The Best Part of Dumpster Diving
To me, the best part of dumpster diving is you never know what you might find. I've found wax boxes full of Meyer lemons, jalapenos, green apples, blood oranges, red potatoes, and so on. When we find a quantity so large my husband and I could never possibly eat it all, we have a few steps to follow:
How to Make Compost From Dumpster Diving
First of all, we sort the food. Outside, we place the full box of dumpster veggies on a stool, and we place an empty box at our feet for compost. Any fruit or vegetable that looks questionable goes straight into the compost box. Much of what we find is 100% perfect produce that is being tossed out simply because the store ordered too much. After sorting, the beautiful veggies then go into the vinegar/water bath. To make the bath, I fill one side of the sink half-way with water, and add about one cup of white vinegar. I let the produce sit in the bath for about 10 minutes. Then I take the produce out, place it on a clean kitchen towel, and put more produce in the bath. If the bath water looks gross, I drain and replace.
I should note that before beginning this process, a big plan for compost is needed. To put "big plan" into perspective, my brother gave me a large, metal, rotating compost bin. Such compost bins are usually plenty for a family year-round. We filled it in two days. Then we made a compost bin out of pallets (cheap and easy). The pallet bin was filled a week later. Luckily R.C.'s parents have some land, so they were happy to let us start a pile out there.
Zero Food Waste
After sorting and washing, we are still left with huge amounts of produce. I start by selecting what I think we can actually eat within 2-3 days. I'll plan out soups, pasta dishes, salads and more all based on what we have found. Then I make boxes for families in need of fresh produce.
When Life Gives You Peppers, You Pickle 'em!
After the meals are planned and boxes for families filled, I still often have such large quantities of items that I have to get creative. My first approach is to freeze. We have a deep freezer full of bananas and berries. To freeze, I put the fruit on a plate lined with parchment paper in the regular freezer. After freezing, I transfer the fruit into a container to be stored in the deep freezer. This process works well because the fruit doesn't stick together.
My second approach is to pickle. I've fermented sauerkraut, onions, bell peppers, jalapenos, garlic, and ginger. I usually just look up a recipe online, but I've found a simple brine of:
6 cups water
1/2 cup vinegar of choice
3 tablespoons pickling salt
And any desired seasoning. I've tried adding bay leaf, black pepper, turmeric, dill, honey, fresh herbs, and many more. The fun is in experimenting!
Between eating, composting, giving, and preserving there is no need for food waste.
To me, the best part of dumpster diving is you never know what you might find. I've found wax boxes full of Meyer lemons, jalapenos, green apples, blood oranges, red potatoes, and so on. When we find a quantity so large my husband and I could never possibly eat it all, we have a few steps to follow:
How to Make Compost From Dumpster Diving
First of all, we sort the food. Outside, we place the full box of dumpster veggies on a stool, and we place an empty box at our feet for compost. Any fruit or vegetable that looks questionable goes straight into the compost box. Much of what we find is 100% perfect produce that is being tossed out simply because the store ordered too much. After sorting, the beautiful veggies then go into the vinegar/water bath. To make the bath, I fill one side of the sink half-way with water, and add about one cup of white vinegar. I let the produce sit in the bath for about 10 minutes. Then I take the produce out, place it on a clean kitchen towel, and put more produce in the bath. If the bath water looks gross, I drain and replace.
I should note that before beginning this process, a big plan for compost is needed. To put "big plan" into perspective, my brother gave me a large, metal, rotating compost bin. Such compost bins are usually plenty for a family year-round. We filled it in two days. Then we made a compost bin out of pallets (cheap and easy). The pallet bin was filled a week later. Luckily R.C.'s parents have some land, so they were happy to let us start a pile out there.
If you don't have access to land personally, I would recommend attending a local farmers market and asking if there are any local farmers who would be willing to let you dump some compost on their pile weekly. You'll probably make a new best friend. We have been dumpster diving for less than 3 months, and our compost pile is already getting pretty big:
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| Dumpster Diving Compost Pile February 2018 |
After sorting and washing, we are still left with huge amounts of produce. I start by selecting what I think we can actually eat within 2-3 days. I'll plan out soups, pasta dishes, salads and more all based on what we have found. Then I make boxes for families in need of fresh produce.
When Life Gives You Peppers, You Pickle 'em!
After the meals are planned and boxes for families filled, I still often have such large quantities of items that I have to get creative. My first approach is to freeze. We have a deep freezer full of bananas and berries. To freeze, I put the fruit on a plate lined with parchment paper in the regular freezer. After freezing, I transfer the fruit into a container to be stored in the deep freezer. This process works well because the fruit doesn't stick together.
 |
| Pickle Peppers |
My second approach is to pickle. I've fermented sauerkraut, onions, bell peppers, jalapenos, garlic, and ginger. I usually just look up a recipe online, but I've found a simple brine of:
6 cups water
1/2 cup vinegar of choice
3 tablespoons pickling salt
And any desired seasoning. I've tried adding bay leaf, black pepper, turmeric, dill, honey, fresh herbs, and many more. The fun is in experimenting!
 |
| Fermenting Dumpster Veggies |
Between eating, composting, giving, and preserving there is no need for food waste.
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