52 Skillz: Scrounging for food in grocery store dumpsters
If you can get past the "ick" factor, Stephen Robinson says scrounging for food in dumpsters can be a way for people to feed themselves on a budget.
Robinson, the University of Alberta student behind the 52 Skillz blog, learned the ropes from two women who used the practice to cut grocery costs.
The women told him it was best to target organic food stores instead of the big grocery chains, which crush their food waste before disposing it.
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Robinson was able to scavenge packages of granola bars, candy, gum and bagels, which he kept in the freezer for three months.
"They were organic bagels. They were delicious," he said.
Some dumpsters he encountered were relatively clean. Others were dirty, especially the ones with rotting produce.
Robinson said the exercise opened his eyes to how much food is wasted. And he sees nothing wrong with people taking the stuff that grocery stores throw out.
"If this food is just sitting in the dumpster and just rotting away, might as well as have someone come in and grab it and use it to nourish themselves," he said.