Food waste is a disaster so prevalent in the United States that several people are working to expose entities that add to that problem. Ironically, food security is also an issue that no one seems to be able to solve, whether working through nonprofits or government subsidies. How then do both problems get solved without extensive financial investment that the lower classes can no longer afford?
The answer is that there is no universal solution, but people are able to meet the problem where they are and address it as they see fit. In Orange County, the school district is solving the problem using a fundamental truth of which all adults are aware: kids are picky eaters. Instead of letting children throw food in the garbage, the adult supervisors collect unwanted to food, which is then donated to a homeless shelter.
Consequently, this solves two problems, one being that children are taught not to throw away their food just because they want something different; the second being that homeless people have access to fresher food which means better nutrients and better health. The earth is a finite resource, but if food can be used more effectively, there will be enough so that people avoid going hungry.
