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FAQ

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Food Rescue:

What is food rescue?
What are the benefits of food rescue? Isn’t it just easier to compost leftover food?
How big is the problem of wasted food?
Why do businesses have such huge amounts of food waste?
What is the Massachusetts Commercial Organics Waste Ban, and how does it affect your work?

Lovin’ Spoonfuls:

How is Lovin’ Spoonfuls different from a food bank?
Where does rescued food come from?
Where does the food go after it has been rescued?
How’d you get your name?

Getting Involved:

How can my nonprofit organization partner with Spoonfuls to obtain food?
How can I contribute?
Can I volunteer at Lovin’ Spoonfuls?
How can I waste less food?
Will Lovin’ Spoonfuls pick up leftover food from my house?
Where can I learn more about food waste and hunger in America?

Contact Us:

How can I get in touch with Lovin’ Spoonfuls?
How can I stay up-to-date on Lovin’ Spoonfuls happenings?
What if I have more questions?

Food Rescue

What is food rescue?

Food rescue involves taking excess food that is not salable (but is still tasty and nutritious) and distributing it to those who need it. The food, which would otherwise be discarded, is not spoiled, rotten, or “out of code.”

What are the benefits of food rescue? Isn’t it just easier to compost leftover food?

In addition to keeping food out of landfills — thereby mitigating the negative environmental effects that wasted food has on our environment — food rescue addresses food insecurity and improves access to healthy food for people who need it. While composting is certainly valuable for food that can no longer be consumed, we believe that distributing fresh, healthy food when it can be consumed, has a greater human impact.

How big is the problem of wasted food?

Food is wasted in enormous proportions, not only in Massachusetts but also across the country and the world. Here are some facts about food waste – all pre-pandemic figures.

  • The amount of food that goes unsold or uneaten in the United States every day (around 35% of the food we produce1) is enough to fill the Rose Bowl stadium in California.
  • Decomposing food in landfills emits methane, a greenhouse gas that is 28 times more potent than carbon dioxide.2
  • Every year, 14% of total freshwater consumption is used to produce food that is ultimately wasted.1
  • On a per-capita basis, food waste represents 1,250 calories of food per person per day.3
Why do businesses have such huge amounts of food waste?

There are many reasons why businesses waste so much food. Consumer preferences and company standards for perfect-looking produce cause supermarkets to reject or discard produce with even minor, superficial imperfections. Supermarkets must cater to customers’ needs, which means they remain fully stocked at all times, even if that results in wasted food. In most cases, it is easier for supermarkets to throw food out at the end of the day than to find another home for it. That’s where Lovin’ Spoonfuls comes in — we offer a simple, streamlined service for food vendors that provides them a tax break, reduces trash collection costs, and allows them to help feed people in their own communities.

What is the Massachusetts Commercial Organics Waste Ban, and how does it affect your work?

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP)’s Commercial Waste Disposal Ban (aka the “Organic Waste Ban”) works to limit the amount of food businesses and institutions can sell to landfills. The original threshold of one ton was expanded to a half-ton in November 2022, meaning all businesses disposing of more than a half-ton of food per week are affected by the measure and could face penalties if not compliant.

We are encouraged by this regulation as it reduces food waste in landfills and encourages new partnerships with food businesses looking to donate excess food in compliance with the ban. We ultimately hope that means more food for people in need! Read more about the ban on our blog.

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Lovin’ Spoonfuls

How is Lovin’ Spoonfuls different from a food bank?

Food banks rely on warehouses and other overnight storage facilities to maintain their inventory of primarily non-perishable goods. Lovin’ Spoonfuls utilizes a direct distribution system. We pick up food and deliver to our nonprofit beneficiaries in the same day. We do not store or ‘bank’ food because we work primarily with perishable products. Direct distribution helps to ensure direct access.

Where does rescued food come from?

Lovin’ Spoonfuls works with 85 vendor partners, including local grocery stores like Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and Roche Bros., as well as produce wholesalers, farms, and farmers markets to source fresh produce, whole grains, dairy, and lean protein… healthy foods that people facing food insecurity need.

Where does the food go after it has been rescued?

After we rescue food, our Food Rescue Coordinators deliver it to out nonprofit partners – pantries, meal programs, shelters, and more – same-day. 

How’d you get your name?

No, we are not named after a band.

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Getting Involved

How can my nonprofit organization partner with Spoonfuls to obtain food?

Fill out our application form to express your interest.

How can I contribute?

There are lots of ways to get more involved to support food rescue and Lovin’ Spoonfuls!

One simple way to help is to give. Every $1 enables us to rescue and distribute more than 2 lbs. of food, providing nearly a day’s worth of food to a person facing food insecurity. You can donate on our website or even launch your own crowdfunding campaign.  

Can I volunteer at Lovin’ Spoonfuls?

Interested in volunteering? We have limited volunteer opportunities available and, when we do, they’re posted to our volunteer page and social media.

How can I waste less food?

These resources will help you rescue food at home.

Will Lovin’ Spoonfuls pick up leftover food from my house?

We don’t pick up from individuals’ homes. Our food is sourced exclusively from big-shelf retailers like grocery stores, wholesalers, farms, and farmers markets.

Where can I learn more about food waste and hunger in America?

One good resource is ReFED, including their Policy Finder and Solution Providers Database. Another is Jonathan Bloom’s blog, Wasted Food, as well as his excellent book, American Wasteland: How America Throws Away Nearly Half of Its Food (and What We Can Do About It). 

Here are a few others:

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Contact Us

How can I get in touch with Lovin’ Spoonfuls?

Check out our Contact Page.

How can I stay up-to-date on Lovin’ Spoonfuls happenings?

For the latest, sign up for our email newsletters and follow us on social media: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube.

What if I have more questions?

We’re all ears! Email us at info@lovinspoonfulsinc.org.

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Sources:

1 ReFED
2 NRDC’s Wasted