A rarely discussed issue - TONS of discarded food by restaurants and grocery stores

[Dover]

With food pantries desperate for food to feed a growing population of hungry citizens,
the food industry continues its INSANE practice of tossing out tons and tons of slightly dated
or prepared foods. Are there any groups tackling this issue?

I was having the local grocery store butcher slice up some deli meat for me the other day. The meat he was cutting from was nearing the end and with about three inches of meat left he tossed it out and opened a brand new slab. I'm staring at this large chunk of meat in the garbage and I asked him why he would throw out nearly a pound of perfectly good meat?! And why not take those and other leftover deli meats/cheeses, etc. to the local food pantry which was in crisis for lack of inventory? He told me they used to do that but the store had changed its policy due to fears of lawsuits. He said he couldn't even give it to a dog.
Same story with the fresh produce and recently expired items.

Maybe some of you caught the PBS program about restaurant buffets. The waste goes to places like pig farms, but still....it's TONS AND TONS of waste.

THIS IS CRAZY!
And all of this waste just adds to space issues confronting our landfills.

So what can be done to make this ass-backward system not just more sustainable but a smart solution to issues of hunger?

[joshcryer]

1. Whoa, hey Dover. :) Awesome post, will try to find the PBS show.

[Cleita]

2. I thought it was still legal to donate food that isn't eaten to

homeless shelters. When did that change? I don't understand their thinking. If they could get a lawsuit from a chunk of deli meat that they gave to someone, wouldn't they be just as liable for the same chunk of meat that is sold? It makes no sense.

[Dover]

3. Exactly! It makes NO sense!

I hope everyone will talk to their local grocery store and restaurants and just ASK them what they
do with leftover, unused, slightly dated food. I think you'll be shocked.

[joshcryer]

4. A lot of groups have pushed for by-state legislation to allow food to be shared.

I know 7-11 mandates that food goes to shelters in states where they have protection from being sued.

It's not widespread yet though.

[donco6]

5. Protect them from lawsuits and they might do it.

I run 17 food service programs and we can't give away ANYTHING under federal guidelines.

[Dover]

6. How about lobbying for change at the local and federal level?

Ordinarily the food industry lobbys for laws that would enhance their own profitability. But what about lobbying for changes that would contribute to the greater good of the communities they serve?

And perhaps food pantry and other organizations could join forces with them.

I think the grocery store/restaurant that spearheads a forward-thinking move to change the defunct current model of waste WOULD profit from the good will and p.r. they'd receive.

[Warpy]

7. Some call soup kitchens to pick the stuff up

but there are only so many soup kitchens with so many vans out there so yes, an astonishing amount of food gets wasted.

I never did dumpster diving for food and would recommend both careful cleaning and recooking of any items found in dumpsters. I have, however, furnished more than one Boston apartment out of castoffs I found on the street on trash day. I keep one lamp I found and rewired just to remind myself what a step up thrift shop furniture is.

Still, I knew people who gleaned back in the 60s and 70s who did quite well with it. As long as you're not particular and follow reasonable safety precautions, you should be fine.

Oh, and stay away from Officer Friendly. He tends to take a dim view of it.

[Cleita]

9. I furnished a few apartments in my early twenties with castoffs I found in the

alleys before trash pickup day. I had a friend who picked up stuff, painted and fixed it and then held yards sales, making money from it.

[bemildred]

8. Consumer capitalism is built on waste, requires waste, plans for waste. nt

[Cleita]

10. I often wondered if there would be enterprise in mining our land fills for

trash that could be recycled, sanitized and then sold as raw material for further manufacture.

[bemildred]

11. Not enough profit.

Only when the "more cheap flashy crap now" economy is over will we start doing things because they make sense.

[Dover]

13. Our landfill does that with some materials. It gives away 'glass mulch' for instance,

which are broken glass shards that have been tumbled.

I think that's a great idea, though I'm not sure how its paid for, etc.

[Cleita]

14. I thought maybe it would be a way for people to start cooperatives,

companies owned by the employees, where people come together and pool their resources to start something. It would be an undertaking that would require some expertise in setting up a business structure, warehouses, people to sell the finished raw product to, etc.. I thought if you could sort metal from plastic, from glass, from wood, etc. and did something useable with it, it could be a start.

[Dover]

12. Could grocery stores or restaurants create their OWN soup kitchens?

In Texas for instance - how about the H.E.B. or Central Market Soup Kitchen?

That way they can seamlessly transfer food from store to soup kitchen/pantry and
be able to oversee quality control and safety? The kitchens would be exempt from
certain lawsuits, would have non-profit status, etc. Perhaps the government could
also create other incentives.

THEIR name would be on it.

[XemaSab]

15. At the very least it should be composted

The thought of good compost feed going to the landfill makes me sad. :(

[FreeState]

16. Not to mention the amount of food tossed out by households

I often wish there was a way to donate baked goods etc to the pantries (often I bake more than I need because most recipes arnt for two people. etc)

[mopinko]

17. we don't do that here in chicago

at least, we try not to. these guys are hugely successful at what they do, although i think they do do more with the food manufacturers than the retailers. but a lot of the chains work with them.
http://www.chicagosfoodbank.org/site/PageServer

[Dover]

21. YES! YES! YES! Thanks for that link. That's what I'm talking about...

Hope everyone will read about this successful organization, print this out and take it to your food pantries, grocery store management, restaurants, etc., find out what their issues are that prevent participation in something like this and see what can be done to change it.

--------------------------------------------------


Hundreds of Chicagoland companies are saving money and eliminating waste by donating their surplus and imperfect, yet edible, products to the Food Depository. Last year, this effort represented over 46 million pounds of food or enough to feed nearly 500,000 hungry men, women and children in our community. A study completed by the United States Department of Agriculture in 1997 highlights the level of food waste throughout the country at more than 96 billion pounds, proving there is more food available for donation.

Donations of items due to surplus production, discontinuation, imperfect or underweight packaging, quality control and approaching expiration dates offer nutritious food to those in need while providing cost-savings in warehousing and disposal charges for food that otherwise would end up in a landfill. The Food Depository is equipped to accept donations of dry, refrigerated and frozen products. We also accept non-food, personal care items such as shampoo and toothpaste, along with household items like paper goods and cleaning supplies. We'll even pick up the donation, saving the donating company's transportation expenses.

Food Rescue
Perishable, prepared foods from grocers, restaurants and caterers are picked up in the morning by our Food Rescue drivers, who are certified in food handling and safety. The items are immediately delivered to a soup kitchen or shelter that can incorporate the donation into its food distribution program. In fiscal year 2007, Food Rescue saved more than 5.3 million pounds of food from going to waste. That's the equivalent of more than 3.9 million meals to Cook County's hungry.

In 2006, food shows donated more than 206,000 pounds of high-quality meats, produce and frozen foods to the Food Depository. The Food Depository has been a longtime partner in the food show effort with Freeman Exposition Services, GES Exposition Services and Teamsters Local 714. Volunteers are
essential to the success of food show food rescue. Individuals interested in volunteering their time are encouraged to contact Volunteer Services.

General Information
Food donations are tax deductible and not just for C corportations. Under the new Food Provision in the Pension Act of 2006 (P.L. 109-280, Section 1202) tax benefits have been extend to small businesses, farmers, ranchers and restaurateurs. All donor companies are protected from liability under the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donor Act of 1996 and the Illinois Good Samaritan Act, which was established in 1981. Donating to those in need also demonstrates a company's commitment to giving back to the community.

For more information on how you can make a food donation, contact Food Resources at 773-843-2656.

http://www.chicagosfoodbank.org/site/PageServer?pagename=diff_food


And from their ADVOCACY page some great information:


Take action now
Our Advocacy Center makes it easy to contact your elected officials. Just choose an Action Alert below to get started.


Urge state legislators to support a statewide response to hunger
To meet the rising need for food, Feeding Illinois estimates that an additional 27 million pounds of food will be needed in FY11. Please contact your state legislators TODAY and urge them to support a statewide response to hunger!
New study indicates increased need in Chicago
Results from Hunger in America 2010 indicate that each year 678,000 people rely on emergency food provided by the Food Depository and our member agencies. Take action today by urging your elected officials to support funding for hunger relief programs!
Urge Congress to End Child Hunger!
Never before has funding for child nutrition programs been so critical. Please urge the Administration and Congress to make changes that will strengthen and increase access to child nutrition programs.

Advocacy Resources
City of Chicago: Find information about the Mayor, City Council, and city departments.

Civic Footprint: A Web site to help Cook County residents and organizations contact their representatives about the issues that impact their lives.

Congress.org: Identify and contact elected officials in Congress, the White House, and state legislatures.

Illinois General Assembly: Find contact information for your Illinois State legislators and look up legislation proposed in the Illinois General Assembly.

Hunger 101: Find out how your neighbors live with the threat of hunger.


http://www.chicagosfoodbank.org/site/PageServer?pagename=diff_advocate

[mopinko]

22. they are great, and they have a lot of support.

they do a great job of pr, and they have a lot supporters.
but i repeat that a lot of their donations are from food producers and manufacturers, it is less the restaurants and groceries. i know that they get cereal in big drums that they break down into ziploc bags for the pantries. although i think that 'let us entertain you', a local restaurant chain is one of their big supporters.
the need here in the big city is huge, but we do our best.

[OKIsItJustMe]

18. Feeding America - Second Harvest

http://feedingamerica.org/

[stuntcat]

19. that's why we don't eat out

except if we have to, like being social sometimes. I've heard of people who take the food that's thrown out, I love that!!

Meanwhile 40,000 people starve to death each day.. not many are Americans of course :)

[Cleita]

20. Whenever, I eat out, not very often, but when I have to with family, it's

always too much for me, but I take everything I don't eat home and eat it for lunch the next day. I was always raised not to waste food. There were all those starving war orphans that our parents never failed to remind us of. :-)