I work with food, and we throw so much out!?

Question

I suggested we take it and give it to a shelter or something, and I was looked at like I had 3 heads; I was also told I could be fired.......what can I do about it? It's such a waste with babies going hungry. I'm not talking about rotton fruit, I'm talking about roast beef, turkey, cheeses. I work in a deli and it's beginning to bother me.

I just started there, but wasting food like that is just sick.

Answer 1

I did the same thing. Worked in a place with fresh, top notch fresh breads, salads and meats they threw away every night. Tried to take stuff to my local shelter..........
I was told there were legal reasons why we couldn't give the food away; something about being sued.......it was crazy, I felt it horrid to toss viable, good , fresh food out every night! I wasn't able to even take a thrown away salad home for dinner! . Happens all the time. How absurd is that?
They said it was something to do with getting sued.....?

Answer 2

I was working in New Zealand years ago and they have similar Draconian laws.

I had a contract to do some painting in a coffee bar and could only work in the early morning and late in the day.

With the leftovers I was able to take some home for the weekends meals when for other reasons I couldn't eat there .

The people were friends of mine the wife from the fact we had worked together in the past

Anyway I had been observed by a woman who one night asked me how I could get the leftovers free and she couldn't.

The woman told me she ran the city's Women's Refuge but couldn't understand how I could eat the leftovers on the premises or take things home when she couldn't .

I said I would look into it and the law was surprising.


Basically they had to sell the food or throw it away so at 1755 when the mall was about to close the Woman's Refuge manager came in just before every thing was consigned to the garbage bin, bought a few dollars worth at a price of only 10% and if she had containers with her she could "tidy up the salad bar etc"

The advantage to my friends was that they were not breaking the law they felt good themselves and a lot of battered women and children had some very good food for supper breakfast or lunch


My part in that was one of the high points of my life and I can't imagine doing it in the US

Answer 3

Hmm... Tell your friends to come by after work. If your manager wouldn't be for it, sneak it to them.... Maybe then you can work out something for shelters. If you're for an idea like that, I hope you don't get caught. Some of the others are right: rules are rules; it sucks that there are people out there going without food. Maybe you can talk to whoever throws it out (unless you do it). Maybe you can put it in a clean container, hide it or something, and bring it somewhere later. I don't know exactly how it all goes, but if you're that worried, try to figure something out allow those lines.

Answer 4

you have to accept the fact that the institution you work with and for simply can not expose its repute on handing out food that may go rancid and even toxic such is why the laws forbid it. and it is a waste indeed, and the only best way to avoid is to prepare less by (helping make a) proper (and convincing) study of statistics as to how much output is really needed per day and in that way even earn you credit for increasing revenue by reducing losses

Answer 5

I know some people would not do it and think it's degrading but if you could get away with taking it out of the trash right after it was tossed in and refridgerating it, it would still be ok. That is if it is tossed out in a plastic bag and not just open with the rest of trash. Take it to a local homeless shelter and give it to whomever wants it. You could also take to well known areas where homeless people hang out and just pass it out. I know it is really wasteful but if it bothers you that much the best thing for you to do is find another job.

Answer 6

Thats terrible!
In developing and under developed countries people are dying of hunger-starvation is bloating their tummies and killing them painfully.
You need to take action right now-talk to your co-workers,maybe if all of you protested it will make a difference.If that dosent work then ask your boss if you can collect the food and give it away to homeless people on your way out.if he refuses maybe you should ask why.Every night the edible food can be collected and left over at a shelter on your way out of work.It dosent take much but goes a long way.

Answer 7

Unfortunately, you're not going to be able to change this. All we, as consumers, can do is insist that our servers reduce the size of our portions coming out of the kitchen to individually reduce waste in restaurants. With regard to the amount of food thrown out at the end of the day, its a shame, but that's just the way it is...

Answer 8

I know how you feel - I'm a substitute teacher and it makes me sick how much food the students throw away at lunch. Why not let them choose the food they want instead of putting everything on their tray, whether they want it or not? The school says it tries to provide nutritious meals but how is it nutritious if the kids don't eat it?

Answer 9

Yeah, at my job we get a free meal every time we work. But we have to eat it at the restaurant and if we don't eat it all, we have to throw it away. What a crock. I mean, who cares, if at least someone is eating it?? I feel bad cause I can't eat a whole sandwich. So I throw a half a one away every day. Some places are so weird.

Answer 10

Yah, I agree with you. One of my friends works at a grocery store and the amount of food that they throw out is insane..I wish they could give it to homeless shelters..I'm sure people need it more then a garbage can.