Food Recovery Journal

The 3% Solution: Food That Isn’t Recovered

July 12, 2024

We Don’t Waste recovers a lot of food. Over 97% of the food we provide to community members is recovered or donated, but did you know there are times when We Don’t Waste purchases food? It is a much smaller percentage of the food we distribute, but it is still an important part of our impact. 

When We Don’t Waste makes a food purchase, it is because we want to supplement the foods we are already bringing in to fill in potential nutritional gaps. These are often the categories of food that are harder to source, such as proteins and allergen-free options. 

We also want to ensure that the food we bring to Mobile Food Markets and our nonprofit partners is culturally relevant and provides a diverse choice of diets. Because food purchase is a necessity of our work, it’s also important for us to support local businesses. 

Businesses like Eagle Rock Ranch are at the top of the list when we’re thinking about making a supplemental food purchase. They’re a cattle ranch based in Jefferson, CO, that focuses on sustainable and ethical practices that keep their cows happy and healthy, and are dedicated to the stewardship of the land they’re on. The ranch and its staff are all registered with the Beef Quality Assurance Program as well. 

Erin, who manages the Eagle Rock Ranch Mercantile, recently spoke with us about our partnership. When asked how she feels knowing that the beef we purchase feeds people facing food insecurity, she said “It’s rewarding to know that premium, high-quality beef is going into the hands of individuals and families that need it most. As a small business, our partnership with We Don’t Waste is a wonderful way to give back locally to help reduce hunger and food waste.“ It really is a win-win-win for everyone involved!

Another way We Don’t Waste acquires food is through TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program). This program, operated by the USDA, is a program that gets food to low-income Americans through partnerships with nonprofit organizations and schools. TEFAP is a crucial and integral part of the We Don’t Waste Mobile Food Market program. 

Since We Don’t Waste operates primarily as a food recovery program, we cannot always guarantee that we have recovered all the necessary food groups to meet a person’s daily nutritional needs, including protein, dairy, fruits, vegetables, grains, and oils. For instance, during the winter months, sourcing fresh produce locally becomes more challenging due to reduced local agricultural output. The TEFAP Program plays a vital role in ensuring that we fulfill all portions of the daily dietary requirements while also supplementing our community with the diverse range of foods we have recovered. 

By having these additional modes of food acquisition, we’re able to ensure that we are always able to bring enough food to our partners and our Mobile Food Markets. If you would like to get involved with food donation, explore options for partnership, or just generally become more involved with We Don’t Waste programming, explore more of our website!