17 replies to this topic

[FamilyTreeClimber]

A study by the National Resources Defense Council has shown that Americans waste 40% of their food.  This is an incredible number, don't you think?

Home waste was part of the problem.  I know I've thrown things out that I bought with all good intentions of eating.  Sometimes it goes bad before I get to it or I buy too much and can't get through it all.  Then there is that box you find half eaten in the pantry that expired two years earlier.

17% of waste comes from restaurants.  One problem is the overly large portions that restaurants serve.  This is food they can't really do anything with since it's been served to a customer but not finished.  Buffet restaurants were singled out because of the food that has been displayed but goes uneaten.

Grocery stores appear to be the worst.  Several problems were listed.  They make overly large displays were the food at the bottom gets damaged and can't be sold.  They have leftovers of the ready made food from the deli that gets tossed.  They pull seasonal food that has not expired but they don't want to sell beyond the holiday it was meant for.

I know that around here restaurants and groceries stores try to donate their leftovers to food banks and homeless shelters.  This is a good way to get rid of food that is still edible.  But, from the statistics in the article it looks like more work needs to be done.

It would be interesting to know how this compares to other countries.  Do you think 40% would be typical of many countries?

Here's the article:
http://news.blogs.cn...ed-report-says/

[ACSAPA]

I don't think many countries besides the US waste 40% of their food. We are the country that supersizes everything and has eating contests. I once read an article about a charity where volunteers go backstage at rock concerts and pack up all the leftover catered food that the rock stars didn't eat and distribute it to people that need it. So let's say Britney Spears has a huge cold cuts platter backstage and her entourage didn't eat the food, a couple of volunteers will pick up the food and take it to a battered women's shelter so that the women can make sandwiches to take to work. I wish I could remember the name of that charity.

Anyway, it would be cool if other organizations went around with a van and picked up all the unsold Big Macs and rotisserie chickens and distributed them to people who have no food. My friend who used to work at Taco Bell said that it's mandatory for them to throw out the unsold food and they can't even take it home. No matter what your feelings are about fast food, that seems like a waste to me.

[FamilyTreeClimber]

ACSAPA, I know that locally shelters and food banks have deals with restaurants to pick up their leftover food.  It's a wonderful way to use up what they can't sell themselves.  Even still, I've seen on the news the amount of food that ends up in dumpsters.  It's crazy.  Part of it is our "give me the largest size possible" mentality.  I think of all the food I've seen go to waste on plates at restaurants because the serving size is much larger than the average person can consume.  Some people won't think to get a doggie bag either.

I'd like to see grocery stores get more involved in giving food to organizations.  There has to be a tremendous amount of produce that won't sell but is edible.  Plus, there are those food that people won't spend money on because of best buy dates.  It can still be eaten within a set number of days.

If you've ever seen documentaries on the people who sift through dumpsters for food, you'd be shocked at how much edible food gets tossed by grocery stores.

[Sandra Piddock]

'Best before' dates are the single biggest culprit when it comes to food wastage. My family have been involved in the food trade on various levels for more than 50 years. Back when there were no 'best before' dates or even pre-packaging, nothing went to waste. Knowledgeable shopkeepers and caterers can tell when something is fit for consumption and when it's past its best simply by the look or smell of the product.

'Use by' dates mean nothing, because manufacturers will just change the dates, rather than dump something and lose the profits. Check the product, and if it looks and smells okay, it's probably fine to eat. There's always a margin of error built in - 'Use by' and 'Best before' dates are guidelines - not gospel.

[Hardison]

I admit that I used to waste a lot of food. I used to buy a lot of vegetables and had every intention of eating them. About 30% to 40% became too nasty to eat. Then I started washing and organizing my food into containers as soon as I came back from grocery shopping. That way, I could just grab a container if I was in a rush. That helped a lot. Now, I just buy a couple days worth of perishables. I can easily walk to the store so it's no big deal to me. Plus it's great exercise.

[E3 wise]

Jeff and I were talking about this today.   40% - oh my god (OMG), people are starving all over the world and millions are going hungry in this country too.  The ideas of restaurants and grocery stores donating to food banks and shelters are great ideas and I would like to see those expanded as  ACSAPA and Family Tree Climber have suggested  giving to people in need.
I also agree best by dates are an issue.

  But how about we deal with the root cause. People have to relearn or get re-involved in their food production and grow gardens, easily said but hard to do with the widespread US droughts this year.  I also understand that many don’t have the huge amount of time or space for gardens.  The solution is community gardens.  Shared work, resources, locally produced, by good honest sweat and love makes people appreciate the true value of food, they stop wasting  I know we have to turn off all the electronics for a little bit, ( ok; leave the radio on for music to work by) but take a few hours and get up off our backsides.

My point is that we as a country have lost touch with the concept of seeds to table.  We buy things in stores not thinking about the energy, water, time and love it has taken to get it from planting to table. For meat products it even worse, when was the last time you had to de-feather a chicken? Eeew gross, my point you put that work into your food and you start to maximize resources.

[ACSAPA]

I was watching Project Runway and one of the designers is a freegan. Freegans are the people who dumpster dive for food behind supermarkets. Freegans find things like boxes of fruit that's a little blemished or overripe but still edible, packaged foods like noodles that are close to or past the "sell by" date , potted plants that the floral department throws out that need a little TLC.

I think freegans are smart and I admire therm for not letting things go to waste, but I don't have the guts to go dumpster diving.
What do you think of this way of reducing food waste?

[FamilyTreeClimber]

Freegans was what I was trying to think about, ACSAPA.  I've seen documentaries on how they group together and go through dumpsters behind grocery stores and restaurants.  They usually find food that is perfectly fine to eat.  It's just not sellable.

I agree that it's an interesting way to make sure food is not wasted.  But, I don't think I have the stomach for it.  It's a little too dirty fishing around a dumpster for me.

What would be even better is if the stores just put this food out for people to take.  I am sure there are legal reasons why they don't.  What if they do so, then someone gets food poisoning?  Could they be sued by someone who voluntarily takes food that they were getting rid of?

E3, I agree that we have become disconnected from the process.  You make valid points.  We mostly think food comes in boxes or plastic bags nowadays.

For myself, I'm not physically able to garden.  I also have one of the blackest thumbs on the face of the earth.  I have killed cactus.  I would probably starve if I had to rely on my own ability to garden for my food.  LOL

[Shortpoet-GTD]

FamilyTreeClimber, on 24 August 2012 - 11:13 PM, said:

I agree that it's an interesting way to make sure food is not wasted.  But, I don't think I have the stomach for it.  It's a little too dirty fishing around a dumpster for me.

The freegans I have seen featured on various programs have certain dumpsters they stake out; behind restaurants
or grocers.
Anything prepared (deli stuff for instance) I wouldn't take a chance on, but veggies? Just trim off any bad spots,
wash it off and there ya go.

Case in point, one of my clients neighbors has an apple tree and they dumped 2-3 bushels worth of apples
into the dumpster.
It took me awhile, but I salvaged almost all of them.  Canning applesauce and freezing slices for pies later has
kept me busy. (It's too hot to bake now.)   
(Some info for those that are not familiar with freegans.)
http://freegan.info/

Asking for smaller size portions is becoming "in", which may in turn, reduce our obesity levels in this country.
http://todayhealth.t...r-portions?lite

There wouldn't be starvation in other countries-we could feed the world with what we waste. It's a shame.

[Hardison]

ACSAPA, on 24 August 2012 - 07:17 PM, said:

I was watching Project Runway and one of the designers is a freegan. Freegans are the people who dumpster dive for food behind supermarkets. Freegans find things like boxes of fruit that's a little blemished or overripe but still edible, packaged foods like noodles that are close to or past the "sell by" date , potted plants that the floral department throws out that need a little TLC.

Initially the idea of freegan doesn't sit well with me. If it is as you describe, fruit in boxes and packaged foods, then that would be okay. My main issue is cleanliness. The amount of bacteria in a dumpster worries me.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

Hardison, on 25 August 2012 - 07:35 PM, said:

Initially the idea of freegan doesn't sit well with me. If it is as you describe, fruit in boxes and packaged foods, then that would be okay. My main issue is cleanliness. The amount of bacteria in a dumpster worries me.

I keep a box of gloves in my car just in case. I used to retrieve a lot of cans back in the day but there are a lot
of homeless folks that need the money, so I don't anymore.
But gloves come in handy and carry a bottle of hand sanitizing gel too.

[Hardison]

Shortpoet-GTD, on 26 August 2012 - 03:47 AM, said:

I keep a box of gloves in my car just in case. I used to retrieve a lot of cans back in the day but there are a lot
of homeless folks that need the money, so I don't anymore.
But gloves come in handy and carry a bottle of hand sanitizing gel too.

I carry hand sanitizing gel and wipes. Gloves are a great idea. But I was thinking of the food that's in the dumpster. It's a psychological thing for me I guess. I just couldn't eat food that came from a dumpster. Never say never, but I don't see it right now.

[artistry]

We are a country of abundance, and are quite wasteful in a lot of ways. It is great of the restraurants to share with organizations, who help to feed the hungary or people who are without. That is a very good thing.

[FamilyTreeClimber]

Hardison, the idea of germs grosses me out, too.  I've read that garbage cans are some of the dirtiest, bacteria laden surfaces--even the ones in our homes.  It makes sense since we throw stuff into them and they deteriorate and rot.

I would have to be starving and unable to buy food to go in a dumpster.  Besides, I'm so short it would not be an easy proposition.

I think it does show how we are sometimes backwards in our thinking.  We won't leave the food out so that homeless people can get it easily.  We make laws so people won't feed the homeless in parks and public places.  But, we will dump perfectly good food in a dumpster that a homeless person will then pick through and take.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

Hardison, on 27 August 2012 - 12:12 PM, said:

I carry hand sanitizing gel and wipes. Gloves are a great idea. But I was thinking of the food that's in the dumpster. It's a psychological thing for me I guess. I just couldn't eat food that came from a dumpster. Never say never, but I don't see it right now.

I agree to a certain extent but grocers and other stores throw away a whole package of celery for instance because
one or two are wilted. Clean it, cook it and enjoy.
As for packaged, deli type? I don't know. If no sell by dates are available, move on.
(But hell, while you're there, fish out some plastic bottles and cans. Having a mini-hero moment will last ya
for a few hours.)

[Hardison]

FamilyTreeClimber, on 27 August 2012 - 12:48 PM, said:

I think it does show how we are sometimes backwards in our thinking.  We won't leave the food out so that homeless people can get it easily.  We make laws so people won't feed the homeless in parks and public places.  But, we will dump perfectly good food in a dumpster that a homeless person will then pick through and take.

It is very backwards thinking. Still not dumpster diving though

Shortpoet-GTD, on 28 August 2012 - 12:41 PM, said:

I agree to a certain extent but grocers and other stores throw away a whole package of celery for instance because
one or two are wilted.

I agree that's crazy. It would hurt to give the food to food banks or homeless shelters.

Quote

(But hell, while you're there, fish out some plastic bottles and cans. Having a mini-hero moment will last ya
for a few hours.)

Unfortunately, there are a lot of homeless people around and they seem to collect all the bottles and cans to turn them in for the redemption money. Like FamilyTreeClimber, I'll leave the bottles and cans for them.

[Pat]

Most restaurants can not give food to the homeless by law because of germs.  I have seen tons of food in the trash that is good but can't be given to the people that need it.  Something is wrong with that law.

[BuddhaStarlight]

This number doesn't surprise me. I've worked at both restaurants and grocery stores, and an incredible amount of food gets discarded every day at both. At least the grocery store I worked at allowed employees and customers to take home the "expired" products (which were always JUST as edible) for free. They would also often pile food out by the dumpsters that was still good and let the homeless people come look through it.

Unforunately, many places do not allow such things. My mom worked at Wal Mart for a few years and she said they were forced to throw away anything that was expired, and if an employee was caught trying to take it home from the dumpster or give it away, they would be fired. Just another reason I despise Wal Mart.

I've known a large amount of people who waste food at home, too. I clean houses for my day job, and there is one house we clean where they have like 4 teenage kids. One day I was cleaning in the kitchen and the eldest teenage daughter came in and got some cereal. I watched this girl pour her cereal and milk, sit down at the table and literally eat maybe three or four bites out of the bowl before proceeding to get up, walk over to the sink and dump the entire still-full bowl down the garbage disposal.

Here I was, down on my hands and knees, scrubbing her floor just so I can have enough money to eat and have a roof over my head. I'll admit, I wanted to smack her. But of course I couldn't say anything.

I have lived in poverty and gone hungry at various times in my life. I can say that once you've lived through something like that, you will never let a crumb of food go to waste again...