Comments on: The Fate of Returned Food in Grocery Stores http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2009/02/26/the-fate-of-returned-food-in-grocery-stores/ Balancing God's Gifts...One Baby Step at a Time Mon, 15 Mar 2010 04:07:33 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Katie http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2009/02/26/the-fate-of-returned-food-in-grocery-stores/comment-page-1/#comment-10949 Katie Tue, 16 Feb 2010 04:38:18 +0000 http://kitchenstewardship.wordpress.com/?p=233#comment-10949 Rebecca, Welcome! You're adding such great info to these posts today; thank you -- Katie Rebecca,
Welcome! You’re adding such great info to these posts today; thank you — Katie

]]> By: Rebecca http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2009/02/26/the-fate-of-returned-food-in-grocery-stores/comment-page-1/#comment-10932 Rebecca Tue, 16 Feb 2010 00:02:11 +0000 http://kitchenstewardship.wordpress.com/?p=233#comment-10932 "They can’t give to the local food bank, because, afterall is Ed (who is eating at said food bank) finds and chokes on a screw in his salad, it’s on the restaurant’s shoulders….whether it came from the restaurant or it happened ten minutes before “Ed” served himself…it’s a sad thing, that is for sure." So true! On the upside, our local grocery stores do not throw out salads and veggies when they are a little old to be selling. They don't give them to the soup kitchen because of liability, but almost all of the zoo's produce is from old veggies from the stores. :) The zoo has to buy their meat and supplements (not that normal stores carry the right kind of meat anyway), but they rarely have to buy their veggies. “They can’t give to the local food bank, because, afterall is Ed (who is eating at said food bank) finds and chokes on a screw in his salad, it’s on the restaurant’s shoulders….whether it came from the restaurant or it happened ten minutes before “Ed” served himself…it’s a sad thing, that is for sure.”

So true! On the upside, our local grocery stores do not throw out salads and veggies when they are a little old to be selling. They don’t give them to the soup kitchen because of liability, but almost all of the zoo’s produce is from old veggies from the stores. :) The zoo has to buy their meat and supplements (not that normal stores carry the right kind of meat anyway), but they rarely have to buy their veggies.

]]> By: Candy http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2009/02/26/the-fate-of-returned-food-in-grocery-stores/comment-page-1/#comment-9622 Candy Wed, 20 Jan 2010 20:54:50 +0000 http://kitchenstewardship.wordpress.com/?p=233#comment-9622 That is a retailer's nightmare. Someone who buys it one day and finds a better deal the next. That is not the reason for the return policy. The reason behind a return is for defective/wrong size merchandise. A better price (on food) is returning for all the WRONG reasons. A little better planning would seem to be in order here or suck it up and take a loss on a hastily made decision in the never ending quest to save a buck. I too am a couponer but would never dream of returning food items just because I find a better price the next day. It is what it is. That is a retailer’s nightmare. Someone who buys it one day and finds a better deal the next. That is not the reason for the return policy. The reason behind a return is for defective/wrong size merchandise. A better price (on food) is returning for all the WRONG reasons. A little better planning would seem to be in order here or suck it up and take a loss on a hastily made decision in the never ending quest to save a buck. I too am a couponer but would never dream of returning food items just because I find a better price the next day. It is what it is.

]]> By: Alex http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2009/02/26/the-fate-of-returned-food-in-grocery-stores/comment-page-1/#comment-7426 Alex Fri, 04 Dec 2009 06:20:56 +0000 http://kitchenstewardship.wordpress.com/?p=233#comment-7426 Katie, if it makes you feel any better, I would not call Hamburger Helper "perfectly good food"! Between the partially hydrogenated oils, the MSG, the food colorings, and the soy flour...and some of the other ingredients... So I would say that it found its best possible home in the garbage can! For stretching meat, I might recommend breadcrumbs, herbs and spices, and shredded or grated onions and vegetables...as an added benefit, you can sneak in a lot of zucchini this way without anyone knowing that they're eating vegetables! .-= Alex´s last blog ..<a href="http://feedmelikeyoumeanit.blogspot.com/2009/12/meat-of-known-origin-moko-in-boston.html" rel="nofollow">Meat Of Known Origin (MOKO) In Boston Right Now</a> =-. Katie, if it makes you feel any better, I would not call Hamburger Helper “perfectly good food”!

Between the partially hydrogenated oils, the MSG, the food colorings, and the soy flour…and some of the other ingredients…

So I would say that it found its best possible home in the garbage can!

For stretching meat, I might recommend breadcrumbs, herbs and spices, and shredded or grated onions and vegetables…as an added benefit, you can sneak in a lot of zucchini this way without anyone knowing that they’re eating vegetables!
Alex´s last blog ..Meat Of Known Origin (MOKO) In Boston Right Now My ComLuv Profile

]]> By: Katie http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2009/02/26/the-fate-of-returned-food-in-grocery-stores/comment-page-1/#comment-377 Katie Wed, 13 May 2009 02:54:38 +0000 http://kitchenstewardship.wordpress.com/?p=233#comment-377 Jennifer, From the great comments folks have left at this post, it sounds like this isn't national policy. It's worth checking at your main stores, but it's certainly eye-opening! Jennifer, From the great comments folks have left at this post, it sounds like this isn’t national policy. It’s worth checking at your main stores, but it’s certainly eye-opening!

]]> By: Bonnie http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2009/02/26/the-fate-of-returned-food-in-grocery-stores/comment-page-1/#comment-366 Bonnie Tue, 12 May 2009 18:10:24 +0000 http://kitchenstewardship.wordpress.com/?p=233#comment-366 I work at Wal-Mart, and we do sell some returns I know (including food), but I'm not sure what the guidelines are. I work at Wal-Mart, and we do sell some returns I know (including food), but I’m not sure what the guidelines are.

]]> By: Jennifer http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2009/02/26/the-fate-of-returned-food-in-grocery-stores/comment-page-1/#comment-363 Jennifer Tue, 12 May 2009 16:38:45 +0000 http://kitchenstewardship.wordpress.com/?p=233#comment-363 I had no idea that perfectly good food that was returned had to be thrown away. Sometimes my husband will stop at the store and buy something we can't use, or maybe buy the wrong size (i.e. not on sale) and I will return it to get the right thing. I had no idea they would just throw it away. I had no idea that perfectly good food that was returned had to be thrown away. Sometimes my husband will stop at the store and buy something we can’t use, or maybe buy the wrong size (i.e. not on sale) and I will return it to get the right thing. I had no idea they would just throw it away.

]]> By: Anon http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2009/02/26/the-fate-of-returned-food-in-grocery-stores/comment-page-1/#comment-360 Anon Tue, 12 May 2009 14:33:58 +0000 http://kitchenstewardship.wordpress.com/?p=233#comment-360 My sister used to be manager for a large department store. They do the same thing with clothes- not necessarily returns- just things they're taking out that are unsold. They were required to destroy the items. She once personally cut up a tuxedo. I've worked in restaurants and concur with those who say a lot of food gets thrown away. We threw away everything that had been heated or was fresh, like the soups, salad, potatoes, etc. It is truly horrifying how much waste goes on. My sister used to be manager for a large department store. They do the same thing with clothes- not necessarily returns- just things they’re taking out that are unsold. They were required to destroy the items. She once personally cut up a tuxedo.

I’ve worked in restaurants and concur with those who say a lot of food gets thrown away. We threw away everything that had been heated or was fresh, like the soups, salad, potatoes, etc. It is truly horrifying how much waste goes on.

]]> By: Tammy L http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2009/02/26/the-fate-of-returned-food-in-grocery-stores/comment-page-1/#comment-354 Tammy L Tue, 12 May 2009 05:47:12 +0000 http://kitchenstewardship.wordpress.com/?p=233#comment-354 Oh, I had to laugh about the Dumpster Diving comment! I have relatives who do that and salvage lots of stuff for themselves and others. :) I also know people who work at grocery stores and are able to snag things when they see them go out to the dumpster... and winter time is particularly good for milk and frozen food! :) But yes, I agree -- a store's return policy is GREAT when there is a defective product. Just changing our minds or whatever -- we're costing them time and money and maybe causing food to be wasted as a result... the "greener" way is to buy cautiously and wisely! :D Oh, I had to laugh about the Dumpster Diving comment! I have relatives who do that and salvage lots of stuff for themselves and others. :) I also know people who work at grocery stores and are able to snag things when they see them go out to the dumpster… and winter time is particularly good for milk and frozen food! :)

But yes, I agree — a store’s return policy is GREAT when there is a defective product. Just changing our minds or whatever — we’re costing them time and money and maybe causing food to be wasted as a result… the “greener” way is to buy cautiously and wisely! :D

]]> By: Katie http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2009/02/26/the-fate-of-returned-food-in-grocery-stores/comment-page-1/#comment-353 Katie Tue, 12 May 2009 03:52:13 +0000 http://kitchenstewardship.wordpress.com/?p=233#comment-353 Oh, sad sad. I was at a baby shower this fall, and the restaurant wouldn't even let the people who paid for the food take the leftovers from the buffet home. That just seemed ODD. Thanks for visiting! Oh, sad sad. I was at a baby shower this fall, and the restaurant wouldn’t even let the people who paid for the food take the leftovers from the buffet home. That just seemed ODD. Thanks for visiting!

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