I've raided dumpsters behind art stores and print shops before. Lots of really bitchen things in those nearly every time. Huge rolls of paper just waiting to be picked up...Quarter full tubes of paint, brushes, ink, you name it.

The best time to find other cool stuff is when a store goes out of business or something. Just beware of needles or glass. You wouldn't want to get that kind of surprise...

I'd be a bit skeptical about consuming the food though. I understand a lot of it is just discarded for no real reason other than maybe a few days until the printed expiration dates, but other times there may be another reason...

Man I really didn't mean to type that much. Oh well...