Woman Dumpster Dives for All Her Food and Hasn’t Been Grocery Shopping for a Year

A woman has discovered that she has not been grocery shopping in extra than a calendar year, due to the fact she will get all her food stuff from dumpster diving.

© Nodar Chernishev/Getty Images
File picture of a grocery basket. A lady promises she dumpster dives for all her food stuff, and hasn’t been grocery shopping in 16 months.

The woman describes herself as a “freegan”—defined by the Oxford on line dictionary as “a individual who rejects consumerism and seeks to assist the surroundings by decreasing squander, in particular by retrieving and applying discarded food stuff and other products”—and has posted many video clips about her hauls to TikTok.

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In just one clip shared to her account Dumpster Diving Freegan, which has been viewed far more than 1 million times, she claims she has not desired to go grocery searching in 16 months and calls for a change to America’s throwaway culture.

In 1 of her most up-to-date videos, posted on Thursday, she talked viewers through all her foods for the working day, captioning the clip: “Ahead of everyone asks, of course all of this was observed in America’s trash. Certainly I did clean every thing and verify for remembers.”

She explained in the video clip, which can be viewed in this article: “This is what I ate yesterday as a person who dumpster dives for all my groceries.

“Breakfast: hazelnut tremendous coffee with caramel macchiato creamer. The Keurig, Keurig creamer and Keurig cup tower were all discovered in different store’s dumpsters. I compensated for the straw and cup a couple several years in the past. Sesame seed bagel with whipped butter. The Black and Decker toaster was identified in a residential dumpster.”

Even though it is not apparent which Keurig espresso maker she has, a equivalent equipment on the firm’s web-site is on sale for $59.99.

She continued filming all through the day, saying: “Lunch: organic and natural romaine lettuce and natural spring mix salad. Grocery merchants basically toss out correctly usable foods. My chopping board, salad bowl set, and knife were also found in retail outlet dumpsters. I extra cherry tomatoes, you should not they appear wonderful? And pink onion. I usually grab these salad packets from premade salad mixes to use for my very own toppings.

“I created a pork roast wrapped in bacon with potatoes and veggies more than the weekend, heading to warmth some up. The crock pot was cost-free from my brother’s roommate.

“Snacks: a vitamin C shot, due to the fact wellness? Five smaller tangerines. Some Dove darkish chocolate and a Type bar as a snack.”

More than footage of frozen blueberries, strawberries and coconut h2o, she claimed: “Meal: additional salad and a smoothie with vanilla protein powder. Once again, all my food stuff came from America’s squander. Last of all I produced banana bread and had a major slice.”

This clip has amassed shut to 130,000 views since Wednesday.

In her most well-known video—the “16 months” clip posted in mid-July—she outlined what she experienced picked up from a single haul.

“This is a magic formula. I have not purchased groceries in 16 months. And it’s all mainly because of dumpster diving. I went grocery shopping tonight and here is what I uncovered,” she explained.

She films a desk piled with food, from refreshing fruit to overall health dietary supplements, including some groceries that are nonetheless frozen.

The very best merchandise was a 2-pound spouse and children-dimensions pack of shrimp, which would have value $14.49, she explained. In full she claimed she had picked up foodstuff truly worth $126.07, just before tax.

Other products in the haul provided parmesan cheese, cranberry juice, a sourdough loaf and tomatoes.

Above the previous couple of months she has saved a tidy sum, she mentioned. “I’ve basically saved more than enough income to put 20 for every cent down on a property, I have never ever gotten sick, and I have eaten far more natural food considering that undertaking this.”

She afterwards responded to damaging remarks left in the TikTok comments—without revealing which point out she dives in.

She reported: “I have never ever gotten sick from performing this. I do not seize heat or opened goods. I always examine for recollects. Suppliers usually toss out conditions of meals simply since they do not have place to retailer it. Most items I discover are in bins and are relatively thoroughly clean, I do not just take soiled matters.

“I have completed this for more than 16 months and know how to figure out if items are usable or not. I do not will need dollars, I am not broke at all. I opt for to do this for the reason that it functions for me. No a single is forcing you to dive or even look at it, this is an attention-grabbing glance into the existence of a Freegan. Food is good for weeks, if not months soon after its most effective-by day. The exception to this is toddler formula.

“I do not feed young children any dumpster diver foods. I will only feed persons who know the place it arrives from. There are quite a few persons who do this to survive and I do not want them shamed in this comment area. Dumpster diving is lawful. Except there is a ‘no trespassing indicator,’ or your town has precisely outlaws it, you can dive in the U.S.

“I donate a lot more to my area foods financial institution than I hold, nonetheless I only donated packaged things as they are the safest. I do not donate deliver or [meat] / [dairy].”

In another clip, she stated: “I hope this is a great way to educate on the quantity of meals squander in The united states.”

Some TikTokers praised her for shining a light on the tactics of retailers.

Lo claimed: “I applied to perform at Target and we would throw lbs and kilos of meals away each individual single day. It was generally in date and thoroughly safe and sound.”

Greta lamented: “It is really crazy how significantly properly excellent food will get thrown out whilst some men and women can not even pay for to eat.”

Shar wrote: “It is really extraordinary the total of squander retailers throw out when there are people today residing on the streets. I would like we could do this in Australia excellent on you.”

Other commenters were being involved. Alex stated: “I could never ever individually do this with frozen meat / fruit, I would be way way too fearful to get sick.”

Charlieburt07 requested: “Why do you assume this stuff was in the rubbish.”

Christina warned: “Be cautious with develop! We only tossed develop at my keep that experienced been dumped on the flooring / all in excess of the cashier belt.”

Newsweek has reached out to Dumpster Diving Freegan for comment.

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