- "Ness dug around in the trash can. Well, let's see here... There is a Hamburger inside! Ness takes it."
- — EarthBound's text when Ness takes a Hamburger out of a trash can.
Trash Cans are objects that appear in all three games of the Mother series, usually containing items that range from weapons to food to medicines.
EarthBound Beginnings
In Mother, both Lloyd and his father are first encountered hiding in trash cans, although Lloyd is the one of the two to leave their hiding spot. Another trash can appears in Sweet Little's Factory, containing an unlimited amount of Bottle Rockets.
EarthBound
Trash cans appear frequently in EarthBound (most common in urban areas, factories, and sewers), carrying a wide range of items or sometimes some "plain ol' garbage". The overworld sprites of the Putrid Moldyman and Smelly Ghost resemble the sprite used for Trash Cans, although a character approaching it makes the normally stationary enemy move.
Mother 3
In 'Mother 3, Trash Cans holding items only appear in Tanetane Island (while they appear as Trash Cans, they are actually Gift Boxes and are only seen as such due to Hallucination Mushrooms) and New Pork City's sewers (where the Putrid Moldyman again appears). They make a cameo appearance in Tazmily Village starting in Chapter 4, but it cannot be opened. Two oversized Trash Cans also appear; the first of which is in Osohe Castle, which Duster, Kumatora, and Wess will be transported into if they are hit by one of the sweeping Brooms. The second appears in the Chimera Laboratory, being used by Dr. Andonuts as a hiding place from the Ultimate Chimera.
