"Freegans"

[sunniekiss]

Ok I understand dumpster diving & reusing durable items.

I was watching a show on TV Sunday night about people who dumpster dive for food. They take all kinds of food out of dumpsters to eat including meat. They said they wash the food in a bleach wash but can you really wash meat that way? I would be too worried about getting food posioning; I mean mice & rats do live in dumpsters.

Would anyone here eat food from a dumpster?

[pepperpot]

no.

[mabby89]

Hell to da NO.

[dv8grl]

http://www.bigbigforums.com/news-information/633420-you-freegan-would-you-like.html

[Urban Cowgirl]

Gross...no way! I won't even food out of certain people's kitchens!

[sunniekiss]

http://www.bigbigforums.com/news-information/633420-you-freegan-would-you-like.html

ME...oh H#LL NO WAY! I skeive if I think I accidently threw something in my own garbage & I won't go through it.

I read that link, OMG finding gallons of milk in a dumpster & taking them. My son works at a grocery store & they will reduce produce to a really low price if it is getting close to the expiration date. They sell bags of Dole salads for a quarter. He did say there are people who go through their dumpster searching for food & there are vermin living in that dumpster. He said it has gotten to the point where if the Coke guy has to take bottle off the shelf, they have to open up the bottles & dump some of it out but people still take the bottles.

[loris520]

Hell no!

[Aloha from paradise]

Not in this lifetime! I couldn't believe they ate the meat! Yuck!!!

[jasmine]

I know a couple that takes the all the produce out of our local grocery trash out back to feed there rabbits and pot belly pigs with.

Someone advertised one time on my local craigslist that they have "scored" really well with aldi's trash. I guess they throw out cans that get bent, boxes etc... produce and packages that are expired, but could still be used.

Some people also watch, wait, and see when someone throws something out so they can hurry and grab it. I remember one time there was a gas station near me, and they had a blue bell ice cream display, I guess with about 3-4 good size freezer doors/shelves worth. It wasn't selling well, so they decided to discontinue selling that product in there store, they were throwing TONS of ice cream, still sealed perfect ice cream out in there back dumpster, I was like, OMG, are you serious. So I talked to the owner, and grabbed like 8 of them before they were all thrown out LOL, I would have grabbed more if I had more room....

[Urban Cowgirl]

I know a couple that takes the all the produce out of our local grocery trash out back to feed there rabbits and pot belly pigs with.

Someone advertised one time on my local craigslist that they have "scored" really well with aldi's trash. I guess they throw out cans that get bent, boxes etc... produce and packages that are expired, but could still be used.

Some people also watch, wait, and see when someone throws something out so they can hurry and grab it. I remember one time there was a gas station near me, and they had a blue bell ice cream display, I guess with about 3-4 good size freezer doors/shelves worth. It wasn't selling well, so they decided to discontinue selling that product in there store, they were throwing TONS of ice cream, still sealed perfect ice cream out in there back dumpster, I was like, OMG, are you serious. So I talked to the owner, and grabbed like 8 of them before they were all thrown out LOL, I would have grabbed more if I had more room....


Here or local foodbank takes food items that just expired (yogurt and stuff) that they can no longer give to people...well they call local farmers for "pig slop". It really helps the farmers out and its not spoiled or hurting the animals at all!

[cabby92]

I needed boxes one time and the store told me they were in the dumpster but there was nothing else put in that dumpster but empty boxes. I dug them out but it made me crazy. No way I could dig in a regular dumpster, much less eat what I found.

[iluvmybaby]

OMG gag thats disgusting

[dinosmom]

Hell freaking NO could I eat anything that was in a dumpster. Good or not, bagged and sealed or not. BLECH just the thought makes me want to hurl.

[baragabrat]

Well, if I didn't have anything else to eat and no means with which to get something to eat I would, but otherwise, to save money on my grocery bill, it's a bit extreme. So the answer is nope!

[fleabones3]

I knew a old guy that would go to stores and they would let him get their " old" stuff before they threw it out.. such as produce that was still good, but not " ripe" to sell, day old bread, bent cans, etc. He didn't dig in the dumpsters but its still the same thing. A lot of bakerys will bag their stuff separate so dumpster divers can get the food without the trash.
Personally, I wouldn't eat it unless I had no choice, but I can see why some people do it. We really do throw away a lot of food that isn't " bad", and a lot of non food items. To each their own I guess. They aren't forcing me to eat it, and if they think them doing it helps our planet, good for them.

[BeanieLuvR]

No, I wouldn't. I will buy reduced baked goods at the store or reduced produce. The thought of what else could have been in the dumpster is enough to keep me out. I would be too afraid of getting sick. Not knowing how long it had been there and what it could have come in to contact with.

[MistyWolf]

Hell no!!!!!!!!!

[jasmine]

There's a video here to watch on her "adventure" out one night going dumpster diving.
I can't watch it since I don't have speed dial, but thought it would prob. be interesting...



http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/15/ride-along-on-a-freegan-dumpster-diving-and-save-some-cash/?icid=main|htmlws-main-n|dl3|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.walletpop.com%2Fblog% 2F2010%2F03%2F15%2Fride-along-on-a-freegan-dumpster-diving-and-save-some-cash%2F

Ride along on a freegan Dumpster dive and save some cash
Julia Scott
Mar 15th 2010 at 5:15PM MoreText SizeAAAFiled under: Bargain Babe

Who wants to cut their grocery bill? Me, me, me!



I took the extreme step of tagging along with dumpster diver Allison Burtch, who teased me with stories of delicious free food. Allison hasn't paid a dime for groceries in six months so I couldn't say no to joining her on her nightly rounds. What I experienced changed my whole perspective on food.

[justme23]

One should never say never. We never really know where our next meal will come from... that being said, I do hope I don't have to go to this extreme during my life time.

[sunniekiss]

Aren't there places you can go to get a free meal like the Salvation Army? I wouldn't want to even imagin what types of illnesses you can get from rumaging through a dumpster that has food in it. Food posioning coems to mind first.

[janelle]

My sister volunteers to pick up the day old food at supermarkets in her city and takes it to the food banks and care homes, etc that can use it. She fills up her whole van with bakery goods, bread, cakes, pies and also diary products. So much food some need to turn her away because their pantry is overflowing. She has to find new places to take it. She was told to keep what she wants so she has taken sugar free pies from Tippens since she has diabetes and also bread and what she can use.

This food has not been in the trash. I would not trust that food since it may be contaminated. Maybe if I was desperate.

They are told not to bring in meat since the people will fight over it. I don't know who picks it up but I am sure they take it right to the place that makes it up into sandwiches, etc for meals to feed the poor.

[cathych]

well, who doesn't get the discountinued stuff and the stuff with expiration dates on them at the grocery store to save a dollar? That is entirely different than going thru the trash. There is a reason it is called trash. Like the OP said, there is all kinds of vermin that live in dumpsters. I imagine if I were starving, yes, I would do it. But not if I could help it.

[gmyers]

And fly larvae too. Oh man thinking about it grosses me out big time.

[diana_circe]

We watched a show that showed people doing that. I know the people they showed were in what sounded like England. I sure wouldn't eat anything out of the dumpster.