Category Archives: Supermarket

Sunday Reading

This article from today’s Pittsburgh Post Gazette wonders if rising prices is changing our food waste behavior. And this one from The Economist lends insight into waste in the supermarket industry. Enjoy the day!

June 1, 2008 | Also posted in Household | Comments closed

Boing Boing Responses

Yesterday’s Times article has prompted some spirited discussion in this Boing Boing forum, which is wonderful. And healthy. I contemplated commenting in that forum, but had waaay too much to say. Instead, I’ve compiled some of my reactions to the comments here, with reference to the order of their appearance in the thread: (19) People […]

May 19, 2008 | Also posted in Composting, Farm, Food Recovery, General, Technology, Waste Stream | Comments closed

Mapping Food Prices

There’s much discussion of rising food prices, but what does that really look like? Here’s a closeup. (Zoom in on the top portion.) Like usual, the story is a bit more complicated than it may appear. As we see in the illustration, the cost of food is increasing in many, but not all categories. The […]

May 8, 2008 | Also posted in Household | Comments closed

Watermelon Toss

Yesterday, I arrived at the grocery store just in time for a show. I pulled up as an employee was wheeling some trash and food (two different things) out to the dumpster. After tossing the clear bags of trash, the employee turned to the four watermelons in the cart. I sat in my car dumbfounded […]

April 29, 2008 | Also posted in Personal, Waste Stream | Comments closed

T.G.I. Monday

Yesterday, I enjoyed the “Recession Diet” story in The NY Times describing how many Americans are skimping to battle rising food costs. Among other things, folks are buying more store-brand groceries and eating out less. On the latter point, this should lead to less food waste, as it’s easier to control portion size and leftovers […]

April 28, 2008 | Also posted in Household | Comments closed

Friday Buffet

With Passover just around the corner, it seems ironic that Egyptian bread is in the news. The Financial Times of Germany (even more irony?) reported that 20 percent of Egyptian bread made with subsidized wheat is going to waste. The culprit: Corrupt bakers sell their cheap flour on the black market or deliberately ruin some […]

April 4, 2008 | Also posted in College, Friday Buffet, International, Restaurant, Trayless | Comments closed

Sprout On

Last week, I wrote about having to buy a half-pound bag of bean sprouts when I just needed a handful. This week, in making an encore entree out of cold sesame noodles, I went to the Asian grocer nearby and bought just the right amount. Not only did I preclude any extra sprouts, which I […]

April 2, 2008 | Also posted in History and Culture, Household | Comments closed

When Seconds Sell First

ABC News reports that Amelia’s Grocery Outlet, an 11-store supermarket chain in Pennsylvania, is selling groceries that have old promotions, damaged packaging or an expired sell-by date. I’m sure they’re receiving their Easter stuff as you read this. 1. This story was pegged to the recession, but there’s not much new here. There have always […]

March 25, 2008 | Also posted in Food Safety | Comments closed

Wasted Food Funnies

Here’s a little food waste humor courtesy of Joe Martin and his Mister Boffo comic strip: I guess I often ‘walk on the wild side.’ After more careful consideration, I’m totally a wild and crazy guy.  Of course, there’s nothing too wild about eating food a few days past its “sell-by” date. Consuming items past their “use-by” dates, […]

January 16, 2008 | Also posted in History and Culture | Comments closed

Cars, Supermarkets and Waste

Gordon James, director of Friends of the Earth Cymru (Wales), or Cyfeillion y Ddaear Cymru for the Welsh-speaking crowd, thinks there’d be less food waste if you couldn’t park your car close to the supermarket. The thinking: Since there’s no deterrent to buying an excessive amount of food (often prompted by promotions), we do. While his theory indirectly indicts […]

January 3, 2008 | Also posted in Household | Comments closed