Food Waste/Food Insecurity

[Burque]

http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/a-third-of-food-in-the-us-is-never-eaten/ar-BBBeyZ3


What are some ways we can fight food waste?

Seems to me that we should be able to solve the food insecurity problem in North America today if we could solve the food waste problem.

 

[Hawkeye OG]

I will eat leftovers until they are green. I also only buy what I need and don't impulse shop. Make a list and stick to it. I think that is a problem with most Americans. Over-consumption. They make a trip to the store and buy hundreds of dollars worth of groceries because you 'can't pass up on a good sale' and then end up eating out half of the week while their food spoils or goes rotten. Americans as a whole are just careless and wasteful. I have no idea how you get the masses out of that mindset.

 

[number51]

I saw this show where they take all the Vegas buffet left overs and feed it to pigs. These pigs are eating prime rib and lobster tails, creating some charming motherfucking pigs. It all comes back to Sam Jackson.

 

[Crystallas]

Composting at home (assuming you have earth to work with) is really ideal. I've been composting for a while now, and just being in the habit will keep a person mindful of how they are using, storing, and wasting food. Also, worm farms (basically just a PVC/ABS pipe with perforation) take it another level, and speed composting up considerably.

 

[bearmick]

The answer is communism.

 

[Burque]

Composting at home (assuming you have earth to work with) is really ideal. I've been composting for a while now, and just being in the habit will keep a person mindful of how they are using, storing, and wasting food. Also, worm farms (basically just a PVC/ABS pipe with perforation) take it another level, and speed composting up considerably.

I have heard of using worms in correlation with a tilapia farm, and an indoor (Greenhouse) garden setup. I cannot remember the circle as it went, but basically you created a protein (Fish) and veggies while using little/no fertilizer and pretty much just water, sun, and soil.

 

[BearFanJohn]

Add to the problem of the huge fucking servings at so many restaurants. We always take stuff home. But sometimes that isn't an option and a lot of food gets wasted. A lot. Grocery stores have been hesitant or simply not allowed to donate out of date food but that could help food banks when the food is clearly still good; only a few days out of date.

 

[Burque]

Add to the problem of the huge fucking servings at so many restaurants. We always take stuff home. But sometimes that isn't an option and a lot of food gets wasted. A lot. Grocery stores have been hesitant or simply not allowed to donate out of date food but that could help food banks when the food is clearly still good; only a few days out of date.

There has been some laws placed that help indemnify companies that donate food from getting sued over food related sickness.

 

[DC]

Add to the problem of the huge fucking servings at so many restaurants. We always take stuff home. But sometimes that isn't an option and a lot of food gets wasted. A lot. Grocery stores have been hesitant or simply not allowed to donate out of date food but that could help food banks when the food is clearly still good; only a few days out of date.

Portions are too large everywhere.

 

[puckthefackers]

Pretty much the only food I toss is the stuff left on my 2 year olds plate that she played with instead of eating. And sometimes she gets that for leftovers. I started composting this spring and setup a 55 gallon rain barrel to help my little garden.

I am amazed/appalled that much food is thrown away. That's just crazy, obscene.

 

[Ares]

I am guilty of throwing away way more food than I should.... IMO part of the problem when shopping for groceries, at least for me, is that most stuff is one size fits all.... and that size is usually for a family.

Sometimes I want bacon/sausage and pancakes.... I might want to have it once every 4-6 months.... but you can't buy bacon for one meal or sausage for 1 meal or pancake mix for 1 meal.... for one person.... so I buy bacon/sausage and pancake mix and usually I will find a use for the bacon, but not the sausage so it might go bad.... the pancake mix might get used twice and then I gotta toss it by the next time I want pancakes.

Bread I try to make sure I kill, but often I just don't quite use a whole loaf before it goes bad on me.... idk why they don't have half loaves of everything, I know they are available in some instances, but not in the main brand wheat breads that I've seen.

I was really bad when I first moved into my house.... I've gotten alot better about not buying stuff I won't use, but I still wind up cleaning out my fridge of expired items every 6 months....

 

[Tjodalv]

My food is very secure. Stay the **** away!

 

[Crystallas]

I have heard of using worms in correlation with a tilapia farm, and an indoor (Greenhouse) garden setup. I cannot remember the circle as it went, but basically you created a protein (Fish) and veggies while using little/no fertilizer and pretty much just water, sun, and soil.

Aquaponics. I tried it for a year. It was one problem after another. If you plan around it, its a good system, I just don't have that kind of space.

 

[Xuder O'Clam]

This is kind of an aside. I live in a densely populated area, mostly apartments and condos, single dwelling or couples. I have talked to the manager at the Safeway here, and suggested they try selling half loaves of bread for $1.39 as well as full loaves for $1.99. I buy a loaf, and half of it goes moldy before I can eat it. He thought it was a dumb idea, so I go to an independent grocer now who does offer half loaves.

And Costco idiots who don't have families.

Composting is law here now. Even in apartments. It is against the law to put food scraps and such in the regular garbage.

 

[AussieBear]

ppl waste they lives slaving way for that almighty dolla... if they wanna waste food.. so be it.. they pay for garbage services too..let da garbage peeps deal wiff it..it they job.. use em up..

 

[AussieBear]

This is kind of an aside. I live in a densely populated area, mostly apartments and condos, single dwelling or couples. I have talked to the manager at the Safeway here, and suggested they try selling half loaves of bread for $1.39 as well as full loaves for $1.99. I buy a loaf, and half of it goes moldy before I can eat it. He thought it was a dumb idea, so I go to an independent grocer now who does offer half loaves.

And Costco idiots who don't have families.

Composting is law here now. Even in apartments. It is against the law to put food scraps and such in the regular garbage.

put sliced bread in da freezer... it works

 

[Xuder O'Clam]

put sliced bread in da freezer... it works

I find it dries it out a bit. Good for toast, but not so much for that fresh bread softness. I don't eat a lot of bread. I think half loaves for a bit more than half the cost of a full loaf is a good idea.

 

[AussieBear]

I find it dries it out a bit. Good for toast, but not so much for that fresh bread softness. I don't eat a lot of bread. I think half loaves for a bit more than half the cost of a full loaf is a good idea.

fair nough...

we go through stages with the sliced stuff.. some weeks we kill off a loaf in a couple of days.. other weeks the bag be a big petri dish of goodness.. i eat up good speacilty bread fairly quick, i never waste those loaves...

 

[number51]

This is kind of an aside. I live in a densely populated area, mostly apartments and condos, single dwelling or couples. I have talked to the manager at the Safeway here, and suggested they try selling half loaves of bread for $1.39 as well as full loaves for $1.99. I buy a loaf, and half of it goes moldy before I can eat it. He thought it was a dumb idea, so I go to an independent grocer now who does offer half loaves.

And Costco idiots who don't have families.

Composting is law here now. Even in apartments. It is against the law to put food scraps and such in the regular garbage.

Talking about selling half loaves of bread, Costco sells 2 loaves packaged together. I buy my bread somewhere else. I love Costco, I just avoid their super giant jumbo portions. If I want an Avocado I buy it at Jewel or Caputo's, if I'm making a giant bowl of Guac for a party I'll buy the 5 pack at Costco.

 

[Tater]

This is kind of an aside. I live in a densely populated area, mostly apartments and condos, single dwelling or couples. I have talked to the manager at the Safeway here, and suggested they try selling half loaves of bread for $1.39 as well as full loaves for $1.99. I buy a loaf, and half of it goes moldy before I can eat it. He thought it was a dumb idea, so I go to an independent grocer now who does offer half loaves.

And Costco idiots who don't have families.

Composting is law here now. Even in apartments. It is against the law to put food scraps and such in the regular garbage.

They sell half loaves at Walmart an sometimes Mieiers too, in the bakery section. Just bought a half loaf of pumpernickel, makes sandwiches much better, not good for toast though.
Also, if you live in a densely populated area, how can they expect people to compost? Condos/apartments have no yards.