It's no secret that supermarkets generate a large amount of waste, especially when it comes to fresh produce items nearing their expiry dates. But one Western Australian man has decided to take matters into his own hands, transforming waste into a charitable and environmentally conscious endeavour.

Meet Brenden Rikihana, a 53-year-old Perth resident passionate about dumpster diving. By rummaging through the bins of popular supermarkets like Woolworths, Coles, and ALDI, Rikihana is on a tireless quest to uncover discarded yet still perfectly usable items—from toys and clothes to fresh vegetables, fruits, and more. And rather than hoarding his finds for personal use, he donates the vast majority to struggling families and local charities within his community.

Brenden Rikihana, 53, openly acknowledges himself as a 'scavenger' who searches through supermarket dumpsters in Western Australia, seeking products and fresh food items to donate to charitable organisations. Source: BIN LIVING with Big B/ Youtube

The adventures of Rikihana, affectionately known as 'Big B’, can be followed on his 'Bin Living with Big B' social media channels, which showcase the incredible hauls he's discovered – all while raising awareness about the hidden potential in so-called supermarket 'rubbish’.

'Here we are at another ALDI, and straight off the bat, we find a whole heap of these, a whole box of Quiché Lorraine's,' Mr Rikihana says in one YouTube video, revealing the surprisingly good condition of the quiches, which still had two weeks left before their expiration date. Given their retail price of $6-$7 each, the total value of the 11 quiches he found was over $65!

Other amazing finds include bags of coleslaw, tomatoes, potatoes, bagels, strawberries, nectarines, dishwashing liquid, toothpaste, shower gels, deodorants, soaps, bread, eggs, herbs, fruit, and even boxes of chips. Rikihana also checks the quality and expiration dates of his finds, taking care only to retrieve what's still safe for consumption.

His story garnered attention, with social media users expressing their disbelief and frustration at the volume of discarded products. Many wondered why these items weren't donated to people experiencing homelessness or struggling families rather than being thrown away.

One outraged commenter voiced their disbelief, saying, 'It's actually disgusting what they throw out! Give this stuff to the homeless, you [expletive] supermarkets.'

Another chimed in, saying, 'That’s disturbing how much they waste.'

Tips For Reducing Food Waste​

Reducing food waste is an important step towards creating a more sustainable future for our planet. Thankfully, there are a few simple tips that anyone can follow to help reduce the amount of food they waste.

• Plan meals in advance: By planning and preparing meals ahead of time, you can keep better track of the food you have and avoid letting it go bad.
• Take stock of pantry: Check your pantry and fridge before grocery shopping to see what food you already have. This helps you avoid buying unnecessary items.
• Shop with a list: Create a shopping list and stick to it. This prevents impulse purchases and ensures you only buy what you need.
• Utilise creative storage solutions: Consider buying food items in bulk and storing them in reusable containers or freezer bags. Proper storage helps prolong the freshness of food and reduces waste.
• Mindful shopping: Avoid buying food solely for its attractive packaging or aesthetic appeal. Also, pay attention to expiration dates, but remember that food can often still be safe to consume beyond that point. Use your senses, such as the sniff test, to assess the freshness of food.

Key Takeaways

• A dumpster diver in Western Australia has found a haul of fresh food in an ALDI bin and donated most of his haul to families in need and local charities.
• The 53-year-old searches bins at Woolworths, Coles, and ALDI and shares his adventures on his 'Bin Living with Big B' social media channels.
• In one video, Mr Rikihana found a box of quiches still in date and worth over $65.
• Social media users reacted with outrage at the amount of waste discarded by supermarkets, questioning why the items were not donated instead of being thrown away.

Rikihana's admirable efforts provide a thought-provoking look at the issue of supermarket waste, as well as the considerable importance of recycling and upcycling as crucial considerations for our modern world.

So, next time you're shopping at your local supermarket, spare a moment to consider the plight of those in need and the importance of reducing waste. From practical initiatives such as buying only what we need and donating surplus to local food banks to repurposing household items and avoiding single-use plastics, we all have a part to play in creating a more sustainable future.

Members, have you taken any steps to reduce food waste in your own life? We'd love to hear about the actions you've taken or any strategies you've implemented to minimise food waste. Your experiences and ideas can inspire others to make positive changes as well!

 

[Ricci]

I don't understand the mentality of stores. I once raised the problem of waste with a store manager who told me that they're not allowed to mark items down as people would wait till the end of the day to do their shopping in the hopes of getting markdowns. When I said that surely it's better to get some money at the end of the day for what's left on the shelf he replied that sure, but it's not allowed, we have to throw it all away.

 

[Penny4]

I don't understand the mentality of stores. I once raised the problem of waste with a store manager who told me that they're not allowed to mark items down as people would wait till the end of the day to do their shopping in the hopes of getting markdowns. When I said that surely it's better to get some money at the end of the day for what's left on the shelf he replied that sure, but it's not allowed, we have to throw it all away.

I thought organisations like Oz Harvest picked up any left over, as they give them to charities.

 

[Ricci]

I thought organisations like Oz Harvest picked up any left over, as they give them to charities.

Not all store chains, they'd rather chuck it all out.

 

[Pat T]

Some things are not allowed to be sold ( or given away) by foodbank or they will be closed down. Things like bread rolls with meat bits on them etc .I questioned this after being told of another store.

 

[Jenelle Maree]

Well done, Rikihana. This is criminal behavior. Dumping this waste in the bin is better then helping out the needy. We have inflation. This breaks my heart. The needy deserve help. They are beautiful souls,maybe they don't have the wealth of money. Money does not make you a better person. It is how you use the tool off money. Have you got compasion or empathy, help the needy, with some of the tool of money. We need more community jobs,there are lots of lost souls out there. We can make mistakes, we're not perfect. If we start looking out, & after people in our communities, suburbs. We may be able to reduce depression. The butterfly effect. Happy suburbs, happy communities. Happy regions, Happy cities & on & on. Don't people deserve to happy. There are people that cannot help themselves. I'm like that. It is okay to have help, to ask for help & offer help. Some people need your motivational energy to help get their mojo going. you both win, you both find happiness.

 

[goodmorning]

well shame on the supermarkets i dont throw very much away any left over veg or meat i will have the next day or too and by the end f the week i have a fry up with anything left in the fridge and have an egg or 2 with it and all my peelings go into the compost bib for my veg garden. when I retied i redid my garden and what said was if it cant feed me I'm not growing it so I have fruit trees and veg now in the gardens I do have a few of my favs in a small garden and some mice trees

 

[Col@45]

It's no secret that supermarkets generate a large amount of waste, especially when it comes to fresh produce items nearing their expiry dates. But one Western Australian man has decided to take matters into his own hands, transforming waste into a charitable and environmentally conscious endeavour.

Meet Brenden Rikihana, a 53-year-old Perth resident passionate about dumpster diving. By rummaging through the bins of popular supermarkets like Woolworths, Coles, and ALDI, Rikihana is on a tireless quest to uncover discarded yet still perfectly usable items—from toys and clothes to fresh vegetables, fruits, and more. And rather than hoarding his finds for personal use, he donates the vast majority to struggling families and local charities within his community.

View attachment 21348

Brenden Rikihana, 53, openly acknowledges himself as a 'scavenger' who searches through supermarket dumpsters in Western Australia, seeking products and fresh food items to donate to charitable organisations. Source: BIN LIVING with Big B/ Youtube

The adventures of Rikihana, affectionately known as 'Big B’, can be followed on his 'Bin Living with Big B' social media channels, which showcase the incredible hauls he's discovered – all while raising awareness about the hidden potential in so-called supermarket 'rubbish’.

'Here we are at another ALDI, and straight off the bat, we find a whole heap of these, a whole box of Quiché Lorraine's,' Mr Rikihana says in one YouTube video, revealing the surprisingly good condition of the quiches, which still had two weeks left before their expiration date. Given their retail price of $6-$7 each, the total value of the 11 quiches he found was over $65!

Other amazing finds include bags of coleslaw, tomatoes, potatoes, bagels, strawberries, nectarines, dishwashing liquid, toothpaste, shower gels, deodorants, soaps, bread, eggs, herbs, fruit, and even boxes of chips. Rikihana also checks the quality and expiration dates of his finds, taking care only to retrieve what's still safe for consumption.

His story garnered attention, with social media users expressing their disbelief and frustration at the volume of discarded products. Many wondered why these items weren't donated to people experiencing homelessness or struggling families rather than being thrown away.

One outraged commenter voiced their disbelief, saying, 'It's actually disgusting what they throw out! Give this stuff to the homeless, you [expletive] supermarkets.'

Another chimed in, saying, 'That’s disturbing how much they waste.'

Tips For Reducing Food Waste​

Reducing food waste is an important step towards creating a more sustainable future for our planet. Thankfully, there are a few simple tips that anyone can follow to help reduce the amount of food they waste.

• Plan meals in advance: By planning and preparing meals ahead of time, you can keep better track of the food you have and avoid letting it go bad.
• Take stock of pantry: Check your pantry and fridge before grocery shopping to see what food you already have. This helps you avoid buying unnecessary items.
• Shop with a list: Create a shopping list and stick to it. This prevents impulse purchases and ensures you only buy what you need.
• Utilise creative storage solutions: Consider buying food items in bulk and storing them in reusable containers or freezer bags. Proper storage helps prolong the freshness of food and reduces waste.
• Mindful shopping: Avoid buying food solely for its attractive packaging or aesthetic appeal. Also, pay attention to expiration dates, but remember that food can often still be safe to consume beyond that point. Use your senses, such as the sniff test, to assess the freshness of food.

Key Takeaways

• A dumpster diver in Western Australia has found a haul of fresh food in an ALDI bin and donated most of his haul to families in need and local charities.
• The 53-year-old searches bins at Woolworths, Coles, and ALDI and shares his adventures on his 'Bin Living with Big B' social media channels.
• In one video, Mr Rikihana found a box of quiches still in date and worth over $65.
• Social media users reacted with outrage at the amount of waste discarded by supermarkets, questioning why the items were not donated instead of being thrown away.

Rikihana's admirable efforts provide a thought-provoking look at the issue of supermarket waste, as well as the considerable importance of recycling and upcycling as crucial considerations for our modern world.

So, next time you're shopping at your local supermarket, spare a moment to consider the plight of those in need and the importance of reducing waste. From practical initiatives such as buying only what we need and donating surplus to local food banks to repurposing household items and avoiding single-use plastics, we all have a part to play in creating a more sustainable future.

Members, have you taken any steps to reduce food waste in your own life? We'd love to hear about the actions you've taken or any strategies you've implemented to minimise food waste. Your experiences and ideas can inspire others to make positive changes as well!

Just disgusting So many people struggling to make ends meet nowadays. Why don't supermarkets mark these items down to $2 if they want to get rid of them instead of throwing in the bin.

 

[Joseph Gallina]

I think at the end of the day retail outlets of this nature are loathe to donate such items for fear of being sued in the event someone consuming those items becomes sick. We know that in our current society of litigation and civil suits particularly by those waiting to 'pounce' the standard response would be to eliminate those risks by not donating it.

I know this still goes against the grain, but we do have to provide some balance to this discussion and view it from both sides. Perhaps reviewing how foods groups can be identified as safe before throwing them away in consultation with those set up to do so might be a better way to go. This of course will always depend on the amount, when and where and the availability of resources on each occasion to do so. Unfortunately, the process of donating food items that may still be good to the needy whilst at the same time satisfying everyone that it is safe to do so comes with a price sticker.

 

[Rellybee]

Maybe that particular line of Quiches was a product recall.....and needed to be tossed out

 

[Glo72]

My daughter periodically helps me go through my pantry and items that I don’t need she delivers to a pantry in Newcastle for homeless people. She crochets beanies and blankets and donates them as well. We have more homeless people than I have ever seen in my 73 years. It is heartbreaking that people are going hungry while perfectly good food is thrown out. We had a food bank where I live until the pandemic hit and it never reopened. They sold cheap groceries and also did food parcels for those doing it tough.

 

[Phantom55]

It's no secret that supermarkets generate a large amount of waste, especially when it comes to fresh produce items nearing their expiry dates. But one Western Australian man has decided to take matters into his own hands, transforming waste into a charitable and environmentally conscious endeavour.

Meet Brenden Rikihana, a 53-year-old Perth resident passionate about dumpster diving. By rummaging through the bins of popular supermarkets like Woolworths, Coles, and ALDI, Rikihana is on a tireless quest to uncover discarded yet still perfectly usable items—from toys and clothes to fresh vegetables, fruits, and more. And rather than hoarding his finds for personal use, he donates the vast majority to struggling families and local charities within his community.

View attachment 21348

Brenden Rikihana, 53, openly acknowledges himself as a 'scavenger' who searches through supermarket dumpsters in Western Australia, seeking products and fresh food items to donate to charitable organisations. Source: BIN LIVING with Big B/ Youtube

The adventures of Rikihana, affectionately known as 'Big B’, can be followed on his 'Bin Living with Big B' social media channels, which showcase the incredible hauls he's discovered – all while raising awareness about the hidden potential in so-called supermarket 'rubbish’.

'Here we are at another ALDI, and straight off the bat, we find a whole heap of these, a whole box of Quiché Lorraine's,' Mr Rikihana says in one YouTube video, revealing the surprisingly good condition of the quiches, which still had two weeks left before their expiration date. Given their retail price of $6-$7 each, the total value of the 11 quiches he found was over $65!

Other amazing finds include bags of coleslaw, tomatoes, potatoes, bagels, strawberries, nectarines, dishwashing liquid, toothpaste, shower gels, deodorants, soaps, bread, eggs, herbs, fruit, and even boxes of chips. Rikihana also checks the quality and expiration dates of his finds, taking care only to retrieve what's still safe for consumption.

His story garnered attention, with social media users expressing their disbelief and frustration at the volume of discarded products. Many wondered why these items weren't donated to people experiencing homelessness or struggling families rather than being thrown away.

One outraged commenter voiced their disbelief, saying, 'It's actually disgusting what they throw out! Give this stuff to the homeless, you [expletive] supermarkets.'

Another chimed in, saying, 'That’s disturbing how much they waste.'

Tips For Reducing Food Waste​

Reducing food waste is an important step towards creating a more sustainable future for our planet. Thankfully, there are a few simple tips that anyone can follow to help reduce the amount of food they waste.

• Plan meals in advance: By planning and preparing meals ahead of time, you can keep better track of the food you have and avoid letting it go bad.
• Take stock of pantry: Check your pantry and fridge before grocery shopping to see what food you already have. This helps you avoid buying unnecessary items.
• Shop with a list: Create a shopping list and stick to it. This prevents impulse purchases and ensures you only buy what you need.
• Utilise creative storage solutions: Consider buying food items in bulk and storing them in reusable containers or freezer bags. Proper storage helps prolong the freshness of food and reduces waste.
• Mindful shopping: Avoid buying food solely for its attractive packaging or aesthetic appeal. Also, pay attention to expiration dates, but remember that food can often still be safe to consume beyond that point. Use your senses, such as the sniff test, to assess the freshness of food.

Key Takeaways

• A dumpster diver in Western Australia has found a haul of fresh food in an ALDI bin and donated most of his haul to families in need and local charities.
• The 53-year-old searches bins at Woolworths, Coles, and ALDI and shares his adventures on his 'Bin Living with Big B' social media channels.
• In one video, Mr Rikihana found a box of quiches still in date and worth over $65.
• Social media users reacted with outrage at the amount of waste discarded by supermarkets, questioning why the items were not donated instead of being thrown away.

Rikihana's admirable efforts provide a thought-provoking look at the issue of supermarket waste, as well as the considerable importance of recycling and upcycling as crucial considerations for our modern world.

So, next time you're shopping at your local supermarket, spare a moment to consider the plight of those in need and the importance of reducing waste. From practical initiatives such as buying only what we need and donating surplus to local food banks to repurposing household items and avoiding single-use plastics, we all have a part to play in creating a more sustainable future.

Members, have you taken any steps to reduce food waste in your own life? We'd love to hear about the actions you've taken or any strategies you've implemented to minimise food waste. Your experiences and ideas can inspire others to make positive changes as well!

not always as you see it. Used to own a cake shop and with health dept rules we always had a lot of perfectly good products in the bin. Had the bright idea of donating the unsold cakes etc to the retirement village. WOW what I discovered I was given rules each cake had to be wrapped separately and listing the ingredients and delivered at a specific time..all for free...so I put them in the bin (I didn't want too get sued if someone got sick)...I previously gave out some leftover products some of my customers at closing time...also no good...customers waited till closing time to make thier purchases.... so lost out again so it's not always easy to be kind ..and you can be sued for it....it only takes a few bad customers to spoil the good deeds of others

 

[Isis]

I think at the end of the day retail outlets of this nature are loathe to donate such items for fear of being sued in the event someone consuming those items becomes sick. We know that in our current society of litigation and civil suits particularly by those waiting to 'pounce' the standard response would be to eliminate those risks by not donating it.

I know this still goes against the grain, but we do have to provide some balance to this discussion and view it from both sides. Perhaps reviewing how foods groups can be identified as safe before throwing them away in consultation with those set up to do so might be a better way to go. This of course will always depend on the amount, when and where and the availability of resources on each occasion to do so. Unfortunately, the process of donating food items that may still be good to the needy whilst at the same time satisfying everyone that it is safe to do so comes with a price sticker.

You make a good point. So many charitable organisations could benefit if only toiletries.or other non perishables put out for those in need

 

[Milica]

I am pretty sure they can mark down daily items before use by date, which i have seen - so maybe if they are aware (as they would be) whether they are easy to sell items, just before use-by, and if not easy to sell than a week before, start reducing, i really dislike waste of anything, especially food, it is what we need to survive along with water! Do some research Aldi and find out if the products have to be eaten as with fresh items exactly on the day and no longer! Just the act of throwing good food away when there are hungry people in our state, our country, not too mention the World!

 

[Gsr]

When we had the wake for my mother in law there were three platters from Woolworths of wraps not even touched. We rang the local group who do a Friday, Saturday night food van in our town to see if they wanted them. The answer was no, health regulations prevented them from using them. This was a Friday, the platters were made Friday morning, had been refridgerated apart from the five minute drive from Woolworths to the hall we were using. We ended up sending them home with a few attendees who had farms and had chooks, animals to feed them to rather than throwing them in the bin.

 

[Nichola]

well shame on the supermarkets i dont throw very much away any left over veg or meat i will have the next day or too and by the end f the week i have a fry up with anything left in the fridge and have an egg or 2 with it and all my peelings go into the compost bib for my veg garden. when I retied i redid my garden and what said was if it cant feed me I'm not growing it so I have fruit trees and veg now in the gardens I do have a few of my favs in a small garden and some mice trees

That's what we usually do for compost and vegetable growing in our garden. I have to say though, that you've gone one better than me with your 'mice trees'. My cat, Chloe, is especially interested!

 

[Dswife]

It's no secret that supermarkets generate a large amount of waste, especially when it comes to fresh produce items nearing their expiry dates. But one Western Australian man has decided to take matters into his own hands, transforming waste into a charitable and environmentally conscious endeavour.

Meet Brenden Rikihana, a 53-year-old Perth resident passionate about dumpster diving. By rummaging through the bins of popular supermarkets like Woolworths, Coles, and ALDI, Rikihana is on a tireless quest to uncover discarded yet still perfectly usable items—from toys and clothes to fresh vegetables, fruits, and more. And rather than hoarding his finds for personal use, he donates the vast majority to struggling families and local charities within his community.

View attachment 21348

Brenden Rikihana, 53, openly acknowledges himself as a 'scavenger' who searches through supermarket dumpsters in Western Australia, seeking products and fresh food items to donate to charitable organisations. Source: BIN LIVING with Big B/ Youtube

The adventures of Rikihana, affectionately known as 'Big B’, can be followed on his 'Bin Living with Big B' social media channels, which showcase the incredible hauls he's discovered – all while raising awareness about the hidden potential in so-called supermarket 'rubbish’.

'Here we are at another ALDI, and straight off the bat, we find a whole heap of these, a whole box of Quiché Lorraine's,' Mr Rikihana says in one YouTube video, revealing the surprisingly good condition of the quiches, which still had two weeks left before their expiration date. Given their retail price of $6-$7 each, the total value of the 11 quiches he found was over $65!

Other amazing finds include bags of coleslaw, tomatoes, potatoes, bagels, strawberries, nectarines, dishwashing liquid, toothpaste, shower gels, deodorants, soaps, bread, eggs, herbs, fruit, and even boxes of chips. Rikihana also checks the quality and expiration dates of his finds, taking care only to retrieve what's still safe for consumption.

His story garnered attention, with social media users expressing their disbelief and frustration at the volume of discarded products. Many wondered why these items weren't donated to people experiencing homelessness or struggling families rather than being thrown away.

One outraged commenter voiced their disbelief, saying, 'It's actually disgusting what they throw out! Give this stuff to the homeless, you [expletive] supermarkets.'

Another chimed in, saying, 'That’s disturbing how much they waste.'

Tips For Reducing Food Waste​

Reducing food waste is an important step towards creating a more sustainable future for our planet. Thankfully, there are a few simple tips that anyone can follow to help reduce the amount of food they waste.

• Plan meals in advance: By planning and preparing meals ahead of time, you can keep better track of the food you have and avoid letting it go bad.
• Take stock of pantry: Check your pantry and fridge before grocery shopping to see what food you already have. This helps you avoid buying unnecessary items.
• Shop with a list: Create a shopping list and stick to it. This prevents impulse purchases and ensures you only buy what you need.
• Utilise creative storage solutions: Consider buying food items in bulk and storing them in reusable containers or freezer bags. Proper storage helps prolong the freshness of food and reduces waste.
• Mindful shopping: Avoid buying food solely for its attractive packaging or aesthetic appeal. Also, pay attention to expiration dates, but remember that food can often still be safe to consume beyond that point. Use your senses, such as the sniff test, to assess the freshness of food.

Key Takeaways

• A dumpster diver in Western Australia has found a haul of fresh food in an ALDI bin and donated most of his haul to families in need and local charities.
• The 53-year-old searches bins at Woolworths, Coles, and ALDI and shares his adventures on his 'Bin Living with Big B' social media channels.
• In one video, Mr Rikihana found a box of quiches still in date and worth over $65.
• Social media users reacted with outrage at the amount of waste discarded by supermarkets, questioning why the items were not donated instead of being thrown away.

Rikihana's admirable efforts provide a thought-provoking look at the issue of supermarket waste, as well as the considerable importance of recycling and upcycling as crucial considerations for our modern world.

So, next time you're shopping at your local supermarket, spare a moment to consider the plight of those in need and the importance of reducing waste. From practical initiatives such as buying only what we need and donating surplus to local food banks to repurposing household items and avoiding single-use plastics, we all have a part to play in creating a more sustainable future.

Members, have you taken any steps to reduce food waste in your own life? We'd love to hear about the actions you've taken or any strategies you've implemented to minimise food waste. Your experiences and ideas can inspire others to make positive changes as well!

At 73, we have been married 52 years. It’s not just this new generation who has it tough.

Waste was minimised.
Food was simple and homemade. No coffee shops or shopping binges or “have to haves”. All food scraps went to the chooks or compost bin for the vegetable garden. I bottled fruit and made my own sauce, froze meat and double batches of food, with bulk buys from cool store “seconds”. When we travelled we had sandwiches, homemade pasties / sausage rolls and thermos flasks for tea or coffee or home bottled water. So what if fruit and vegetables weren’t a perfect shape or had a bruise?

We’ve lived through some really tough times : nearly lost our new home in the 1980s because of wage freeze and inflation, then in the 1990s, payed nearly 20% loan on a house extension trying to keep the children in one house (their grandparents, in the city) while our home was in the country and support grandmother in aged care.

We accepted second hand furniture, white goods and linen.

I’ve been an employee as well as a homemaker. I made all of our curtains, had vegetable gardens and hens, made soft furnishings and nearly all our clothes.

For 5 years in the 1980s, I drove to the city every Tuesday, to take down food for the in-laws do their shopping and transport them to medical appointments.

We had 3 children who suffered from asthma. That was expensive. One child had bad temperature gradient reactions so the house had to be kept with an even temperature 24/7.

It’s not just this new generation who has it tough. We didn’t have mobile phones, colour TV cable TV or flash cars. There were no charities with food handouts or government subsidies.

 

[Happyjack]

I thought organisations like Oz Harvest picked up any left over, as they give them to charities.

yes they do - at one Aldi neaer where I was farm sitting allowed me access to their waste bin for chook scraps after OZ Harvest had been.
except I fed myself as well. The best was probably a whole lamb roast, but there were lots of other goodies too.
Aldis in rural towns are the best bet for getting access - just ask the manager.

 

[Macarj]

At 73, we have been married 52 years. It’s not just this new generation who has it tough.

Waste was minimised.
Food was simple and homemade. No coffee shops or shopping binges or “have to haves”. All food scraps went to the chooks or compost bin for the vegetable garden. I bottled fruit and made my own sauce, froze meat and double batches of food, with bulk buys from cool store “seconds”. When we travelled we had sandwiches, homemade pasties / sausage rolls and thermos flasks for tea or coffee or home bottled water. So what if fruit and vegetables weren’t a perfect shape or had a bruise?

We’ve lived through some really tough times : nearly lost our new home in the 1980s because of wage freeze and inflation, then in the 1990s, payed nearly 20% loan on a house extension trying to keep the children in one house (their grandparents, in the city) while our home was in the country and support grandmother in aged care.

We accepted second hand furniture, white goods and linen.

I’ve been an employee as well as a homemaker. I made all of our curtains, had vegetable gardens and hens, made soft furnishings and nearly all our clothes.

For 5 years in the 1980s, I drove to the city every Tuesday, to take down food for the in-laws do their shopping and transport them to medical appointments.

We had 3 children who suffered from asthma. That was expensive. One child had bad temperature gradient reactions so the house had to be kept with an even temperature 24/7.

It’s not just this new generation who has it tough. We didn’t have mobile phones, colour TV cable TV or flash cars. There were no charities with food handouts or government subsidies.

Yep my wife used to make our kids clothes we had old car never ate out

 

[Nana Zorak]

Having lived for 85 years things have changed so much in that time. From my being a child during the war ( luckily outside the general bombing area of London. I still managed to be badly affected by the war after a rouge German plane shot up my primary school forcing us kids from 5 up to 12 to really acknowledge that things were rough in times of war. Until then we had just accepted that nights spent in the Anderson Shelter in the garden was an adventure not an imposition into our night's sleep. Mum never threw anything away that might come in handy. No cooking parchment in my days just saved butter & lard papers, we always took our own bags to the shops for the essential shopping on ration. Luckily Dad was well into gardening & grew all the vegs we would need, we always had a certain amount over for bater for the things we didn't grow. Mum & Dad never had a car or a TV. But we had everything we needed to live a good healthy life. Mum & I made jams & pickled onions & cooked together. Mum& dad were married for 40 years before she passed 4 months before Dad. I had been in Australia for several years by then & before Dad died I had started the process to bring him here although he hadn't spoken in all the time I was here. He hated the fact that we had brought our son away from England & him. We did what was best for our family & it was a great move for us all even though my first marriage lasted only 17 years. As a professional dressmaker, I kept my family clothed & supported in tough times