Noreen's Kitchen: Review: The Big Waste on Food Network

[DanKrszal]

@atticus9799 I watch that to and it.made me sick. But im sure some of that was just givin to them like those clams am sure they would not toss those. Some one would take them home. But the farms

Well that was sad. All thst corn and Tomato's.

[reeram]

Our society is sick!I don't wish ill on anyone but a day is coming here when those same people will wish they had a rotten apple core to eat.

[skybirdbird]

yes... people think their food should always look perfect... was talking to my mother in law about this last summer, and even though she is older than me she just didn't get it... i buy deer apples from a local orchard for $6... it is a HUGE bag... the only reason they can not sell to people are the reasons you mentioned... very sad...

[LindaRaeSue]

I'm guilty of buying perfect produce, but at the prices they charge, that's what I want. We have a produce market that has a bargain table where prices are cheap and I'll buy there because the price is right. The prices are too high at the chain stores, probably because of the waste, and I'm sure they write that off on their taxes. They should have a bargain table too.

[tjbollman1]

Youre right, Noreen. Someof the show hosts give bad examples too. When I watch Giada take four small cheeks of a huge red pepper or apple and throw the rest in the trash, I could cry. So many things can be done with those harder to cut segments. I have a few bds of them in my freezer right now. These people are so spoiled and lazy!

[neetadc]

I watched that show also. And I agree that there is alot of waste. We have been taught how to pick our produce, now look where we are. It's time to rethink.

(hugs)

Anita

[MyFreedomChannel]

Noreen, thank you for sharing your thoughts. This has been going on for many years. The USDA and FDA have many lobbyists who have dumbed down Americans (literally) through thousands of regulations on our local farmers and Big Agriculture. I'm thinking, "Monsanto - 'Good bye heirloom seeds; hello GMO foods.'"

My grandparents had relatives who raised stewing chickens to sell at farmer's markets when my mom was a kid. Can you still find these chickens? NOPE! Regulations forced them out, too.

[sheersoxNC]

I cant stand that Alex women...kinda snobby

[sherldoe]

Thank you so much for having the courage to bring this out. You are right; we are soo wasteful. I waste nothing, but even my wonderful husband has a tendency to waste because America is so blessed we think we don't need to keep "less than perfect". Thanks again.

[ThirdLittlePiggy]

Thanks for posting. I've already drilled into my kid's heads not to waste food, so much so that I'm confident that the next several generations will get the message. I've raised them as though we are living during the Great Depression, and aren't we just a few steps away from that?

[aka4512]

Unfortunately The Food Network has block countries like mine (Australia) from watching their Videos here on youtube so I can't watch it unless I'm lucky. But what you said rang a bell. This week or last week one national talk had a segment of this very thing. two ladies discussed about food wastage and gave advice really how to use food e.g. a small mold on 1 side of a fruit or vegetable. you know what they said, cut it off the rest of of the fruits/vegetable is still good to use.

[katiatomsk]

The movie, "Dive" shows the food waste. This man dumpster dives outside of "organic" grocery store and feeds his family of 4 on almost 100% organic "garbage".

Very good topic to bring up, thanks.

[Lisatruck]

I love your passion and agree with most of what you said. Americans do waste far too much food. But you don't have to look very far back in our history to find the opposite problem - nasty, rotten or diseased food being sold to consumers. Read "The Jungle" by Upton Sinclair. The pendulum of food safety may have swung too far but some of those laws are to protect people from greed of another kind.

[katiatomsk]

@Lisatruck I found "The Jungle" can be read online for free. Anyone can google it.

[mysteryjade]

This is my only criticism about the show: the chefs got their ingredients for free. I would like to think that they were willing to pay for the ingredients as if they were average customers shopping from the aisles, but they weren't required to do that so who knows.

Other than that, I enjoyed the special. I think it all boils down to not taking things for granted and appreciating all the things we have access to. And this idea can be applied to anything we spend money on, not just food.

[Ejahi]

Its partly due to our wasteful spirit in this country but the other half is because we are far removed from the Farm. We dont know where I food comes from nor what real food looks or taste like. And even that is not totally the consumers fault. Its the changes in our lifestyle form agrarian to industrial and then its the education system and its us. We got lots of work to do toward change.

[sophisticatedtw]

Unfortunately in today's society their mentality to waste is 'if it doesn't make money-it doesn't make sense' Shameful!

[bculbreth10]

Could not agree more...I am Native American and my grandmother taught all of us girls how to garden and preserve before we were 10. We were taught from the beginning to cut off the bad spot and go about your business, and if you refused to eat it because it wasn't pretty...don't dare come back later and tell her you were hungry!!!!

[Humphries2008]

I watched this show as well last night. I completely agree with you. It's just another example of how we judge the external (food, people, books, etc) and expect perfection in everything. It's disgusting how wasteful we as a nation can be, meanwhile children are going to bed hungry! Thanks for posting!

[zebraluna]

I used to do food prep for a meals-on-wheels for shut-ins w/AIDS. Because of the whole AIDS (gay) thing we weren't "eligible" for many food assistance programs. A lot of what we were able to send out was brought to us by sanitation workers that would go through the dumpsters & trash cans outside restaraunts & groceries.Sometimes we had to pick through a lot but anything we couldn't use, including kitchen scraps, was picked up by a women who kept a farm for rescued farm animals.

[mommafletch]

I have worked for a grocery store, and it is truly APPALLING, the amount of produce that is pitched into the dumpsters at night, because "the date is off"- every time you see those huge markdowns on grapes or potatoes or tomatoes or whatever, on the weekly sale, remember they are bought in tremendous quantity, and quite a bit of it will wind up in the bin. And then you get in your car, and drive home, and there are people begging- it's unholy.

[kateymateymusic1]

Well said Noreen, here here! Or is that hear hear? Will keep a watch out for the show but I'm in Singapore so not sure if it will be on our food network anytime soon. Very sad when we can't feed people but produce goes to waste. Bring back the old days where we buy and trade off each other- I'll give you a lamb for a box of peaches and apples

[TheEndeavoringFamily]

Rats, I don't have the food network.. Keep us updated if you see any good episodes of stuff. I like hearing your opinions and insight.

[goosearrow]

I am sure it was a one shot deal, American's doen't like to look in the mirror and see that they are selfish.

[momkatmax]

Forgot to mention: remember when an orchard would let you get a bag of windfall apples for a tiny price per bag. Two orchards in the area have been bought out to build condos.

[momkatmax]

Used to be a store here in Indy named Porky Lane that sold imperfect chicken and turkey which might have had cosmetic defects for REALLY low prices. The eggs were beautifully fresh with deep yellow yolks which were double or sometimes triple. Dad joked he would pay for a dozen eggs and really get 18 from all the yolks. Sorry to say that store is long gone.

[polkadot865]

Also I wanted to say u go girl! I am the same way. When it comes to kids, animals, and elderly i can't syand to thunk of being hungry

[polkadot865]

Thanks I will look for the show.

[Betty1Q]

Ditto to all you said!!!! My Stores.....all stores I go to..do not have mark downs on veggies!! I am with you all the way about the food network programing...I used to watch but no longer do. Thank You for the tip...I want to watch the Big Waste!!

[polkadot865]

I agree, I don't watch anything hardly on there anymore

[ourrepurposedlives]

I feel that if the food doesnt meet the perfect appearance, it is still quite usable, even the bruised tomatoes make excellent sauces. Stock up on them and prepare them for sauces and soups. Nothing wrong with imperfect produce and veggies, as long as they are not rotting. Most meat scraps will make really good broths.

[AnnBearForFreedom]

You stay on that soapbox for as long as you need to make your point! You have a friendliness and an eloquence that is so well suited to subtely but passionately makling your opinions and feelings known. Right on, sister!

[KamilZCz]

here where I live in some supermarkets all the products which have their shelf life ending in 3-4 days are collected and destroyed. they do not allow to sell them for half a price or to give them to local cafeteria's for poor people who would eat that the same day when it is still good.

[piebird042]

Thanks for the viewing suggestion.

[fistoffries]

I agree with the part about how the programming sucks on the food network. The cooking channel (Canada) is much better.

[hotdrumchick]

@fistoffries I like that channel too! Especially Nigella Lawson.

[MsAnna4040]

you are so right. This is a good video that everyone should see. I heard somewhere that its good to have a shelf in ur refrigerator to keep all the food that is older or ready to expire. It would help us be more aware and to try to use the food on the shelf first. Anyway, great video as always my friend!

[GrammyTammi]

There is a pig farm in Las Vegas, NV that feeds it's animals from all the "waste" they pickup for free from the buffets! If you're ever in the area you should take a tour...it's called RC Farms.

[aj19sk20]

I agree with you 100%. Have the idiots go live in the country for awhile, go out and pick the tomatoes, beans, squash and cut okra in 100 degree summer weather, then watch them come in and calmly exclaim, "....hmmm, that little spot is no big deal, just cut it out, wash it and let's cook!".

[jdolani]

Amen!!! It's so disgusting how wasteful this country is. I have said many times that every grocery, restaurant and farm should be able to donate daily to food shelters or homeless shelters. There is perfectly good food that gets thrown in the garbage every day. People who are hungry do not care if their tomato is bruised or bread is dry, a day old. I discovered something very disturbing about Sears a couple years back. They throw all the clothing, shoes that are not sold in the garbage. I wrote

[sjunghee]

I agree with you big time!

[Carballoca]

I totally agree with you about the food network....There are groups that I have seen that live out of grocery store dumpsters it was a show with Andrew Zimmer who I didn`t know was homeless at one due to drug and alcohol abuse. Some groups and just everyday people go and collect perfectly food and buy very little from the grocery stores Some collectors cook up the food they have found and serve the homeless or who ever wants it this all took place in San Francis

[Carballoca]

We are a very spoiled nation as you said if it`s not perfect we have been taught it`s no good which is sad and so far from the truth there are so many people that go hungry every day especially in these economic times..

[hotdrumchick]

I totally agree Noreen! People nowadays are so caught up in appearances, and wanting things "pretty". I'm learning to not be so picky, as long as it's still safe to eat; I can always cut off a blemish on something.

The day is coming when we will be happy to get a bruised tomato.

[babydublin01]

Thanks so much for taking about that show i have my dvr set

[FrenchHornSweetheart]

Years ago I used to go to a local small private grocery store who would give me free older produce to feed my pet rabbit and free beef bones for my dog. I used to shop the discount shelf also for very large bags of older mushrooms to make homemade mushroom soup. You don't see the discount shelf anymore in grocery store chains and I hope they give the older produce to the food banks, because throwing it out is such a waste.

[chilliconcarnie1]

.in the UK they have now given us the FOOD NETWORK for free on out t.v only from 6pm-11pm they play the same every night it is repeated i watched 6 yimes nigella lawson how to make turkey meatballs !! also barefoot contessa its very annoying ..also they waste so much food ..especially ina shes the worst ,they dont even think about how many people this could feed ,half the food gets thrown away such a waste !!!!..in the UK major retailers throw away

[chilliconcarnie1]

@chilliconcarnie1 fresh sandwiches ready meals fruit and veg there is nothing wrong with them and some people take them from the bins and they get arrested for shoplifting ? erm its in the bin and starving homeless people !! its awful ,we are talking about the top of the range supermarkets

[lilredmum]

I completely agree with you Noreen. I have always (since I was 18) shopped in the markdown section. I have taught all 4 of my children to bargain shop. My oldest is 23 and she will call me to tell me about her great finds, whether it be food or clothes on the reduced rack. I think that teaching my kids that not everything is perfect or has to be perfect is the best thing I could do for them.

[katzcradul]

Our collective arrogance is astounding. The American people have got a rude awakening coming.

[willkaren4ver]

awesome!!! at least they put something of substance on for once!!! I would watch it, but I don't get food network

[TracyFerreira]

I always go to the "reduced to clear" section of our big grocery store, a lot of time the items are marked down a huge amount, and then if you look just before closing time, they are marked down to just pennies. You are right though, it is mainly older people who do this (or me - who is young - but cheap!!), I have seen people at the check out with a trolley full of the marked down stuff. I only buy what I could safely freeze or use in the next day or so.

[willkaren4ver]

its the dumbing down of america!!!! they don't care anymore about what we see!!!

[KumaJojo]

My family shops on a budget and always finds treasures like what you said in the marked down produce section.