I have a confession to make.

daffodilsoup
daffodilsoup Posts: 1,972 Member
edited November 12 in Chit-Chat
I am a dumpster diver.

The law firm that I work at is upstairs from a popular restaurant chain. My building shares a full-size dumpster with them, and every day they throw out tons of food - breads, vegetables, fruits, you name it. It's all perfectly good - no mold, nothing, but it all goes to waste. In fact, nearly half of all the foods Americans purchase eventually goes to waste. HALF.

It's not an isolated thing, either. I used to work at a convenience store, where we would assemble and stamp breakfast sandwiches, hot dogs and other quick snacks. The moment they went "out of code", sometimes a mere two hours after it was created, they went straight into the garbage. If we made twenty sandwiches and didn't sell a single one, they all went to the trash. Every day, grocery stores and restaurants throw out tons and tons of perfectly good food because of corporate limitations that prevent them from sending it to a food bank, or allowing employees to take them home, usually due to liability.

A few weeks ago I was taking our office's trash out (the joys of being the office b*tch) when I noticed a giant bag of fresh bread on the top of the pile. Upon further investigation, it was double-bagged, had no signs of mold or contact with actual "trash", and smelled pretty heavenly. I took it home, made some sandwiches, and that was the beginning.

Now, a lot of the food in my diary is taken from the trash. It's not quite "digging", and I'm careful about disease and sanitation, but honestly most grocery stores, etc. will throw out well-packaged foods the moment they go out of code. It's incredibly wasteful, and if they're going to toss it, why not make some delicious meals out of it?

So am I the only one here? Do you think this is a sustainable way of life, or just too out there for you?
«13

Replies

  • QueenJayJay
    QueenJayJay Posts: 1,079 Member
    On my friend's list. :love:
  • RaeLB
    RaeLB Posts: 1,216 Member
    I watched a documentary about dumpster diving. It was about people who get the majority of their food and a lot of clothing and furniture from dumpsters. It is true we waste so much stuff!

    I volunteered at a mission in the summer as a kitchen server, a lot of our food was donated by grocery stores and restaurants after they "expire". Of course, the foods were perfectly good, I ate my lunch there too. I wish more restaurants & stores would donate.
  • firesoforion
    firesoforion Posts: 1,017 Member
    Wow, that's terrible on the waste thing. I volunteer for an animal shelter transporting pet food to and from the shelter, and it's all expired/out of date food or simply that which is cleared out seasonally. The majority of it is perfectly good. Safeway is supposed to recycle all its stuff but I do know there was a minor scandal where one or two stores in Colorado got caught not doing it. It seems so ridiculous to simply not give it to someone more needy... :frown:
  • daffodilsoup
    daffodilsoup Posts: 1,972 Member
    Wow, that's terrible on the waste thing. I volunteer for an animal shelter transporting pet food to and from the shelter, and it's all expired/out of date food or simply that which is cleared out seasonally. The majority of it is perfectly good. Safeway is supposed to recycle all its stuff but I do know there was a minor scandal where one or two stores in Colorado got caught not doing it. It seems so ridiculous to simply not give it to someone more needy... :frown:

    It really is, but the convenience store that I used to work at said that it's actually a liability thing - that if they donate it and someone gets sick, technically those people could take legal action. It blows that they can't just have people sign a waiver and take stuff off their hands, but I guess people sue over sillier things these days.

    But hopefully people see that just because it's been tossed away doesn't make it inedible! I got a huge loaf of sourdough bread today, and it looks (and tastes) like I just got it off the shelf. This time yesterday, I would have shelled out money for it!
  • bulletprooff
    bulletprooff Posts: 77
    Just keep being cautious and smart in making decisions on what to take home (you also don't want food to spoil in your car) and make sure you don't get caught :p

    There's a chain of sandwich shops/delis in NYC that have it on their window that every night they donate their left over food from the day to NYC shelters. I think it may be The Bread Factory.
  • woou
    woou Posts: 668 Member
    My mom works at a hotel with some 5 star restaurants inside, and they throw away lots of food everyday. They used to drive the food around to local shelters until they got sued. Now they even lock their trash bins until it's time for pick up.
    It really is, but the convenience store that I used to work at said that it's actually a liability thing - that if they donate it and someone gets sick, technically those people could take legal action. It blows that they can't just have people sign a waiver and take stuff off their hands

    This. I was wondering why places just don't do this, but I think it's probably much easier to just throw the stuff away.
  • VeganPanda
    VeganPanda Posts: 582 Member
    Freegan!!! :heart:
  • Lyndi4
    Lyndi4 Posts: 442 Member
    Freegan!!! :heart:

    ^^ This. I couldn't remember the name for it, but I saw a show on this. I don't know if I could bring myself to get in a dumpster, but to each his or her own. It is a shame to see so much wasted food.
  • sativo8339
    sativo8339 Posts: 39 Member
    I hate it when people waste obviously useful things. Food is the worst when so many people are hungry. My only suggestion is that you could talk to the manager of the restaurant and tell them that you noticed they were throwing away a lot of good stuff and ask if they can save it for you. I used to work at a restaurant and we hooked up a guy that came in once a week with bread and extra vegetables that we weren't going to use in recipes that week.
  • asyouseefit
    asyouseefit Posts: 1,265 Member
    I would do it too if I could. It's not like food has an internal clock that make it say "OMG! Today's my expiration date! I need to rot NOW!"
  • Laner07
    Laner07 Posts: 100 Member
    I hear a lot of places will actually set the food away from the garbage in hopes that someone will take it.
  • alexandria412
    alexandria412 Posts: 177 Member
    I have totally done this and am super jealous of your situation.
  • maria1113
    maria1113 Posts: 508 Member
    I think it's great if you can find something from dumpsters! I live in a apartment building that had small building for the dumpsters and recycling. I have actually left there stuff so people can take them if they need them. Like this one big mirror that was bit chipped in one corner or tons of hangers. They weren't there the next day, so someone found them useful :)
    I have found some nice plastic baskets that were in mint condition, and some other useful stuff :)
  • btdublin
    btdublin Posts: 250 Member
    In the UK, Pret A Manger leave out their leftover sandwiches in separate bags for the homeless to eat. Very good idea.
    In some areas there are special charities who collect and distribute these to shelters.

    And also I know many students who eat very well from Pret left overs for years.... i have even seen adult business men rooting through the rubbish (trash/garbage) come 6pm on their way home!
  • EmCarroll1990
    EmCarroll1990 Posts: 2,832 Member
    I don't do this, but I can totally understand why people would. I used to work for a bakery and every day we'd have TONS of leftover bread. We were located in a pretty big city which the homeless population is obviously large. I started double bagging the bread in massive clear garbage bags and leaving them outside our store at the end of the night, and sure enough every morning when I returned the whole bag would be gone. Heck, I would have brought it home myself, but figured they'd probably appreciate it a lot more than I would.
  • woou
    woou Posts: 668 Member
    I started double bagging the bread in massive clear garbage bags and leaving them outside our store at the end of the night, and sure enough every morning when I returned the whole bag would be gone. Heck, I would have brought it home myself, but figured they'd probably appreciate it a lot more than I would.

    :drinker: :drinker: :drinker:
  • tnrown87
    tnrown87 Posts: 134 Member
    Love it! :heart: :laugh:
  • Miss♥Ivi
    Miss♥Ivi Posts: 461
    My ex's brother works at a Starbucks. And every night, what wasn't used, in regards to the pastries and baked goodies, would be thrown away. IN THE BOX! Sealed with the plastic wrapping. Once he got the okay to take some of it home from the manager, he started bringing home boxes and boxes of my fave, the coffee cake and the lemon cake for my ex since that was his fave. Occasionally, he'd leave the boxes on top of the dumpster's lid instead of inside in case someone passed by and wanted it. It's a shame so much food goes to waste when there are thousands of people that go to bed hungry.
  • nakabi
    nakabi Posts: 589 Member
    I don't find it gross at all. I think it's great that you are able to do this!
  • Nerdy_Rose
    Nerdy_Rose Posts: 1,277 Member
    I say leave it for the homeless and people who really need it, or dumpster dive and take it to a shelter.

    Also, if I hadn't learned to "waste" food, let it go, throw it out, give it to the homeless, etc. I'd still be overeating and wouldn't have lost 20 pounds.
  • Debbe2
    Debbe2 Posts: 2,071 Member
    Friend of mine started a non profit where she organizes and furnishes apartments for people transitioning out of homelessness in our city. One of the people on the board drives 5 to 6 nights a week to predetermined businesses. A staff member from those businesses loads up "the hope" truck with food that is otherwise discarded just as you describe. Each person or family transitioning has been clean of drugs, sober and has committed to remaining so and to working to afford being on their own and no longer requiring major government assistance. The food is offered and distributed each day to these families at the beginning of their transition. My friend says the same as the OP that the food is perfectly good but cannot be donated directly because of fear of being sued. So instead, this is all done in a hush hush way.
  • _Timmeh_
    _Timmeh_ Posts: 2,096 Member
    I just threw up in my mouth a little.
  • madamepsychosis
    madamepsychosis Posts: 472 Member
    A guy my friend was seeing was a freegan, but he wasn't cautious and once got terrible stomach cramps for days from some dodgy food. I think as long as you're careful (as you are), it's fine. I can't stand waste. I grew up poor and even when people throw half their dinner in the bin instead of in some tupperware for another day, I get pretty antsy about it.
  • Sumo813
    Sumo813 Posts: 566 Member
    Actually saw something on food network where they weren't allowed to prepare meals with "fresh" foods... and they had a guy who is a professional dumpster diver in NYC... it is absolutely sad and maddening to see what gets thrown out nightly. My mom taught me to never throw things away if at all possible. The professional said it's his dream to one day be able to walk down the street and not see anything tossed out and wasted.
  • Jazzmagic
    Jazzmagic Posts: 91 Member
    My bf and I called in at Greggs onces just as they were closing and the guy in there was throwing all the baguettes, sandwiches, etc.. into a black bin liner, there was literally a bag full! We asked what they were doing with it and he said it would go in the rubbish out back. When asked why they didnt give it to charity/homeless, they told us they weren't aloud. HOW RIDICULOUS!!!!!!!! Makes me so angry! People are starving and we are just throwing away perfectly good food! AAAARRRGGHHH!
  • bdwier
    bdwier Posts: 13
    They had a show on Food Network where the celebrity chefs had to make a banquet with food that was going to be thrown away... They had a guy at the kitchen to make sure none of the food was spoiled, but it was such a great idea and it showed how much food is wasted on a daily basis. It also showcased how great meals can be made out of "garbage" food :)
  • Capt_Chev
    Capt_Chev Posts: 93 Member
    I think its great and inspiring, anything done to help reduce the amount of waste we accumulate as a society is awesome!
  • jazzie2421
    jazzie2421 Posts: 45
    I wish more restaurants would just place good food seperately from the actual garbage so that homeless people, or people less fortunate - or even stray animals - can safely consume it. I don't have the stomach to do it, but I have picked up stuff from dumpsters/by the side of the road that I have used, and placed stuff at the side of the road (including putting a bunch of clothes I no longer needed/wanted in my driveway with a big "free" sign next to it. About an hour later it was gone. :)
  • allegedglobalconspiracy
    allegedglobalconspiracy Posts: 65 Member
    Yep that rocks! I hate waste. Added to friend list immediately! :):glasses:
  • pinkhu13
    pinkhu13 Posts: 133
    If I was in the same boat to be able to do this I would. Call me el cheapo but I'd definately do that. No shame!
This discussion has been closed.

Categories