There are many ways to help the hungry - my church has a food pantry, Salvation Army, Red Cross, World Vision to name a few. Just being aware of those who are doing without and doing what you can on a personal level will make a difference. There are also shelters for homeless men and women that always need donations. Also - it seems like when I give I have more. I like the idea of giving the takeout to a homeless person. I read about a person who made peanut butter sandwiches and passed them out which would have a much lower chance of spoiling and could be kept on hand in the car or tote bag.

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As the old saying goes..you can feed them fish or you can teach them to fish. Although fixing the problems behind homelessness is a monumental job that touches so many factors, leaving food out for hungry homeless seems to be more of a loose loose answer. Just how long is this food sitting out for? If homeless get sick ingesting leftovers, will that not tax the medical system? What about addressing the root of the homeless problem? In the meantime, at least food banks are safer with their distribution of healthier foods.
Having gone from cooking daily for a large number of people, to only myself, I find it easy enough to make food for 4 (as an example) and divide the left overs, package properly, date and freeze them in good quality containers. This not only has reduced my food bill by over 70%, but when I don't feel like cooking from scratch, I simply check out my pre-cooked stash and re-heat, or micowave it. I have taken up par-boiling veggies from fresh, as I can't consume a head of (ei)broccoli before it becomes less than fresh. My frozen fresh veggies are treated the same as any store bought frozen veggies, and I don't waste food. There are many fruits that can be "tray" frozen then packaged and used in future for spreads, jam, toppings on other foods, etc.
One last comment...don't forget to include some treats when contributing to a food bank.

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It's all about portions. Around here, we got 9 people living here. As we started getting jobs, fixing our own meals, etc. my parents were on a huge learning curve. They were used to making a big pot of hambuger (3-5 lbs) , a whole package of spaghetti noodles, etc....well, when there's only 2-3 kids home (the rest work nights, or are gone, etc...) - that's a lot of leftovers ;)

So yea, they've moved on, now it's 1 LB, maybe HALF the pack of spaghetti noodles, etc ;) For pasta night. lol


Now when ma makes sloppy joes, or lasagna, there's no reduced portions there LOL - cause those are the leftovers that get eaten quick :)

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We have not always been good at consuming our leftovers, but are doing a much better job now. One thing we are also doing now is splitting restaurant meals (when we eat out). This really helps cut down on leftovers and potential waste. Supporting food banks is always good, and I am really glad to hear about how leftover event food is being donated.

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It is alarming how much edible food goes to waste! One does not have to go completely Vegan or Vegetarian to save animals' lives. Careful buying, use, and most of all portion control! Every choice matters!

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Judge Not. As long as you are helping feed the needy in which ever way you can, do it. All ideas are good ones.
America has never learned moderation. So there is a lot of waste, but we are learning.
Whether I donate can goods to food pantries, share my food with my neighbors who are struggling, feed my dogs, or build my compost. Waste not. want not.
I would like to give a special thanks to Olive Garden, they donate food to my local Pantry.

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Allison H:
What an awful way to look at things! Why is it "grotesque" to leave food for the homeless where they will surely find it, as many go "dumpster-diving" for food and clothing anyway. Today a homeless man asked for the second half of a cigarette I was about to throw away. I doubt he'd be upset by finding half a sandwich on top of the trash can rather than inside it!!

"Including this in an article to reduce food waste- what a "let them eat cake" kind of elitist over-consumer idea. If you cannot learn to live lightly, to manage your food portions and purchases either at home or in a restaurant, throwing your crumbs to the homeless is not an ethical answer to your own fat consumerism."
Now you seem to be demonizing people for eating at restaurants. We can't control the portions they serve us! What harm does it do to give the leftover food to somebody who's hungry? And what does "fat consumerism" have to do with anything? I hardly eat anything, but if I want to eat some fattening chocolate once a month, I WILL! I am a poor schoolteacher, not elite; I do not waste food, gas, water, or anything else.

"the problem with the homeless is not that they cannot find enough edible garbage- INCREASING the supply of edible garbage is just a way for the pampered elite to feel all warm and fuzzy about their own waste"
How do you know? Are you homeless? Maybe they do need more "edible garbage," especially the kind that's never been inside a trash can. Don't be so quick to jud

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There is a 4 star resort close to where I grew up and one of my friends sisters work there. Even if a bottle of wine was bought and not drank, they would still have to throw it away (along with all the food that didn't get eaten) the workers can bring some of it home if they sign a waiver of some sort, but what about the rest of it?... I worked at a sub sandwich food chain, and all the bread that went into the garbage! I mean really! It's just foot long loaves of day old bread! Donate them to the food pantry, or something!Isn't there something other than throwing it away? Wouldn't a company get some sort of tax break if they donated it? I know we don't have many people living on the streets here, but with the economy going the way it is, it won't be too long... any suggestions?

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Yes Kath and so do I. There is so much that people stuff their refridg n freezer while there are grocery stores with fresher food so close that they forget what they have n when time to use has gone bag=garbage. A civilisation of waste not crumbs.Or we eat so much convenience food that we are obese...Buy less n give more. That's a fact.

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I like the rockstar idea and I do donate food to food banks and other organizations. Not so big on just leaving leftovers on the trash can though. We have taken our leftovers from a restaurant and given them to a homeless person who was very grateful (and it wasn't picked over food).

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