Dumpster diver in disbelief over discovery in trash behind grocery store: 'It should really be illegal'

A dumpster diver finally took the plunge and went into the bin near their local grocery store, where they discovered an enormous amount of perfectly edible food.

In the r/DumpsterDiving subreddit, the OP shared photos of their find, explaining they had a spotter help them when the garbage truck pulled up.

"Only had 5 minutes so I just grabbed what we needed, and extras for Easter guests," they wrote in the caption, showing the white potatoes, organic baby tomatoes, boiled peanuts, pomegranate juice, baby bella mushrooms, apples, and "gorgeous" peppers. 

Food waste is a major issue in the U.S., with 92 billion pounds of food being thrown away annually, according to Feeding America, the equivalent of 145 million meals. That also means people are wasting money, tossing out $473 billion worth of food every year. 

All that waste is bad for the environment, too. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, food waste is the "single most common material landfilled and incinerated in the U.S." The agency also reported that 85% of air pollution from food waste in landfills comes before it ever hits the trash, through production, transport, processing, and distribution.

Dumpster diving can be a way to save money on your own grocery bill and reduce food waste. While legal in all 50 states, be sure to still check your city's and state's local ordinances for any trespassing laws that may limit where you can search.

Redditors in the comments were appalled by the waste. 

"It should really be illegal for companies to throw away perfectly good food," one commenter wrote. 

The OP acknowledged it was frustrating, but it is often a legal issue. "But I think that's why employees bag 'em up nice 'n' neat, knowing people are diving, at our own risk," they said.

There are some organizations that work to cut down on this type of waste, like Too Good To Go, which connects customers to restaurants and grocery stores with excess food about to be tossed and offers it at a discount. 

"Nice saves from the landfill!!" another congratulated, and the OP added it was a good save on their "tight grocery budget."

Should grocery stores donate food that's past its sell-by date? Yes — as long as it's not bad 🤢 Yes — but only certain foods 🥫 Only if it doesn't cost the store 💸 No — it could lead to problems 👎 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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