Over-abundance and scarcity

Yesterday, on Christmas Eve, I worked a half-day at urgent care.  One of the other nurses brought in some amazing homemade cinnamon rolls, another receptionist brought in a homemade key lime pie, and there was a basket of home baked cookies on the break room table.  I had a cinnamon roll and the other nurse and one of the docs tried a piece of key lime pie.   After we closed and I was finishing up a few things, I noticed that the pie and rolls were left on the table mostly uneaten.  I offered some to the janitor.  He said he had a lot waiting for him when he got off work.  I put the pie and rolls in the refrigerator not wanting them to spoil. It made me sad to think of the effort that people put into these goodies going to waste.  We have so much abundance around us in this country and especially during the holidays that we are willing to let not just the leftover tuna casserole in the back of the frig but great homemade treats go to waste.  I read recently that American households throw away about $175 worth of food every month.  We struggle with obesity, throw away and refuse good food.  It seems to me that many of us are drowning in a sea of abundant food and bad choices.  At the same time, more and more American families suffer from food insecurity (about 15% of households according to the USDA).  What a strange relationship we have with something that is supposed to sustain life in this country.