Don’t Donate These Foods to Food Banks

A team working at a food bank
Photo by Joel Muniz on Unsplash

We’re sure you have the best intentions in mind when donating food, but some things are not really appropriate for donating and can only create more work for the people working in food banks without helping anyone. Here are three types of foods you shouldn’t donate as they likely won’t be accepted or they will just be thrown out.

Damaged Cans

Canned foods are great for donating as they don’t require specific storage and can last for a long time. However, if there are any damages to the can, such as dents or rust, there’s a risk that the food inside is spoiled. Don’t donate such cans.

Fresh Food

Fresh food like meat and produce can’t last very long even when refrigerated, and many food bank facilities don’t have enough refrigerators anyway. They will be forced to throw out the food that you brought and it’s just a waste.

Homemade Foods

If you’ve made too much food for a gathering or simply wanted to donate the food you carefully prepared at home, know that there’s a big risk it will have to be thrown out. Such places aren’t typically allowed to accept any food without proper packaging and declarations, so your effort be for nothing.