 What's in your garbage? I have a produce garden - this year, I'm growing string beans, tomatoes and cucumbers - so I compost scraps from the table. (I'm a "pajama gardener" who gets started in the early dawn light, before the neighbors are awake to catch my unusual attire.) Even with my efforts to use every morsel, I know that my family and I waste more than I'd like.
I read recently that the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that about one pound of edible food goes to waste - per DAY - for every man, woman and child in the United States. For a family of four, that's about 122 lbs. of food thrown out each month. The biggest portion of waste is fresh fruit and vegetables, which accounts for 24 lbs. of the total, followed closely by fluid milk, at 22 lbs., and grains (including cereals and bread) at 18.5 lbs.
Did you know that you can donate fresh produce or food that you think will go uneaten? So if you're going out of town on vacation with unopened, healthy food that could go bad while you're gone, or you're afloat in sea of tomatoes, think of us.
It isn't just what goes to waste from our own tables. Grocery stores and retailers also throw out food that's past the "sell by" dates or no longer pretty enough to sell.
Recovered food - food that's not saleable but safe to be eaten - helps River City Community Services to feed the increasing numbers of people who are running out of food for their families.
You can approach local produce stands and grocers about letting you pick up unserved/unsold food that is in good condition. We take food that is in good condition and unopened (unpunctured, etc.), but:
· Surplus
· Not as "pretty" but still in good condition
· Nearing "sell by" date
If you go gleaning, remember that cold food (such as dairy) has to be kept cold, so don't be far from a refrigerator. And if eggs are in your cache, take along a small picnic cooler. You can deliver it to us in midtown Sacramento or we can arrange for a volunteer to pick it up.
We're grateful for your support!
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Eileen Thomas