Dumpster Diving At Aldi:   You Take What You Can Get To Save Money

Americans Go Hungry While Food Goes To The Landfill!

I went dumpster diving at Aldi to prove that they are throwing perfectly good food and other products away and the American’s don’t know why.

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Recently, I shared an Aldi dumpster diving tip with a YouTube subscriber because Aldi is her favorite grocery store.

She and her husband went dumpster diving there and were stoked!

In her words, “It was incredible!!!”

Rural Money Update:  They’re still doing mega free shopping in the Aldi dumpster!

The social proof is a video she did about the fresh vegetable and fruit haul—enough to store for winter.

Her husband is in the background sampling blanched cauliflower (from the trash), and commenting how good it taste!

The kids were equally excited about homemade applesauce made fresh from “dumpster apples.”

I’m not talking about a “poor” family—but one that is frugal and doesn’t want to live a lifestyle saddled with debt.

That is why they love the idea of dumpster diving at Aldi, which is their “go to” grocery store.

Dumpster diving at Aldi is one of the least known secrets for free and fresh food.

Unfortunately, food in Aldi’s dumpster is considered “trash,” which turn a lot of people off.

Oh well, one man’s trash is another man’s supper tonight and many more during the winter.

Not only does Aldi throw away fresh food, bread, milk, etc.; some very nice household items go in the can as well.

If you think that’s bad, some places deliberately destroy food and products prior to disposing of it.

For example, some retailers pour bleach on food to make it inedible or cut up garments!

Now, does that show contempt for dumpster divers or what?

In spite of all of the food banks trying to help, and needy people searching for daily meals, I don’t get it.

Why is their so much waste?

Why must grocery stores send perfectly good food and products to the landfill?

Then turnaround and “write a check” to food banks, churches, etc. as opposed to allowing them to pick up the food.

Mine is not to reason why, mine is just to do or die—from starvation!

At least Aldi is not locking their dumpsters to prevent people from helping themselves, yet.

Several years ago, I also did a dumpster diving experiment at Walmart and found an insane amount of wasted meat, bread and other foods!

RuralMoney.com

Dumpster Diving At Aldi Contributes To Freeganism

Freeganism is the practice and ideology of recovering wasted food, etc. mainly for political reasons.

The working poor don’t dive in protest against the food system.

They do it because they cannot afford the escalating costs of food.

There is no room for politics when there is no food on the table—at least in theory.

Dumpster Diving At Aldi Is Food Security

People have various reasons for seeking free food and eating out of the trash.

Most of them have adopted a wider range of alternative living strategies such as:

• Off-grid
• Debt-free
• Self-sufficiency
• Frugality

But, they don’t have anything against the food system.

By and large, the working poor can’t afford to buy food due to unemployment or underemployment.

Sure, some visit their local food pantry, garden, and do canning to preserve as much food as possible.

As you know, it takes a lot of food to feed a family.

Dumpster Diving At Aldi vs Health.gov

The government contends, “Shifts need to align with healthy eating patterns.”

Who are they talking about?

I assume that they are talking about people getting food stamps.

Poor families can’t meet the government’s dietary guidelines by eating from the dumpster.

Nevertheless, Uncle Samuel has a few things to say about what you eat and drink!

“Following healthy eating patterns is vital to health. This chapter provides a snapshot of current eating patterns of people in the United States in comparison to the recommendations in Chapter 1. Key Elements of Healthy Eating Patterns and describes shifts that are needed to align current intakes to recommendations. In some cases, the news is good—for certain aspects of eating patterns, some individuals are following the guidance or are close to meeting the recommendations. However, other aspects of the diet are far from the recommendations. Most Americans would benefit from shifting food choices both within and across food groups and from current food choices to nutrient-dense choices. Some shifts that are needed are minor and can be accomplished by making simple substitutions, while others will require greater effort to accomplish.” – Curated from Health.gov

Healthy eating and food groups is the kind of stuff being discussed in Washington. lol!

When you have to dumpster dive at Aldi, you take what you can get, and eat it.

In 2017, Uncle Sam should know that it is not just the so-called “bums” digging in trashcans for food.

Moreover, I realize that the problem isn’t just Aldi or a few other bad grocery stores wasting food.

The problem is the entire food industry.

The American public has no idea what laws exist that prohibits the food industry from giving this food to them.

I wouldn’t be surprised if not having the ”recommended foods for healthy eating,” wild foraging, and dumpster diving at Aldi are illegal.

The answer to the food waste problem is hidden in the system of capitalism—buying and selling goods and commodities (food).

So, what do you think happens when capitalist can’t sell all of their commodities?

Since some people have such strong opinions against people diving and going to food pantries, perhaps they can answer that.

All opinions aside, the government has decided against dumpster divers and are erring on the side of “Obamacare ($$$$).”

This is a “Message from the Secretaries” in part that spells it out.

“One of our Government’s most important responsibilities is to protect the health of the American public. Today, about half of all American adults—117 million people—have one or more preventable, chronic diseases, many of which are related to poor quality eating patterns and physical inactivity. Rates of these chronic, diet-related diseases continue to rise, and they come not only with increased health risks, but also at high cost. In 2008, the medical costs linked to obesity were estimated to be $147 billion. In 2012, the total estimated cost of diagnosed diabetes was $245 billion, including $176 billion in direct medical costs and $69 billion in decreased productivity.

This new edition of the Dietary Guidelines, the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, is grounded in the most current scientific evidence and is informed by the recommendations of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. This Federal advisory committee, which was composed of prestigious researchers in the fields of nutrition, health, and medicine, conducted a multifaceted, robust process to analyze the available body of scientific evidence. Their work culminated in a scientific report which provided advice and recommendations to the Federal Government on the current state of scientific evidence on nutrition and health. Informed by this report and by consideration of public and Federal agency comments, HHS and USDA nutrition and health experts then developed the Dietary Guidelines…

The body of scientific literature looking at healthy eating patterns and their impact on disease prevention is far more robust now than ever before. Chronic diet-related diseases continue to rise and levels of physical activity remain low. Progress in reversing these trends will require comprehensive and coordinated strategies, and the Dietary Guidelines is an important part of a complex and multifaceted solution to promote health and help to reduce the risk of chronic disease. The Dietary Guidelines translates science into succinct, food-based guidance that can be relied upon to help Americans choose a healthy eating pattern and enjoyable diet. We believe that aligning with the recommendations in the Dietary Guidelines will help many Americans lead healthier and more active lives.

Sylvia M. Burwell
Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Sonny Perdue
Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture” – Curated from Health.gov

This sounds like political doublespeak designed to “help Americans choose a healthy eating pattern,” while forcing them to accept another regulation.

Since their focus is “healthy eating patterns as a whole,” I guess it behoove divers to start making healthy choices in the dumpster.

Why Do People Dumpster Dive At Aldi?

Surely these prestigious researchers in the fields of nutrition, health, and medicine find that people dumpster dive for economic reasons.

On the other hand, their research probably didn’t include dumpster divers.

Yet, they expect them to align with healthy eating patterns.

People dumpster dive at Aldi to get free food that they cannot afford to purchase.

Unfortunately, this makes it impossible to make healthy choices—it’s take whatever you can get.

When people are on the verge of starvation, or don’t know where their next meal will come from, their only concern is getting something to eat—by dumpster diving at Aldi.

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