Just because something ends up in the trash, it doesn't always mean that it is trash.
One TikTok user (@dumpsterdivingmama) recorded a video of her impressive haul from one of her recent dumpster dives at the food warehouse.
@dumpsterdivingmama NO ONE SHOULD EVER GO HUNGRY. THE AMOUNT OF FOOD I FIND IS INSANE! #DUMPSTERDIVER #DUMPSTERDIVING #dumpsterdivingmama ♬ original sound - ᴅᴜᴍᴘꜱᴛᴇʀᴅɪᴠɪɴɢᴍᴀᴍᴀ
"THE AMOUNT OF FOOD I FIND IS INSANE!" she wrote in the video's caption. Her video shows a first-person point of view of her digging through some recently tossed boxes in the dumpster.
She pulls out boxes and bags of gluten-free cereal, taco bowl kits, tortilla chips, turkey meat sticks, candy, chocolate, noodles, and other foods.
"These look like they were orders that just weren't delivered," the OP said in her video, pulling out what looks like a packing slip from one of the boxes.
As she continues to dive, she fills her back seat up with more nonperishable foods — all still before the expiration date labeled on the food's packaging.
One commenter noted, "Most aren't actual expiration dates, they are best before." The commenter explained that the food is still safe to consume even past the date — unless the food looks or smells funny — and that the food just won't be as nutritious or fresh as before the labeled date, so it might be a bit stale.
In a past dumpster diving haul, the same TikTok user found bags of freshly baked baguettes, cookies, and pastries in the dumpster of her local Panera.
A recent dumpster diver found cases of unopened snacks like Pop-Tarts and Hot Tamales, as well as household necessities like rolls of unopened paper towels and baby wipes.
All trash that is thrown in the dumpster is taken to landfill sites, which fill up quickly with how much waste we throw out every day.
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
|
What is the biggest reason you don't grow food at home? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Not enough time ⏳ In a time when global food prices and energy prices are on the rise, consumers are feeling the strain of a more expensive cost of living.
These frequent dumpster dive hauls show how prevalent food waste is, and just how much nonperishable food and household necessities one may be able to find on a dumpster dive trip.
However, take an abundance of caution when it comes to retrieving food from the dumpster — nonperishable foods are much safer to take home, and use your best judgment for other food items. Bring gloves, tools to help you reach and sort through the trash, and hand sanitizer for hygiene.
More and more, people are finding ways to do more with less to reduce their monthly expenses. And while the biggest way to do that may be a big decision, solar panels can really take it to the next level. After about seven years, homeowners will see significant reductions or even eliminations of their monthly energy bills, often saving $100,000 over the lifetime of their panels.
EnergySage has a free tool to help homeowners compare quotes from local solar installers and can help to navigate tax incentives for homeowners in the neighborhood of $10,000 on solar installations. If you want to go solar without the upfront investment, Palmetto's LightReach program lets you lock in long-term energy savings by leasing panels instead of buying them, too.
With both options available, it's almost a no-brainer, but any smaller ways of reducing waste and saving money are nonetheless worthwhile, which is why it's great to see examples of people salvaging food like this TikToker.
"This is so sad when they can just donate it to a food pantry," one commenter wrote under the OP's video.
"That's an amazing haul!" another user commented.
"Girl in this economy … yassss," a third commenter said.
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
