Donate to a Food Bank
A Guide to Practical and/or Healthy Food Staples to your Local Food Bank.
Breakfast Foods to Donate
Whole Grain Cereal
Rolled Oats
Pancake Mix
Baby Cereal
Syrup
Lunch and Dinner Foods to Donate
Tuna Fish
Canned Chicken
Peanut Butter
No-Nut Butter
Jelly
Whole grain pasta
Brown Rice
Canned Beans
Dry Beans
Canned Vegetables (low sodium/no salt)
Canned Fruit (light syrup/in own juices)
Pasta Sauce
Condiments
Dry Goods – Sugar, Flour, Salt, Baking Powder, Baking
Soda, Spices
Baby Food
Snack Foods to Donate
Applesauce
Raisins
Dry Fruit
Granola Bars
Whole Grain Crackers
Trail Mix
Nuts
Fresh Foods (Not All Food Banks Offer)
Fresh Vegetables
Fresh Fruit
Yogurt
Milk
Eggs
Bread
Frozen Vegetables
The number one rule to remember is this: if your donation is perishable, i.e., it’s something with a limited shelf life if not refrigerated, food banks won’t accept it. But there are other categories of food that you can’t donate.
Items needing refrigeration: Food like produce, dairy, and meat can spoil quickly, and your local food bank may require the refrigerator or freezer space needed to keep these items fresh. Many food banks work directly with farmers, retailers, restaurants, and other companies to source these perishable foods for donation.
Expired food: When considering what to donate, think about what you’d be comfortable serving your family. Chances are, you don’t eat food past its “use-by” or “sell-by” date, so avoid donating anything past those dates to food banks as it could be unsafe to eat.
Leftovers: While sharing the bountiful food from big meals like Thanksgiving may be tempting, keeping leftovers for the family is best. To ensure the people they serve are safe, food banks can’t accept leftovers or anything made in personal kitchens because they aren’t individually sealed. The food bank can’t verify the ingredients or preparation process.
Just a note: You can ‘clean out your cabinets’ and donate, and some food banks can use the food after it is expired, but think of the Golden Rule. Would you want someone to give YOU their expired food? It’s better than wasting it, but be gracious and loving.
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