BreadI was in a store recently, before dawn, to pick up some groceries and walked past the bakery. I stopped and back tracked to watch what was happening.

An employee was looking at different packaged bread then tossing a few here and there into a cart. The cart was pretty well full already and didn’t have much room left. Once she packed that cart, she grabbed another one and started filling it with pies, cakes, cookies, etc.

I walked up to her and asked if those items were expired, and she responded that they were. I asked what the store does with them. She replied that they package them all up and toss them in the trash compactor. “Really?” I asked again. “Yes, it sickens me to think how much this store wastes, we don’t even give it to a shelter, not even this time of the year.” was her reply. (It was during the holiday season)

It made me sick to my stomach to think that this was one store, on one night that tossed out 1 1/2 carts full of bakery items. Imagine what all these stores put together throw away in a year! And they go into a trash compactor, so you can’t even dumpster dive for the food.

I asked one final question, “If I wanted to buy those, would I get a reduction of price due to the expiration?” She didn’t think so, it would have to be run by the management, but seemed unlikely since many have asked and nothing has been done.

It is situations like these that frustrate me with our own food waste, greed and inconsiderate attitude towards those in need.

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Dawn C. is site owner of Frugalforlife.com and is residing in Colorado with her spouse, Teri, of 11 years. Dawn can be reached at Frugalforlife@gmail.com