't, at least currently. If my situation was dire, however....I mean, you've got to eat.

TheRoadDog

If I had to in order to survive, I would. But I don't and I won't. If my life takes a sudden terrible turn and I find myself homeless, I'm going on a crime spree. I'll either be a rich criminal or a ward ot the penal institution, but I won't be holding up a cardboard sign on a freeway off ramp or dumpster diving.

Of_Monsters_and_Meat

Just thought I would throw out a freebie.

Pizza dough. you could certainly cut around the nasties and donate to a shelter.

wheird

Isnt that when you go down on a. ..nvm.

Candi_land

There was that one time I ate a piece of chocolate cake out of my garbage...

Madame_Goldbricker

I can't post the link via my mobile..

BBC Inside Out did an investigation into supermarket wastage and they apparently dump 17 million tonnes of food annually in the UK. They state that they do this as its the easiest & most cost effective option.

I work for a homeless charity that uses an organisation called Fareshare which distributes pallets of donated food from supermarkets to organisations for a nominal fee (they need to support their own overheads).

However what's really depressing is the fact that a lot of supermarket chains have refused to join in with schemes such as this still. So both the environment & people in serious need are still losing out on something that could benefit all parties involved. Its a crazy old world.

ldrosophila

been very blessed I have never had to

Will_Thrust_For_Candy

I'm fortunate that I haven't had to do this.

I would venture a guess though, that especially these days, a lot of really good food gets thrown away. People are quick to waste and discard so much even if there is nothing wrong with it.....I'm guilty of doing it myself. I could be wrong though *shrugs*

BinaryPulsar

I grew up very poor and was a very independent kid. As a kid, ages 10-14, I would often go dumpster diving for aluminum cans so that I could go recycle them for cash. Back then, it was a means, not something I considered as embarrassing, it was my way of making money to buy what I wanted.

The thought of my 13 year old boy walking up and down alleyways is horrifying to me right now...not to mention embarrassing and humbling.

My twin brother did this also and he got very sick with toxic synovitis. And he couldn't move around for a while, they said it could cause him to not be able to walk again. Anyway, that was a long time ago (we were maybe 9 or so).

EngineerPrincess

I would if I needed to, nothing wrong with the food usually. That said, I'm not sure that much food ends up in dumpsters here

You'd be shocked at how much good food is thrown out due to health codes and business policies on a daily basis, even in small towns. In an ideal world dumpster diving would not be necessary, because we would not throw away food that is at all good for eating when there's people starving in the same city...

EvgeniZyntx

I would if I needed to, nothing wrong with the food usually. That said, I'm not sure that much food ends up in dumpsters here

You'd be shocked at how much good food is thrown out due to health codes and business policies on a daily basis, even in small towns. In an ideal world dumpster diving would not be necessary, because we would not throw away food that is at all good for eating when there's people starving in the same city...

Yeah, it's the fault of the health codes. :huh: Down with the health codes.

I worked with a student association and the city jail in Baltimore twenty+ years ago, it's possible to reduce waste by a lot by changing prep methods. And a big waste of food is people ordering and leaving half plates.

I've dumpster dived for old furniture and building fittings in Paris (you wouldn't believe the stuff people throw out, hellllo, is that a Thonet, yep, signed 81). But food, no thanks.

KristinaB83

If I were hungry and had no other way of getting food then sure! Why not? They throw out tons of stuff that's still perfectly good to eat.

BinaryPulsar

I grew up very poor and was a very independent kid. As a kid, ages 10-14, I would often go dumpster diving for aluminum cans so that I could go recycle them for cash. Back then, it was a means, not something I considered as embarrassing, it was my way of making money to buy what I wanted.

The thought of my 13 year old boy walking up and down alleyways is horrifying to me right now...not to mention embarrassing and humbling.

My twin brother did this also and he got very sick with toxic synovitis. And he couldn't move around for a while, they said it could cause him to not be able to walk again. Anyway, that was a long time ago (we were maybe 9 or so).

Oh, yeah, I just want to add to this, that my brother would actually jump inside the dumpsters and be searching through it. Now, also looking back, it's possible that did not cause the illness, but the doctor said that was probably what caused it.

bjg2993

This is massive for students in the UK, and totally makes sense. Some people do it on such a regular basis there is times when they won't need to buy food at all for weeks.

At the end of the day, the food has been thrown out because it has come up to sell by date - completely different to use by date.

Lisa1971

NO and NO!

obsidianwings

I would if I needed to, nothing wrong with the food usually. That said, I'm not sure that much food ends up in dumpsters here

You'd be shocked at how much good food is thrown out due to health codes and business policies on a daily basis, even in small towns. In an ideal world dumpster diving would not be necessary, because we would not throw away food that is at all good for eating when there's people starving in the same city...

By here, I mean new Zealand. I could be wrong, but assuming there's not a lot thrown out as stuff close to or past date is sold at reduced cost, and if it doesn't go quickly then it gets reduced even more. That's when I try buy most stuff LOL

eslcity

As an Economics Teacher (in Korea) I have my students do dumpster diving each year.... in order to teach value...
What is junk for some is valuable to others...

Some of my students have found everything from working Mp3 players to dining room big screen tvs that took 15USdollars to fix..

MizMiami305

Some restaurants here in Miami use dumpster food
But dont know it cuz vendors be dumpster diving!

MrJThomasEsq

As someone whose job it is to enforce those darn health codes I just have to put in my two cents worth about dumpster diving.

Don't do it. The truth is that if something is in a dumpster you really don't know why it's there. It could be there because it's past its sell by date (no big deal) or it could be there because it was implicated in a product recall because it may contain something that could make you sick. You just don't know. Especially if you are talking about non-shelf stable products you don't know how long they have been there or what temperatures they have been subjected to before you discovered that "treasure".

And the thought of discarded food being pulled out of a dumpster then donated to a shelter is even more disturbing. If you want to take risks with your own health then it's pretty much on you. But don't pass those risks on to someone who doesn't know you found the food in a dumpster.

In the U.S. the Feeding America and Second Harvest programs work to collect foodstuffs that are nearing the end of their economic life but still have some safety margin left. They then then store and redistribute those food products so they make it to those in need, but in a safe manner. Most of the major retail chains participate in these programs and many smaller businesses do as well. But they can always use more donations.

If you really want to cut down on food waste then talk to the owners and managers of the businesses you frequent and ask them if they participate in a food banking program. Donate money,time food. Just don't dig it out of a dumpster to do it.