I think some of the reason is that we have become pickier. Most of the food that is counted "bad" is not really, like apples that have shrunk a bit. You can use

I think some of the reason is that we have become pickier. Most of the food that is counted "bad" is not really, like apples that have shrunk a bit. You can use them perfectly for something like an apple pie or ingredients in a dish. Fish is an issue because it can become "fishy", i.e. you get a strong taste of fish blood if not kept properly. I try to buy them from companies that freeze on the boat and transport around in trucks and sell directly to people. Most meats though is usually better tasting after the expiration date (to a certain extent!) But none of that can last for years in storage, I guess that lowers the cost a bit. Also the processed foods have more filler ingredients like corn starch etc which is cheap.