My friend is a dumpster diver!!!

[halfpintpeggy]

The only non perishables that should not be consumed after the date on the bottle are the ones marked "use by" instead of "best by." The products that come to mind right now as a "use by" are mayonnaise and miracle whip, but there are a few others. I used to work in a grocery store, and one of my jobs was to pull outdated product and ship it back to reclaim, who then, I assume, sold it to outlet food stores. Certain product HAD to be thrown out, including all store brand products for some reason. Those were still good and we usually put them into the garbage inside thick, sturdy egg boxes so people could salvage. All outdated "use by" went into the garbage as well, as it could not be reclaimed. You should inform your friend, OP, of the difference between the two, and to avoid foods like mayo and ranch dressing.

I get outdated eggs and milk that's destined for the trash from a family member all the time. It's obvious if the milk is bad. I won't give advice on eggs, but I eat them for about two to three weeks after expiry.

Will give her this info, thanks!

 

[halfpintpeggy]

I worked at a low-income apartment complex for seniors and disabled and Whole Foods donated baked goods to the residents once a week. It was great to be able to offer boxes of bagels, rolls, loaves of bread, cakes and sweets at no cost.

That's wonderful!!!

 

[halfpintpeggy]

I support it. I've never heard of anyone doing it in my area, perhaps because I'm in a suburb and not a city, but I see nothing wrong with it. I would probably only take things that were wrapped (breads, potatoes in bags, apples in bags), but other than that I think if you're contributing to the end of waste and lowering your bills, go for it. We do have a very serious problem with food waste and consumer waste in this country.

This is a suburban area too! A very wealthy one at that, & yeah I'd never heard of anyone doing this before either.

 

[halfpintpeggy]

I'm half tempted to try this for myself but with my luck, I'd get caught

I just rode along with her & was totally paranoid about the same thing hahaha!

 

[LovesTimone]

When I was a kid, a church friends parents owned a small mom and pop grocery store... they started out as a meat store and it just grew and have changed with the times and now they are artisanal bakery and organic market with produce and meat. I remember her Dad calling the local food pantry or homeless shelter and telling them he was about to take out the trash. He never actually put it in the trash it was on carts outside of the back door with him watching it. Which I thought was so weird, but then he explained that you could not donate it for legal reason but no law stop them from getting it out of the trash. He also would anonymously drop off food boxes at church members door step who he knew were having a rough go of it. I thanked him once because he dropped off grocery at my aunts house, on several occasions which was ever other week for a couple of years, she was divorced with 3 kids and really needed the help. I knew it was him as my friend and I would pack up the boxes with him, so I knew the box that he used. He was like you can not tell anyone and I made a pinky swear promise. Which I have kept until today my Aunt now gone and we are all grown up so I think it's alright to share this, in this type of communication.

I can't see this kind of waste for any reason, law or tax break of whatever... With kids, families going hungry in America and all over the planet this is such a senseless waste...

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

Our church has a food bank, and gets food from the local grocery stores all the time. When too much comes in just before the weekend, and there are perishable items that won't last through the next week, some of the surplus is put out for the congregation. We'll walk out to cases of over-ripe bananas, boxes and boxes of bread items, even sometimes K-cup pods (the food bank doesn't control what they get, and I guess that's not an item they give out). We will usually pick up a few of whatever is available. Most of the bread is past the date, but we get the most recent ones we can find and I bring it home and toss it in the freezer if we don't need it right away.

We also do mobile food pantries a couple of times a year, where we buy extra food for pennies on the pound, and have it delivered for a special event. The special events don't count toward a family's one-time visit per month, so many of the regular clients come to get extra food. Again, we have no control over what we get, it's whatever they have. There are often many dozens of eggs, but we have to go through every carton and get rid of any that are cracked and make complete dozens, so there's a lot of mixing and matching that goes on. Sometimes we'll get a huge crate of sweet potatoes or regular potatoes. There are always lots and lots of baked goods - cookies, cakes, cookie cakes, donuts. Boxed goods like cereal, canned goods of every variety. It's unreal at the amount of food that we give away, but I'm glad our local stores are able to donate it.

 

[halfpintpeggy]

When I was a kid, a church friends parents owned a small mom and pop grocery store... they started out as a meat store and it just grew and have changed with the times and now they are artisanal bakery and organic market with produce and meat. I remember her Dad calling the local food pantry or homeless shelter and telling them he was about to take out the trash. He never actually put it in the trash it was on carts outside of the back door with him watching it. Which I thought was so weird, but then he explained that you could not donate it for legal reason but no law stop them from getting it out of the trash. He also would anonymously drop off food boxes at church members door step who he knew were having a rough go of it. I thanked him once because he dropped off grocery at my aunts house, on several occasions which was ever other week for a couple of years, she was divorced with 3 kids and really needed the help. I knew it was him as my friend and I would pack up the boxes with him, so I knew the box that he used. He was like you can not tell anyone and I made a pinky swear promise. Which I have kept until today my Aunt now gone and we are all grown up so I think it's alright to share this, in this type of communication.

I can't see this kind of waste for any reason, law or tax break of whatever... With kids, families going hungry in America and all over the planet this is such a senseless waste...

Awww, love this story. Thanks for sharing!

 

[halfpintpeggy]

Our church has a food bank, and gets food from the local grocery stores all the time. When too much comes in just before the weekend, and there are perishable items that won't last through the next week, some of the surplus is put out for the congregation. We'll walk out to cases of over-ripe bananas, boxes and boxes of bread items, even sometimes K-cup pods (the food bank doesn't control what they get, and I guess that's not an item they give out). We will usually pick up a few of whatever is available. Most of the bread is past the date, but we get the most recent ones we can find and I bring it home and toss it in the freezer if we don't need it right away.

We also do mobile food pantries a couple of times a year, where we buy extra food for pennies on the pound, and have it delivered for a special event. The special events don't count toward a family's one-time visit per month, so many of the regular clients come to get extra food. Again, we have no control over what we get, it's whatever they have. There are often many dozens of eggs, but we have to go through every carton and get rid of any that are cracked and make complete dozens, so there's a lot of mixing and matching that goes on. Sometimes we'll get a huge crate of sweet potatoes or regular potatoes. There are always lots and lots of baked goods - cookies, cakes, cookie cakes, donuts. Boxed goods like cereal, canned goods of every variety. It's unreal at the amount of food that we give away, but I'm glad our local stores are able to donate it.

Wow, that's amazing! Just think of the difference you are making in so many lives. How wonderful that your local stores donate!

 

[LovesTimone]

Our church has a food bank, and gets food from the local grocery stores all the time. When too much comes in just before the weekend, and there are perishable items that won't last through the next week, some of the surplus is put out for the congregation. We'll walk out to cases of over-ripe bananas, boxes and boxes of bread items, even sometimes K-cup pods (the food bank doesn't control what they get, and I guess that's not an item they give out). We will usually pick up a few of whatever is available. Most of the bread is past the date, but we get the most recent ones we can find and I bring it home and toss it in the freezer if we don't need it right away.

We also do mobile food pantries a couple of times a year, where we buy extra food for pennies on the pound, and have it delivered for a special event. The special events don't count toward a family's one-time visit per month, so many of the regular clients come to get extra food. Again, we have no control over what we get, it's whatever they have. There are often many dozens of eggs, but we have to go through every carton and get rid of any that are cracked and make complete dozens, so there's a lot of mixing and matching that goes on. Sometimes we'll get a huge crate of sweet potatoes or regular potatoes. There are always lots and lots of baked goods - cookies, cakes, cookie cakes, donuts. Boxed goods like cereal, canned goods of every variety. It's unreal at the amount of food that we give away, but I'm glad our local stores are able to donate it.

Our church is involved with the local homeless shelter, and food bank. But we also have a private food pantry for church members and families, including the school families. Every week in the newsletter or bulletin, they put out request on what they are running low on, so you know what is needed. So I check on line what is needed and grab couple of extra's for the pantry. We are lucky a have several members than have huge gardens, and two families that have groves, so lots of fresh seasonal produce. We just put out a table next to the kitchen and by the end of all the services it's full. We are going to start cooking classes on how to stretch the budget and pantry, coupons, shopping tips, stocking the pantry, lots of 2 for one meals, Freezer meals, and basic staple meals. I have been asked to teach a couple of classes, so.... I am excited but nervous.

 

[whitney250]

Not food related, but I recently saw a video about women dumpster diving in Ulta, Sephora and Bath & Body Works dumpsters and finding brand new, untouched, high-end makeup and skin care. I'm talking $60 eyeshadow pallets, brand new bottles of foundation, full bottles of lotion and perfume. Apparently these beauty store have to throw away anything that is returned, whether it's been opened or not. Ulta and Sephora have caught on, and have started ruining the products before tossing them... such a waste, the product could be donated to women's shelters.

 

[kstgelais4]

I have never dumpster dove for food, but just this last week I pulled a brand new mirror from the homegoods dumpster. You'd be amazed at what stores throw away. It's disgusting and makes me question our throw away society mentality.

 

[QueenIsabella]

Our church is involved with the local homeless shelter, and food bank. But we also have a private food pantry for church members and families, including the school families. Every week in the newsletter or bulletin, they put out request on what they are running low on, so you know what is needed. So I check on line what is needed and grab couple of extra's for the pantry. We are lucky a have several members than have huge gardens, and two families that have groves, so lots of fresh seasonal produce. We just put out a table next to the kitchen and by the end of all the services it's full. We are going to start cooking classes on how to stretch the budget and pantry, coupons, shopping tips, stocking the pantry, lots of 2 for one meals, Freezer meals, and basic staple meals. I have been asked to teach a couple of classes, so.... I am excited but nervous.

That's so wonderful that your church does this--truly a "hand-up" versus a handout. It makes me wonder if the poor would be better served if the government just got out of the way and let volunteers pitch in. That'll never happen, of course, but the whole community comes together and benefits under the system your church has.

 

[LovesTimone]

That's so wonderful that your church does this--truly a "hand-up" versus a handout. It makes me wonder if the poor would be better served if the government just got out of the way and let volunteers pitch in. That'll never happen, of course, but the whole community comes together and benefits under the system your church has.

I agree a hand-up versus a hand out, a couple of years ago we started adding in baby items, such as diapers, wipes, formula, baby food, We also have a box for dish towels, pot holders, and oven mitts. I cleaned out my linen closet right before the holidays and had a pile of mismatched items and some tablecloth's, a lot were holiday themed, the lady that is in charge of the pantry said this will be gone quickly. Our church sets appointments so that its one on one, this way no-one feels uncomfortable.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

That's so wonderful that your church does this--truly a "hand-up" versus a handout. It makes me wonder if the poor would be better served if the government just got out of the way and let volunteers pitch in. That'll never happen, of course, but the whole community comes together and benefits under the system your church has.

A hundred years ago, we had that. People starved to death.

 

[MinnieSweetheart]

A hundred years ago, we had that. People starved to death.

Yes, this is said by people who don't know how much non-profits depend on government grants. Also the fact that marginalized populations are rarely served.

 

[QueenIsabella]

Yes, this is said by people who don't know how much non-profits depend on government grants. Also the fact that marginalized populations are rarely served.

Also, at the local level, like LovesTimone's church, they know the people, and can really target a need. The government treats every poor/needy person exactly the same. A local entity actually knows the people--they know that Joe is poor because he's lazy and drinks too much, and Steve is poor because he never really recovered from that accident, and can't work full-time. Or that Mary's son hit a growth spurt and needs new pants, and Jane's arthritis makes it difficult to open cans. In my experience, rural areas are much better at doing this kind of charity, because they know the government isn't going to help their own the way they could.

We have a friend who used to raise hogs. Every week, he went to the local bakery and filled the back of his pick-up with free, day-old bakery products--officially to be fed to the hogs, but there was plenty of good stuff in there, too. He had a route that he would drive, including us, and let each family take what they could use that week, and then the rest would actually go to the hogs. Well, he had a neighbor fall on real hard times, so he butchered a hog for them, and loaded them up on the free bakery items. He said, at least they weren't going to starve.

 

[kymom99]

That's so wonderful that your church does this--truly a "hand-up" versus a handout. It makes me wonder if the poor would be better served if the government just got out of the way and let volunteers pitch in. That'll never happen, of course, but the whole community comes together and benefits under the system your church has.

THATS the way many people believe it should be. not the govts place but the churches place to take care of the needy

 

[Lily & Giny's Mom]

I would think the items disposed of could be tallied and counted as a loss, So when doing the books that amount would be subtracted from the profits. The store would pay less tax as the profits reported are less, If you think about it from the corporations point of view it makes perfect sense. It does stink that it can not be donated.

 

[EveDallas]

THATS the way many people believe it should be. not the govts place but the churches place to take care of the needy

So if a poor person isn't religious and doesn't attend church, then what?

 

[QueenIsabella]

So if a poor person isn't religious and doesn't attend church, then what?

At least in my small, rural community, church attendance wasn't a requirement for providing help. The help came through the churches mostly because they were places of a gathering of a lot of charitable-minded people. There aren't a ton of rural organizations--churches are one type, and most people who attend think the community benefits from treating all its members nicely. Our community held a charity drive every Christmas, collecting food and donations. The church organized it, put together all the boxes, and then volunteers from the fire department delivered them. No compulsory church attendance required.