Is it gauche to use services for the homeless if you aren't?

[HellUpInHarlem]

Originally Posted by BugsyPal

Don't know if some of you are joking or what, but IMHO yes, it is immoral to take from food pantries unless in need. Nearly all those places are struggling to meet demand (that keeps growing) caused by those who *are* in need; this includes seniors and or households with children.


I've told ya; if some of you are that hard up for food, head to where nearly every other hipster, transplant, middle aged to senior single or whatever is going food shopping; those rubbish bags/dumpsters outside supermarkets! *LOL*


You can tell the so called "middle class" or whatever that are doing this from the great pains they go though to disguise themselves (wearing hoodies, hats slouched down over their faces, scarves covering their heads/faces, baseball caps, etc.." But never the less they leave with bags if not carts of food.


Went to the Morton Williams on East 79th and First a two Sunday nights ago and someone was pulling what looked like entire shelves of canned goods out of a dumpster. They must have done a "shelf pull" and discarded things for various reasons. Staff was having none of it as someone went out there and shooed the person away then covered up the "goodies" with several garbage bags.


It is sad that so much perfectly good food in NYC is thrown away by stores/supermarkets, but like the man said when asked why he robs banks.......

NO! WE’RE NOT JOKING! Imma pull my cart up brrrrrrrp!!! brrrrp!!!! brrrrp!!! I’m way too bougie to sift through grocery store trash. They’re probably throwing out expired sh**

[BugsyPal]

Originally Posted by HellUpInHarlem

NO! WE’RE NOT JOKING! Imma pull my cart up brrrrrrrp!!! brrrrp!!!! brrrrp!!! I’m way too bougie to sift through grocery store trash. They’re probably throwing out expired sh**

Probably true, but then again you have to consider that other than for meat, dairy, eggs and a few other things mandated by law; expiration and or "best used by" dates are purely created by manufacturers.


Everything you see on supermarket or shop shelves usually have an expiration date or whatever of some sort; from laundry detergent to coffee. That does not mean however things are totally bad at once after that date.


I have yoghurt in my fridge that is weeks after expiration date which tastes, looks and is perfectly fine to eat. Ditto for coffee sitting in my cupboards.

Properly done canned goods have an nearly unlimited shelf life. Long as the thing isn't severely dented, bulging and or showing sings that the contents are going off, you can keep them and use them until just before doomsday.


Supermarkets also throw away tons of food that just didn't sell long before it "expires". Maybe a certain type of Oreo cookie didn't cut it with the public.


Eggs actually already are weeks old by the time reach supermarket/store shelves unless you are getting local farmed sourced. Eggs will also last weeks beyond their "expiration" date.


All those prepared roasted chickens and other foods are usually chucked at end of day or maybe next day if they don't sell. Have run into supermarkets at close to closing and seen them empty entire deli cases full of roasted chickens and other prepared foods that didn't sell that day into garbage bags.


When Trader Joe's first opened on 14th Street you'd pass by there near closing time and see people digging for all the roasted chickens and other foods just thrown out. TJ's stopped putting things out so early and or took steps to discourage that behavior IIRC.


Places *know* people are dumpster diving, this is why so many now take steps to discourage. But OTOH wouldn't have to do so if the stuff inside those bags wasn't worth taking, because no one would bother. Well probably a deranged homeless person or something.




https://www.thrillist.com/eat/nation...umpster-diving


https://www.reddit.com/r/DumpsterDiving/