Close to half of the food produced in the United States is not consumed; the majority of unused food is still safe to eat (Broad Leib, Chan, Hua, Neilson, & Sanders, 2018) . Concurrently, millions of Americans are food insecure, with some unsure about the source of their next meal (Broad Leib et al., 2018) . As defined by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the term food insecure applies when a household may not be able to guarantee enough food for all members (2020). This study

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... seeks to increase collaboration and information sharing through the policymakers, regulatory officials, and culinarians within the Rhode Island food system to reduce food insecurity through diverting food waste; food donation is one method of minimizing food waste. Using a qualitative phenomenological method, this study explored the lived experiences of culinarians (N=18) in Rhode Island to better understand perceived barriers to donating prepared foods within their establishments. The research question provided the direction of the study, while the conceptual framework aided in identifying three overarching themes to support the data. The conceptual framework supported the study by relying on scholarly research as to how cultural values, personal lived experiences, and other defined factors may motivate culinarians in their decisions to donate prepared foods. This study delves into the weight of specific terminology, and how words matter pending the perspective of the individual and informs recommended best practices to bridge policy gaps that exist.