Yes you read that right. This article is about the best places to dumpster dive for food. According to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations an estimated one third of food is wasted each year in the United States. There is almost as much food in dumpsters as there are in homes and restaurants. Enough off which to live.
Now you may be wondering why you need to go dumpster diving in the first place.
Firstly, because if there is a disaster you may need to scavenge for anything you can get. This source can be a great first start for a scavenger and one you can tap in case of a disaster.
Disclaimer, do make sure that you avoid meat and dairy products. They rot quickly and can get you very sick
Second, you may want to use old or spoiled for for composting in a garden.
Finally, you may be down on hard times and need a help me up to get you through tough times.
You can see for yourself how spoiled or wasted food can be quite beneficial. Therefore you need to know the best places to dumpster diving. Here are some you may like.
Your Own Home
This is probably the most obvious place to start. There is already a ton of wasted food in your own garbage. This can be a great way to acquire wasted or spoiled food to use again. Just imagine just how much food you actually waste on a daily basis and you will realize this isn’t so far fetched.
It is even better when you have sorted out your garbage into different sections. You can look for all the organics and sort through it to find out whether it can still be eaten or be used as compost.
You know those old fruits and vegetable you threw out a few weeks ago? Yea, you don’t need to throw them away the moment you see a dark spot on it.
Affluent Neighbourhoods
These neighbourhoods are great to search through as very interesting items can be found in general. The higher standard of living means they make more purchases as well as are less discerning.
This means sometimes they throw out still fresh produce and other tasty treats. Vegetables, pastries, bread and even candy can be thrown out sometimes. Whether you are looking for compost or food then dumpster diving in an affluent neighbourhood will reap a lot of rewards. Also unlike most other options in this list you can actually get something delicious.
Do make sure to do your search during daylight and not lurk about at night. Daytime is often the best time to dumpster dive here. We don’t want anyone calling the cops on you after all.
Retail Stores/Supermarkets
Sometimes these establishments may have produce that might not meet a certain standard but are edible. You can take advantage of this and get semi-fresh foods whenever it’s thrown out.
If they have a dumpster nearby you need to check to see what they have discarded. The may have discarded fruits, almost finished meals (only advisable if you’re desperate) and pastries that may have a mold spot or two.
These items are usually fresher than items found in other dumpsters as they are frequently emptied. Whatever you find in there is usually no more than a day old.
Bakeries
Dumpsters behind or around bakeries are usually pastry heaven. If you want an occasional sweet treat then this is it. Flour, pastry batter and even imperfect pastries are some of the things you may find. These foods don’t spoil as easily as most other foods and are calorie rich
Bakeries are one of the best places to go dumpster diving. Just make sure you aren’t dumpster diving by trespassing on their premises.
College Dorms
This is a great place as well to take a dive into a dumpster. The aren’t dumpster heaven but you can probably find some thrown away stuff to eat or maybe just compost if you’ld like.
However the jewel of this dumpster diving locale is that you may find novel items. Do not be surprised if you were to find alcohol flasks, partially finished beer, sports drinks and even partially drunk water bottles. These items will rarely be found in the retail locale as they have good shelf life but will be more likely found in this area.
Conclusion:
Dumpster diving can be great if you are desperate for food, thinking about the worst case scenario or want some compost material. Simply make sure to follow the rules of dumpster diving and not to lurk. Leave the area cleaner then you left it when you dumpster dive.
This is the list that shows you how much options you have to dumpster dive. I have nothing more to say so go on and dive in dumpster nirvana and try to take some health precautions
