A Sam's Club employee sparked a debate after revealing the fate of a massive cupcake display created for an event honoring U.S. veterans, calling the aftermath "absolutely disgusting."

What's happening?

In the r/samsclub subreddit, the employee said that their location put together a 100-plus-cupcake display in the shape of an American flag. While it was impressive, no one got to taste the sweet treats before they were designated as trash.

Another employee found that hard to believe, saying their break room was filled with "all kinds of bakery goods, ribs, sandwich stuff, and snacks if the boxes are damaged for whatever reason."

However, the original poster explained, "These cupcakes have been sitting out for the entire weekend as a decoration so they are deemed unsanitary and will be thrown away."

"Our club throws away so much food it makes me sick," another Redditor said. "I almost want to quit because of it. EVERY DAY they throw away so so much."

Why is this important?

Even though there is plenty of food to go around, waste is a major problem in the country, with the United States throwing out the equivalent of 145 billion meals each year. Military veterans aren't exempt from being among the millions of people experiencing food insecurity.

Feeding America estimates that more than 10% of working-age veterans struggle to put food on the table, citing low pay, unexpected moving expenses, difficulty in other family members finding jobs, and ineligibility for food assistance based on income as among the reasons.

While cupcakes are hardly a nutritious meal, the waste is concerning because food releases planet-overheating gases such as methane when it breaks down.

Cupcakes may also contain ingredients with a significant environmental footprint, such as butter, which often relies on cows. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, livestock and agricultural practices account for 37% of human-generated methane pollution. 

Is Sam's Club doing anything about this?

Feeding America lists Sam's Club — along with parent company Walmart and the Walmart Foundation (its philanthropic arm) — as a "visionary partner." Collectively, the trio has donated more than eight billion pounds of food to the nonprofit and its network of food banks.

What single change would make the biggest dent in your personal food waste? Not buying food I don't need 🧐 Freezing my food before it goes bad 🧊 Using my leftovers more effectively 🍲 Composting my food scraps 🌱 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

It is unclear why the cupcake display ended up destined for the bin, as it is common for grocery retailers to donate food before it becomes unsafe to eat. However, some food banks don't accept processed foods or sugary treats as donations. Based on the shared experiences of other employees, this may have been a one-off oversight. 

What can I do about food waste more broadly?

While the EPA cautions against composting dairy products at home, you can still throw most organic food scraps in your bin to minimize methane emissions from food waste while getting a nutrient-rich fertilizer in return.

Apps such as Too Good to Go and Misfits Market can also hook you up with food that would otherwise soon go to waste at heavily discounted prices.

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