Hooray, more bread and cheese for all!

France's Parliament took definitive steps to prevent food waste on Wednesday. The country's Senate unanimously voted to ban large food stores from throwing away food that's approaching its expiration date. The National Assembly, France's other legislative chamber, had unanimously voted on the same measures in December .

Supermarkets must either compost or donate unsold and nearly expired goods to charity. The law also prohibits stores from pouring bleach over food items -- a tactic some used to prevent homeless people from foraging -- and mandates that schools across the country begin to educate students on the fight against food waste.

French food banks welcomed the ruling. "Well be able to increase the quality and diversity of food we get and distribute, Jacques Bailet, head of Banques Alimentaires , a network of French food banks, told The Guardian.