In college I had friends who lived near the vons (then safeway) and bigbear grocery stores on Adams Ave in (ab)Normal Heights.
They’d regularly dumpster dive the dumpsters near the loading docks. They’d make up big stews, soups, etc with the produce that was being tossed. They’d invite all their friends to dinner.
I didn’t do the actual diving, but I ate a lot of the food.
I’ve definitely trash picked. Furniture, etc… I’ve got a chair that I found in an alley in college… it’s a great chair. I’ve also got a pink mixmaster mixer – still works. Used it to make cookies last week.
