How CAER Helps Reduce Hunger and Food Waste

At CAER, we often talk about the importance of reducing hunger in our community—but there’s another critical part of what we do that doesn’t get as much attention: reducing food waste.

Every day in Minnesota and across the country, grocery stores, food distributors, and households throw away perfectly good food. In fact, it’s estimated that up to 40% of food in the U.S. goes to waste. That’s not just a missed meal—it’s a missed opportunity to feed people and be better stewards of our resources.



A big reason this happens? Confusion around date labels. Most people don’t realize that the “best by,” “sell by,” or “use by” dates on food packaging are not federally regulated and usually have nothing to do with food safety. They’re simply the manufacturer’s best guess for when the product is at its freshest. In reality, many of these items are still safe and nutritious well beyond those dates.

At CAER, we work closely with local grocery stores and food rescue partners to collect surplus items that are still in excellent condition. This includes produce that might be slightly blemished, dairy or deli items nearing their date, and pantry staples that are perfectly fine but overstocked.

We’re proud to get that food into the hands of people who can use it. And we do it with dignity and care—because everyone deserves access to fresh, nourishing food.

The impact doesn’t stop there. When we receive items we can’t distribute—maybe due to quality or quantity—we pass them along to local farmers for use as animal feed. In fact, more than half of the food we can’t use still finds a second purpose, helping sustain local agriculture rather than ending up in a landfill.



Every bag of groceries from CAER represents a win-win: fighting hunger and fighting waste. Thank you for being part of a more just, more sustainable food system.