Food waste

[LD_TAndK]

We're staying in a vacation rental area with a common dumpster. Someone kindly left a burst trash bag of food scattered on the ground near the dumpster. Some of the completely sealed, unopened contents were: jar of queso, jar of salsa, 8 oz fancy cheese, six single serve yogurts, two pounds butter, loaf of bread. Numerous other partially eaten items.

I guess some people are too lazy to bring their food home from vacation?

[ender]

I too like flying on airplanes with a mini-refrigerator in order to help my perishables stay cold throughout my journey home.

[zolotiyeruki]

This is one reason why we drive to family reunion--so we can bring all the leftovers home!

[charis]

We've flown and stayed in a condo. I'm not defending food waste at all, but you can't bring most of that stuff on a plane. Food shopping on vacation is tricky and hard to get right, especially if you are traveling with extended family or friends. Folks always err on the side of too much food rather than risk too little.

[LD_TAndK]

I should note this is at deep creek lake Maryland, unlikely anyone flew here

[Sanitary Stache]

How do you accidentally buy two pounds of butter? You got to have something in mind when you buy that on vacation.

[tawyer]

A generous interpretation would be that it was all in the fridge and they thought it would spoil on the drive home. If you consider ignorance to be more generous than laziness.

[GuitarStv]

How do you accidentally buy two pounds of butter? You got to have something in mind when you buy that on vacation.

- Pancakes, pan fried in butter along with freshly made croissants
- Grilled cheese pan fried in butter, with garlic butter shrimp
- Herb buttered baby carrots, buttery herb roasted chicken, buttered corn on the cob, with butter cookies for dessert



:D

[uniwelder]

I'm very much the type to shove everything in my mouth that I can't possibly take along.  Alternatively, what's wrong with leaving the unopened items in the fridge or on counter with a note?  I do hate food waste.

[Dictionary Time]

I wonder if the fridge failed or the power went out and they had to throw everything out?? I know that’s a sad and mournful activity to me.

[uniwelder]

I wonder if the fridge failed or the power went out and they had to throw everything out?? I know that’s a sad and mournful activity to me.

Though that wouldn’t explain the unopened items that don’t need refrigeration.

[Morning Glory]

This would be a good opportunity for food pantries to set up collection boxes in vacation areas for unopened non-perishable items and toiletries. Perhaps they could partner with airports too (e.g. have donation bins before check in, and signage at arrival so people know they can bring their food back to donate).

[charis]

I'm very much the type to shove everything in my mouth that I can't possibly take along.  Alternatively, what's wrong with leaving the unopened items in the fridge or on counter with a note?  I do hate food waste.

I actually assumed that it was the cleaning staff who dumped these things.  We don't know whether staff is permitted to take unopened perishable food items or if they are in a position to do so.

[Sanitary Stache]

How do you accidentally buy two pounds of butter? You got to have something in mind when you buy that on vacation.

- Pancakes, pan fried in butter along with freshly made croissants
- Grilled cheese pan fried in butter, with garlic butter shrimp
- Herb buttered baby carrots, buttery herb roasted chicken, buttered corn on the cob, with butter cookies for dessert



:D

Well thought out.  I always think large amounts of butter mean walking up stairs to the moon.

https://what-if.xkcd.com/126/

[Morning Glory]

How do you accidentally buy two pounds of butter? You got to have something in mind when you buy that on vacation.

- Pancakes, pan fried in butter along with freshly made croissants
- Grilled cheese pan fried in butter, with garlic butter shrimp
- Herb buttered baby carrots, buttery herb roasted chicken, buttered corn on the cob, with butter cookies for dessert



:D

Well thought out.  I always think large amounts of butter mean walking up stairs to the moon.

https://what-if.xkcd.com/126/

Butter sculpture contest?
https://discoverthecities.com/butter-sculptures-minnesota-state-fair/

[TheGrimSqueaker]

How do you accidentally buy two pounds of butter? You got to have something in mind when you buy that on vacation.

- Pancakes, pan fried in butter along with freshly made croissants
- Grilled cheese pan fried in butter, with garlic butter shrimp
- Herb buttered baby carrots, buttery herb roasted chicken, buttered corn on the cob, with butter cookies for dessert



:D

Well thought out.  I always think large amounts of butter mean walking up stairs to the moon.

https://what-if.xkcd.com/126/

Butter sculpture contest?
https://discoverthecities.com/butter-sculptures-minnesota-state-fair/

Or the last tango in Paris.

[ptobest]

The unopened items being tossed out is confusing. Just leave them on the shelf for the next renter? I'm always grateful to stay in places where there is an accumulation of food/condiments/spices left behind by prior people. Though I suppose it depends on the kind of rental - AirBnBs are great for that kind of thing, maybe not so much other places.

I personally try to take home as many things as possible. At the end of a recent trip staying in a house with a group of people, there was a half package of uncooked chicken thighs and a massive amount of butter. So I pan fried the chicken in a lot of butter, threw it in the freezer overnight, and shoved it in my luggage for the flight back. Still cold by the time I got home, and made for an easy post-travel meal.

[Catbert]

A relative used to have a VRBO house in San Francisco.  She siad there was often a lot of  food left behind in the fridge.  She left some things for the next renter (e.g., coffee creamer, condiments) and took the rest home.  Her best leftovers were from vacationers who did a day trip to wine country and bought a bunch of wine.  Then I guess they figured out they couldn't take it on a plane!  They opened all the bottles and left behind a dozen mostly unconsumed bottles wine.  Good times for all.