Amsterdam
From Trashwiki
Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, is a nice city for finding free food and stuff.
Contents |
[edit] Markets
When you go to the market around its closing time you can generally find sufficient amounts of food or second hand stuff (clothes, books, etc.) vendors leave behind. You can also ask vendors if they have any leftover produce. Sometimes they leave quite some amounts of food just on the pavement or inside the containers behind their booths. At times, it is better to wait until vendors leave, although some freegan-oriented folks tend to build a special relation with certain vendors. There is always a lot of good food left behind on Mondays and Saturdays.
There are several daily markets, and two organic markets on Saturdays.
- Albert Cuijp
- The largest daily market. Located next to the Ferdinand Bolstraat. Vendors generally leave their produce stuffed in boxes just in the street. On Saturdays there is exceptionally a big amount of leftover produce - you can also see many folks wandering around and "shopping" for free.
- Dappermarkt
- In 2007 voted as the best country's market. Open every day except Sunday. Located in the east part of the city.
- Ten Katemarkt
- Has ~6 booths that sell vegetables. Vendors leave food in big blue containers. Good for diving. Be there between 17:00 and 17:30 latest for the best scoring options. Located at the Kinkerstraat.
- Markt Bos en Lommerplein
- Markt Plein '40 - '45
- Markt Ganzenhoef Bijlmer
- Many exotic products. Only on Saturdays.
- Waterloopleinmarkt
- A flea market (no food). Come at/after closing time (16:00-17:00). Vendors usually leave what they don't bother to take back home in certain places in the market. It is often good for finding books, clothes, old records, etc. Predictably, not of greatest quality, as usual, although some valuable cult classics have been known to turn up in there.
- Westermarkt
- Organic market, only on Saturdays.
- Nieuwmarkt biologische markt
- Organic market, only on Saturdays.
- Some more markets in Zuidoost (on Saturdays)
See also the addresses of Amsterdam markets.
[edit] Garbage
Neighborhoods have different days of putting discarded bulky items out on the street. People put out literally everything, from huge furniture to ovens and all sorts of devices and other handy things meant for the household which means it is possible to gather enough of a furniture for an appartment with some luck. Best time to search is in the evenings, especially in areas that are being renovated. You'll also find that there are people who are actually collecting stuff so that they could sell it later on in someplace elsewhere. According to some, best areas to do discarded stuff picking are Pijp and Oud-Zuid.
Good trash days are (all maps in Dutch, although they display color-coded areas with a list of trash days below):
- For the city center, check this website.
- For Pijp and Oud-Zuid, check here.
- For Westerpark, check info here.
- For Oost, please check info here
[edit] Bakeries
You can go to any bakery around closing time (5 or 6 pm) and ask if they have any leftovers. If you are a foreigner in Amsterdam, please keep in mind that it is uncommon for Dutch to know the English word "leftovers", and so use "restjus" (possibly spelled differently, sounds like "rest-juice") which is a diminutive form of the word "remainder" (or "rest") and so translates as "remainderlings".
[edit] Hotels
Hotels frequently have buffets, leftovers of which they're legally required to toss out at the end of the day. Employees, luckily, are usually amenable to give some food away.
[edit] Freeshops
- You can find one freeshop in Buurtboerderij which in itself is already worth a visit (see map).
- There is one store which is not really a freeshop but it serves "bijstandsgerechtigen" and other people with minimum income (address: Jan Evertsestraat 10).
[edit] Supermarkets
Supermarkets are generally good for dumpster diving, although many - such as "Albert Heijn" - are actually sending all the food they throw away back with their trucks, so there isn't much to dive there.
[edit] Voedselbank
The Voedselbank gets leftovers from supermarkets and distributes them to people with who are officially under a local poverty level limit. Curiously enough, even Voedselbank itself have leftovers - that leaves you a possibility to go there and ask for leftover food (just go to their shop on Friday and ask them very politely).
[edit] Transport
If you want to carry a lot of things in one go, a Bakfiets comes in handy.
