If there was a group here that did it, I'd join. I'm too chicken to do it alone, though.

Dumpster diving for food? Never, I don't care how much packaging it is in. You are putting this into your body....this is not a chair you pick up off the curb to refinish....I draw a line in the sand. You would be much better off growing your own in pots and doing potluck with friends, etc., Absolutley, positively never. My mother lived thru WWII and was homeless for a while and never did that....she got help from other family members. So what I'm trying to say is that if she never did it in her situation, I can't imagine ever doing that either...I would try to use my brain to figure something else out.

Actually, this might sound weird, but one thing really bothered me. The people who were freegans had lots of money, but were doing this as a statement. What bothers me is they were taking away from Homeless people, who unfortunately, do this as a way to survive. Seems like they'd make more of a statement if they gathered up all this food, and instead of taking it home for themselves, found some homeless people to give it away to. This was NY, homeless are not difficult to find there.

I was watching it and thinking....... it's NYC, the cost of living is so high there that they probably dumpster dive so they have more money to spend on their rent/mortgage.

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"Go on, get outside, get the stink blown off ya!!"

Word.

all I could think was...yea right Lisas really gonna take those banana muffins back to her hotel room and EAT THEM....I'm thinkin N_O_T

I think it is crazy the amount of stuff thrown out....but I fail to see myself convincing my dh that my rummaging through a dumpster for food should be somehow acceptable.

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Avoid Fruits~N~Nuts....you are what you eat!!!

I personally would not dumpster dive for food, but I have to give these folks credit for practicing what they preach. Nothing annoys me more than when you hear someone like Oprah or another big name celebrity talking about how WE should be taking care of the environment and conserving our resources, yet these people take off in their private jets to one of their four- 10,000 sq. foot homes (that sit empty 11 months out of the year), and use up 10 times as much of our natural resources in one week as what my family of four probably uses up in one year. So, although I probably wouldn't become a freegan myself, I do commend them.

I agree that it would be more of a statement and would make more of an impact if they gave the food away to homeless, single mothers, low income, etc. I am so tired of hearing "eeeewww!!!" about this kind of thing. I freely admit that I live in Oahu and I trash pick whenever I can. Yes, there are germs but there are germs everywhere!! Soap and water kill most things out there, bleach kills everything!! Even the aids virus dies when soaked in bleach! There are also things like lysol spray and clorox wipes. When did we become such obsessive/compulsive germaphobes??? You take many of the same risks when you go out to eat. Believe me, the servers cough, sneeze and do who knows what directly onto food you then eat. Oftentimes the tables are not clean. And what about when you put your purse down on the floor and then pick it up and put it in your lap? The food is usually sealed (no germs gettin in there!) and even if it is past the date, the dates are guidelines people-The food does not instantly turn rancid on its sell by date! It is a guideline, now dairy yes it does turn faster, but also remember that most of the boxed, sealed food has preservatives to help keep it "preserved". Just because we don't "have" to dumpster dive does not mean that we should look down our noses at those who choose to do it. Also, way to go Denvergirlie!! Loved your pics and sounds like you're from my home state

In defense of the couple that was on Oprah, i believe he was an opthamalogist and she was a civil engineer? Anyway they did say that they donate some of their finds to local homeless shelters and places like Good will.

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"Go on, get outside, get the stink blown off ya!!"

That's the whole point though - not having to spend money!! Think about it, if we didn't spend as much money we wouldn't have to work so much. How can anyone not be happy about that.

I watched an episode of Oprah when they discussed freeganism. I think it's great. In fact, if I lived in a place where I could do this I would. Unfortuantely, I live overseas and it's just not set up like the US, the UK, etc. But I still look around and see if I can't find something. I'm all about not having to pay for things I need. (I would be extra cautious of food items though).