Food Drive Tips

Designated on packages by the words “Better if used by...” and a date. Look for these dates on packaged mixes, cold cereals, peanut butter, and increasingly, on canned items like fruits and vegetables. These dates mean that after the quality date, the food will begin to lose its flavor and may even develop an off-flavor. Donate only foods that are well within the quality dates marked on the package.

“Expires 9/01/23” or “Do not use after 9/30/23.” Look for these dates, yeast, baking powder, and cake mixes.  Foods have to be within a year of the date they are donated. 

Example: “Sell by Aug 16.” Look for these dates on perishable, refrigerated foods such as milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, cream, eggs, lunch meat, and packaged salad mixes. Perishable foods, except for garden produce, are usually not included in a food drive. If they are, choose foods that are well within the pull date.

Besides looking for a date, be sure to check the integrity of the package. To ensure that the food has not been contaminated, donate only foods from unopened packages. Avoid foods with packaging that shows signs of leakage or damage. Do not donate canned items that have broken seams or large dents.

Your donation only makes a difference in the life of someone in need if the product donated is within the date marked and of good quality. If you question the integrity of the product or wouldn’t feed it to your household—it is probably best not to donate it.

Are home-canned foods, fresh eggs or produce safe to donate? Food pantries often welcome donations of fresh produce. However, home-canned foods, meat, or eggs that have not been handled by licensed food processors should not be donated.