Our step-daughter-in-law's brother got half a pallet of bananas (that's 24 boxes) that were going to be thrown away (the bananas were still green) and he gave her a box of them (she gave us half the box, that's 20 lbs of bananas).
I was trying to figure out what I was going to do with all those bananas, since one gets tired of eating banana bread all the time. So I put 4 peeled bananas in a quart zipper freezer bag, mashed the bananas, zipped it closed, and dated the bag. Did that until I ran out of bananas, and put them all in the freezer. Now, when I want banana bread/cake/muffins/etc, all I have to do is pull a bag of mashed bananas out of the freezer, let them thaw, cut a corner off the bag, and squeeze them into the mixing bowl when they go into the recipe.
That was much easier than mashing the bananas in a bowl and then trying to transfer them to a freezer bag, and the bags take up less room in the freezer than small containers would. And I don't have to wash the bags when I'm done, I can throw them away.
What chaps my hide about these bananas? Whatever store ordered them and the company that shipped them - well, if the store ordered 50 boxes of bananas, they come 48 boxes to a pallet, so the company ships 2 pallets, which is 96 boxes. The store doesn't need 96 boxes, they only need 50, so those other 46 boxes get thrown away (unless there's a truck driver or two or three who are willing to take them). Which is how the step-DIL's brother got the pallet, he split it with another truck driver rather than see them get thrown away (and they both went around finding people who were willing to buy boxes or half-boxes of bananas for less than what they would have paid for them at a store). That part I don't have a problem with, but what if there wasn't anyone who was willing to take them? That's a lot of bananas that would have gone to waste, and that happens with all kinds of other produce. Now why can't those overages be donated to food shelves so that they aren't wasted, and people who can't normally afford to buy fresh fruits and veggies would have an opportunity to get some at no cost? I would think that could also be a tax deduction for the store also, donating to a food shelf.............certainly makes more sense than throwing it away.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
4 comments:
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I agree with you, and am glad you helped rescue those bananas!
ReplyDeleteFood waste is EVERYWHERE, and it bugs me to no end. I have worked in restaurants, and the stuff people throw just boggles my mind.
The bounty which this earth provides us never ceases to amaze me, nor does the fact that any mother's babies go to bed hungry in this day an age.
ReplyDeleteblargh.
Hi, there is a wonderful place called Foodbank here in Australia, for businesses to donate large quantities like this. Their web site is www.foodbank.com.au and Landline (TV show) did a great bit on what they do at http://www.abc.net.au/landline/content/2008/s2558500.htm
ReplyDeleteAround here, there's a "salvage" grocery store that sells food cheaper than other places. They get a lot of their items by buying the leftovers from pallets like that, or from late deliveries - a lot of stores here will turn away a truck if it's more than an hour or so late, and all of that food would go to waste, too.
ReplyDelete