Comments on: Frugal Extremism: Dumpster Diving and Other Thrifty Food Tips

By: Sarah @ Mum In Bloom

Sun, 16 Aug 2009 01:07:41 +0000

I currently dumpster dive for magazines & coupons. I read the magazine’s then pass them along to friends or our adopted soldier in Iraq who passes it on to her troop. I’m thinking of leaving a bin by the recycle bin requesting they leave the magazine’s there to pay-it-forward & I’ll go pick it up. I also “censor” some magazines then donate them to my daughter’s school for arts & crafts.

I’ve been curious about dumpster diving since I saw an Oprah episode about it later year. Hmmmm..

By: motherhen68

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 17:57:00 +0000

One time I was shopping @ Sam’s. There was a huge pallet, stacked 5-10 pallets high full of food. At the time I was really strapped, so I asked what was going on with those pallets. They were going into the compacting dumpster. I was appalled. I asked the manager why didn’t they donate that food to the homeless shelter? Apparently the homeless shelter didn’t want it. Said it was a liability to accept food that would otherwise be thrown away.

I wouldn’t have turned it down. These companies who use the compacting dumpsters just to foil the dumpster divers kill me. What difference does it make to you, the store, if people want to pick thru your trash?? Food waste is shameful.

By: Carrie @ OrganicThrifty

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 04:47:00 +0000

Wow, great insights everyone! I am very intrigued by this, but like Heather, I have a hunch that TJ’s tries to do what they can to funnel the goods to good causes before the dumpster….I happen to know a guy who works at TJ’s so I’ll have to pick his brain as well! I’ll update when I know more…

By: Heather

Sun, 26 Apr 2009 13:59:00 +0000

Gosh, I’m surprised to hear that about TJ’s. I know that we have friend that gleans bread from them on a regular basis and shares with the homeschool group. The bread is all what cannot be donated to shelters (meaning they can’t use it at the time). I really think that TJ’s tries other avenues before sticking it in the garbage. At least I’d like to think so!
By the way, I love your blog, thank you!

By: Sara

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 13:19:00 +0000

We have actually been getting dumpster dived organic produce for about 6 weeks now. There is an organic produce resaler who throws out produce every week on the same day. A woman I know has been going to pick it up for a few years now and has permission from the company which is cool. This week I got a bag of apples, pears, a purple cabbage, celery, lemons, beets, potatoes and sweet potatoes. All organic,all for free. Our grocery bill has gone down considerably with this help and I feel really blessed. Each week is a different surprise load of veggies. Most of them are in great shape and the ones that aren’t can go in the trash or compost. It is definitely helpful for us at this time financially.

By: Anonymous

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 11:34:00 +0000

We never had to dumpster dive, but we had a friend who’d sneak us out food discarded from the grocery store where she worked. It was illegal for her to do that, and we discussed it at length before I accepted the donations. We’d receive nearly molded (but not yet) bread, dented (but not swollen) canned foods and vegetable trimmings. We lived on these foods for the better part of 7 months while my hubby was unemployed.

It wasn’t a high point for us dietarily, but we never went hungry.