An excited Aldi shopper secured some great deals — behind the store.
The dumpster diver posted a picture of their haul to Reddit, and it's honestly jaw-dropping.
The photo shows a cantaloupe, two boxes of graham crackers, three bags of bagels, four containers of salsa, a dozen eggs, a 20-pack of Cheez-Its, Twizzlers, and more.
"Just pulled all this out of the Aldi dumpster!" the original poster declared.
If you've never been dumpster diving, this may seem a little weird. However, much of the food thrown out by grocery stores isn't actually rotten.
Food waste is a huge problem. In the United States alone, it's estimated that up to 40% of the country's food supply is wasted, per the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
A good chunk of that statistic is from grocery retailers, like Aldi, that regularly toss perfectly edible food into dumpsters. In 2023, these stores had nearly 5 million tons of surplus food, 35% of which was landfilled or incinerated, according to a ReFed case study.
It's not good for the environment, either. The USDA reported that food waste generates methane, which pollutes the air and traps heat in the atmosphere.
Dumpster diving can provide a neat solution to both environmental and economic issues. You'd be surprised at just how much cool (and free) stuff you can find in dumpsters.
For example, one diver found a perfectly functional mini e-bike, while another scored a full patio set. Plus, it's legal in all 50 states.
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Giving me money back 💰 The OP did stir up some controversy, however. Some commenters took issue with their naming Aldi, out of fear that the franchise would start locking dumpsters.
"I've never seen so many companies start locking dumpsters as I have the past few years when people started posting hauls outside dumpsters," one user noted.
Ultimately, that is the fault of corporations. However, if you decide to participate, it may be something to keep in mind.
Other commenters were more supportive. "Congratulations on your marvelous haul!" another user said.
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