Dumpster-diver stunned after checking trash during college move-out: 'Why... would anyone throw this away?'

As the school year wraps up, some college campuses are becoming unexpected sources of free food — not in dining halls, but in dumpsters.

One Redditor shared a photo in the r/DumpsterDiving subreddit of their latest haul from a local state school, showing just how much unopened food gets tossed during end-of-year move-outs.

The image shows a sprawl of items: Nutella jars, Pringles, boxes of Rice Krispies Treats, boxed mac and cheese, and more, all pulled from campus dumpsters.

"This whole spread came from just this evening," they captioned the post. "Sure, it's mostly junk food, but it's free, and it will seriously help my budget. And I feel like I'm doing the planet a favor by salvaging this stuff."

The original poster's haul definitely raised some eyebrows.

"So wasteful," said one commenter. "Why the hell would anyone throw this away?"

Another shared a similar situation from a campus near them: "Last night I found so many new boxes of expensive protein bars, peanuts, granola bars, chips, all in one dumpster. … Prob easily over $100 worth of stuff. It's crazy to me the waste."

While this kind of waste may seem surprising, it's quite common. Many students rush to pack up during finals week, often tossing unopened items to save time or space.

It's part of a larger pattern of campus waste that you see across the country each May. And for those willing to do a little digging, it can be an opportunity to save money and stop perfectly usable goods from ending up in landfills.

Roughly 30% to 40% of the food supply in the U.S. goes to waste, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. When food ends up in landfills, it breaks down and releases methane, a powerful heat-trapping gas that contributes to rising global temperatures.

What's your biggest motivation in trying to reduce your personal food waste? Saving money 💰 Helping the planet 🌎 Not being a wasteful person 😇 I don't think about reducing food waste 🤷 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Saving even a portion of this food can help reduce unnecessary emissions tied to its production, transportation, and trash disposal.

Some universities are starting to take action to help with this waste issue.

"My local University at least does a good thing by offering to take unopened food for a food pantry that serves the college students," commented one user. "They also have a free clothing closet."

For those looking to try dumpster diving, seasoned practitioners recommend wearing gloves when sorting and focusing on sealed, nonperishable items.

But if you want to stay out of the trash bins, there are also options like local Buy Nothing groups or campus swap events, with these small steps still helping to keep usable goods out of the garbage.

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