Sad Produce

[joy]

I was chatting with the produce guy at a large grocery chain the other day, and asked if it would be possible to be notified when produce was just about to turn. It would then be unsellable to the public, but I would be glad to purchase it at a discount, I told him.

"I wish we could do it," he said, "but it's against the law for us to sell, or even donate old food." He proceeded to tell me how several years ago, a family sued when they got meat at a discount and became ill after eating it. Apparently, there are a number of non-profits who would love to receive expired food, but mad amounts of it get tossed instead. "Right into the dumpster," the produce man said, "My manager threatened to fire me if I ever sold it or gave it away, even to employees." I cringed.

Is this the case in your area? I'd heard of people purchasing discounted (expired) produce, and hope it isn't legally prohibited everywhere.

The ironic thing is that the frozen and preservative-laden junk in supermarkets will last forever...

[Apologies if this is posted under the wrong topic; I wasn't sure where to put it.]

[tracyinfo]

It must depend on the store. I often buy "older" produce. It still is nice, and I use it quickly.

I can understand where the issue of insurance and people suing the store comes in, though.

[Autumn]

I've actually known a husband and wife who used to go dumpster diving behind all the local supermarkets. Often whole cases of oranges, bananas, whatever, were just sitting on top of crates waiting to be disposed of for sometimes minor blemishes. I don't have the guts to try it, myself. LOL!! :p

[joy]

I've heard horror stories of McDonalds and other fast food chains dousing leftover food with toxic chemicals (bleach) to deter people from dumpster-diving....apparently this happened lots in the 70s and 80s.

I worked at a food bank where we received donations of produce from all over. That was years ago, however, and I'm disturbed to see how things have changed.

Tracy, I'm glad to hear that you can still purchase older produce; this is encouraging. :)

[VeganVixen]

YEAH ,the health food store I worked at had SO MUCH food that turned ,although it was small enough so I was allowed (under the table) to get ALOT of perfectly fine "expired" foods like almond milk ,soy milk,vitamins,tofu-rella cheese,veggie burgers ,seaweed ,granola ,enviro-kids cereal,spelt pasta,-I ate well for free.....and GOT PAID for working at a kick butt store!

[rawpriestess]

You can get it here in Washington state two ways,

1. you tell them you have animals you are feeding it to (I live in the country)
2. you know the owner of the place, and get it "under the table"

But,yes, there were so many people dumpster diving, that to keep people from suing, the stores had to dump bleach and liquid dish soap on the items or the transients would eat them, although I wish they could just give these people food, the store has to pay an outrageous amount in unsurance because of this practice, you know it only takes one lawsuit to change the entire world. Such a shame.

However, I have been able to purchase fresh basil twice in the last few weeks from a health food store, where the basil was turning dark and it was wilted, I got it for 1/2 price, and it worked great in the pesto stuffed mushrooms.

[Sharon in Colorado]

When I was couponer/rebater, I went on a dumpster diving trip with my friends in the back alleys of good 'ol Seal Beach. They called it Seal Beach Sunday, and some of the girls from the coupon club went on a weekly basis. We would hunt for those Sunday coupon inserts that people would leave on top of their trash (we never actually dug into the trash). Once I found a golf bag and gave it to my hubby. It was in good condition. I just went the one time, because it wasn't my thing, but that gives me an idea about Whole Foods. They also won't sell old produce, but maybe I'll check in the back next time I go there.

[joy]

Okay, last night I tried it.

My husband and I snuck around the back of the grocery, climbed up on the dumpster, and...

it was a huge machine that compacts everything and renders it uselesss! There was a shipment coming in at the same time, so we considered creeping into the loading area and seeing if any old produce was inside, but I think that's illegal.
So dumpster diving isn't a possibility at some supermarkets.

Next week, I'll try Whole Foods/Wild Oats. Really, I have no shame when it comes to these things... ;)

[Daisy]

Its sad that the expired produce can't just be set aside (outside) and let people take it. Couldn't they put up signs everywhere saying "not for human consumption", or "take at your own risk, we are not liable...", etc. just to cover their butts legally? It seems like such a waste not to let people take it.

[Revvell]

I don't know about Mickey D's and why they would throw food away yet, I use to work at a well-known restaurant chain and if the "wrong" pizza was delivered, they would toss it because there was concern that something had been done to it. Mickey D's sells so much I can't imagine them having "old" stuff to dump. Never heard of them dumping bleach on it.

I also know someone from this area who wrote an article about dumpster~diving. I'm hoping it's never necessary for me to have to do that although, I think folk can actually live quite well doing so.

Revvell

[Autumn]

What was really ironic about the couple I knew who dumpster-dived is that they could buy and sell most everyone I knew! Dumpster-diving was their life and their livelihood-they were junk and metal scrap dealers. :)

[haresmum]

Hmmmm....I have a friend who gets expired produce from Whole Foods here in Michigan. She is getting it for animals on a farm that is attached to a school for pregnant teens. The key must be saying it is for animals or maybe different laws here in MI but worth a shot.

Allison

[texy]

This reminds me of when I was in high school and I worked for scholzskys. They would throw away huge boxes of bread that were over a day old. I used to cringe everytime I saw them do it.

[VeggieGirl]

I asked my produce guy the same thing and he told me a similar story. They used to sell overripe bananas too, for like, 25 cents a pound or something. And of course one person asks for the overripe produce, gets sick, refuses to take responsibility for their own life, sues, and ruins it for the rest of us...lol...

Interestingly enough, he then said that they used to send food up to the Zoo (nearby) but it made the animals sick from all the pesticides! Some of the animals wouldn't even touch the food unless it was organic.

Then he went on to say "Yeah, Animals can smell the pesticides or something... I guess we humans just get used to it"...

Get USED to it??? That's one way of putting it ...lol... :rolleyes:

VeggieGirl

[Amethyst_Rain]

yeah, that really sucks...i was actually gonna ask my grocery store.too...but i'm guessing that it's the same story...i also know people that dumpster dive every day for produce and they always get lots of stuff...i am worried though that they spray it with stuff

[Rawism]

I had the exact same conversation with a worker in the produce dept. He told me that they stopped doing that because the HOMELESS were complaining that the food wasn't fresh. Hence, there are no selling or donating of "old" produce.

I think this really depends on the grocery store, but I am finding that is seems the bigger chains are staying away from selling old produce. If one grocer says no, there are probably two more who will say yes. Just keep asking.

[PixieGreen]

One of my favorite hobbies is dumpster diving and "curbing" [trash day curbside finds]. These are some of my dived items: ibm computer moniter, Lexmark fax/copier/ printer [came with full ink cartridges], my former espresso maker, chair massager, new wool sweaters, cordless phone, enough children's new mittens/ gloves/ scarves with tags to outfit a preschool class, a monitor for my friends digital movie editing, all of the work shirts for my friends work wardrobe [brand new], several books and cds, pottery, vintage fan, lamps, tv stand, my former microwave, vintage toaster and mixers, typewriter in orig box w/ manual and extra cartridge, all of the electrical and computer cords I will ever need, really neat vintage Christmas ornaments. If you want a fake Christmas tree wait until the summer when people clean out their garages, I pass by dozens of these every year.

People don't throw away garbage anymore. They throw away edible food when they go on a diet [ring any bells?], compostable veggies, tons of plastic and cardboard, and anything they don't have room for because they are busy buying more crap they don't need. he only shame is people don't separate the usable from their food trash when they take it to their curbs, often they ruin perfectly good items *after* they decide they don't want it any more.

Before I went raw I used to go to two places with bakeries, they threw away everything that hadn't sold that day [not to tempt anyone, but their portabella/ swiss croissants were to die for], organic whole grain bread, etc. Most food places throw away processed items we can't eat on a raw diet, like protein bars, potato chips, soda [I've found over 25 2 liters they threw away because pepsi co won't restock unless they empty their shelves], crackers, etc.

The best way to get produce is to say they are for your barnyard animals [chickens and pigs]. Make sure they don't try to give you trash from their deli/ meat section because your animals may not be able to digest them well [:)]. Pick through, there is so much good food thrown away every day. What you can't eat use for compost.

For those of you who would be grossed out by eating "trash" food, please remember where your food originally comes from. Good farmers coat our precious produce with horse manure. Our food lives in the same immediate neighborhood as worms and freaky bugs I couldn't identify. When the produce is picked it is simply rinsed off before packaged for our use. And that's a *good* thing! Don't get caught in the plastic food mentality

Christa

PS remember to give any food you might dive the sniff test. If they do spray their food with bleach you will be able to smell it. Don't get me started on how unethical it is to destroy edible food when *most* of the people who d-dive are very poor.

[organicorange]

Hi! I work in the produce section at a health food store. I am pretty new but from what I've heard is that the reason why we have stopped selling/giving away ok produce was because of one woman who would come in and just take the "garbage" produce and wouldn't buy anything. The boss had a problem with her only coming in asking for the "turned" fruit and then trying to convince him what produce was and wasn't turned. Like "Oh this banana's a bit too brown, can I take it?" when it was still sell-able. Hopefully you know what I mean. ;)

[anthony11]

I've actually known a husband and wife who used to go dumpster diving behind all the local supermarkets. Often whole cases of oranges, bananas, whatever, were just sitting on top of crates waiting to be disposed of for sometimes minor blemishes. I don't have the guts to try it, myself. LOL!! :p
At a recent raw potluck, there were several crates of produce, mostly organic, rescued from the dumpster at a local co-op. Some of it was a bit to old for my liking, but the strawberries were just perfect. It seemed that the co-op folks happen to set the stuff up and turn a blind eye so that the better of it can sometimes just disappear before being composted.

[Autumn]

Couldn't they put up signs everywhere saying "not for human consumption", or "take at your own risk, we are not liable...", etc. just to cover their butts legally? It seems like such a waste not to let people take it

It probably wouldn't stand up in court if there was a problem. Some smooth lawyer would claim his client couldn't read, the sign was obstructed by something, the sign fell down, etc. etc. etc.! Madness! :eek:

[anthony11]

I've been told that one reason why stores/restaurants don't donate to food banks / missions more is that finding someone reliable to pick it up and transport is is often difficult.

[SwishTN]

But, I had a discussion with one of our candy machine vendors at work asking him the same thing, since, it semed like SUCH a shame to throw stuff away,when there are people with signs that say "will work for food", or those who are truly hungry...
I had to laugh about what platinum saying that the homeless were complaining that it wasn't fresh. If it's okay for me, it should be okay for you, too. : )
And, I can see the point where some greedy prerson keeps coming in and outdating your food for you. But really, couldn't a person like that be kept off the premises?

I am trying to find a way to save some money on my new way of eating, so, any other ideas other than diving would be king...

I love how you and your husband both went diving, Joy! I want a man who will have a sense of adventure with me!!! Most guys would be like, huh!

Lauri

[VeganVixen]

how about growing your own produce and joining (or even starting) a co-op????


or if you wanted to work part time you could maybe get a discount???