Here in Canada, we’ve been hearing about ridiculous food waste at some supermarkets. I won’t name any because the truth is, almost all supermarkets – especially the big chains – throw out tons and tons of produce and packaged foods just because the ‘Best Before’ date has come up…
Untold tons of perfectly good food never makes it off the farm just because it
doesn’t fit the grading and sizing standards demanded by the supermarkets.
It makes me very angry to see tons of perfectly good produce thrown out bu supermarkets, even though it’s perfectly safe and wholesome to eat. I get even angrier when I see how much fails to pass the size, appearance and grading tests almost all produce is subjected to before it’s even shipped from the farm.
Fortunately, there’s a great, win-win solution to this problem. It’s just that the supermarkets and the shelters need to get talking and get to know what the markets can give and what the shelters need. Then the waste, in the end, is minimized.
Women’s shelters and other community feeding programs can also be helped with contributions of food products that may not fit supermarket shelving policies but are, nevertheless, still fine to eat.
Why have the potential givers and receivers in this scenario not gotten together already? Perhaps there are false assumptions among the shelters about what the markets have to offer. Or the markets think the stuff they throw out, based on their own policies, won’t be acceptable to the shelters. Maybe we need a mediator to match up or coordinate the givers and receivers. One way or another, we need to make this vital community connection, for the good of everyone involved.
And this goes for any city or town of any significant size. Think of the positive impact coordinated donations of food products could make nation-wide!
~ Maggie J.