When food reaches its expiration date, businesses are no longer able to sell it.
Most of it does not magically go bad on that date, though. And there are many actions people can take to make sure that these items don't go completely to waste. A dumpster diver showed off a major haul and spotlighted how much food we could be salvaging from retail establishments.
What's happening?
The thread in r/DumpsterDiving included photos showing an incredible array of snacks.
"Over $350 worth of snacks/coffee," said the original poster. "There is more we grabbed that isn't pictured and even more we had to leave behind. The dollar value is compared to our local Walmart's pricing but this was found at a drug store dumpster."
The photo shows dozens of packages of snacks and large canisters of Folgers coffee. There are Oreos, Fig Newtons, Keebler cookies, Hershey's chocolate bars, and other snacks.
"Bro. Why even shop for snacks when companies throw them away?" asked a commenter.
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"Exactly. We don't plan on paying for snacks ever again if we can help it," the OP replied.
According to the OP, all of the food was within one week of its expiration date. It is unclear whether that is one week before or one week after the date.
However, given that this is highly processed food in sealed packages, it's likely safe and fresh to eat as long as it's consumed soon.
Why is food waste important?
When food like this goes to waste, it means that people go hungry who could have enjoyed a snack.
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Absolutely 💯 It also drives up costs for shoppers. Stores increase the prices of their products to account for the amount that they know they will be unable to sell.
All the resources used to produce the food go to waste, and more food has to be produced to replace it. The same is true of the plastic packaging.
What can companies do about the waste?
Retail stores can't sell food that is past its expiration date. They can, however, discount food that is approaching that date, especially by using apps like Too Good To Go.
They can order less, so there is less total wastage. They can even donate items about to expire.
Anything that does expire can be recycled into animal feed, compost, or biofuel even if it isn't fit for human consumption.
What can I do about food waste?
Besides buying from discount apps to help reduce waste at your local stores, you can minimize the waste in your own kitchen. Shop smarter by planning out your meals in advance and taking a list of ingredients with you to the store. Grow what you can at home, and compost your scraps.
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