The other day, I volunteered with some of my co-workers at a local food bank. Our job was to sort donated shelf-stable goods, throwing away items that were damaged, opened or past their expiration date. Five years ago, I did the exact same work, and didn’t think twice about it. This time, it was much different– an eye-opening and somewhat bittersweet experience.
The food bank is a large distribution center that literally “feeds” many other non-profits, who then come in to shop the warehouse and take what they need. On the one hand, I was grateful to be helping this organization which in turn helps many more. It was good to see that food is being salvaged rather than being sent to the dump. I had read a shocking statistic that in the U.S. we waste about 50% of our food. After working on the sorting line for just a few hours, I fully believed it.
On the other hand, much of what I sorted barely qualifies as “food”: Something in a plastic squeeze bottle that had the word “Oreo” on it; MSG-laden soups and canned pasta meals; and carton upon carton of Capri Sun “fruit drink.” If it is going to make a difference to people who would otherwise go hungry, then there is no ambiguity– feed them. But it illustrated just how big the problem is and how far we have must go in spreading the word about bringing real food back into the mainstream.
The Buddhists have a saying, that we can transform “poison into medicine” by taking those things which anger or upset us and using them to take action to create positive change. So rather than get depressed about how much crap I saw, I decided to become even more energized in spreading the word about the importance of fermented foods– “medicine” which can help heal our guts and at least partially undo the damage being done  by the energy-dense, nutrient-lacking processed foods that comprise the SAD (standard American Diet).
Spread the word, Fermenters!
Author and founder of Fermenters Club. I’ve been fermenting food for 14 years.
In 2024, I published my first book, Fearless Fermenting.
When not stuffing things into jars, I enjoy permaculture gardening, cooking, yoga, writing, and studying cosmology and esoteric traditions.
In addition to my regular donations to the local food pantry, when my son was in Cub Scouts, we participated in numerous food drives for the Community Resource Center. We’d pass out flyers to customers arriving to shop at area grocery stores and then fill shopping carts with the donations as people left the stores. The goal was to fill the Food Pantry’s truck with shelf-stable groceries and household supplies (TP, household cleaning supplies, diapers, etc.).
I don’t know what it is about canned corn, but it seemed to be the single most commonly donated food item, especially if the donor was only giving one or two items. I realize canned corn could be very filling to a chronically empty belly, but it’s hardly the most nourishing choice of foods (esp by itself). I guess people are looking for a low cost donation item, and not thinking about nutrition, but still I wonder – why canned corn?
I tend to think a lot about nutrient density for my own family’s food, so like you, I also put some thought into my own food pantry donations. I figure that anyone in need of the food pantry especially needs nourishing food, not simply filling food. So my own donations are usually items that I’ve noticed are far less often donated – especially high protein, high omega-3 foods that are easy to prepare with minimal effort or facilities, like canned & pouch tuna, salmon, & sardines (also a great source of absorbable calcium & other minerals); canned chicken; almond butter – as well as some basic cooking ingredients – boxed broth; canned pumpkin; tomato paste; olive oil; sun dried tomatoes; coconut oil; coconut milk; vinegar; sea salt & pepper grinders; jarred garlic, herbs & spices, etc. I also donate some gluten-free rice pasta, as I know some food pantry recipients require GF foods, too. My donation choices aren’t always exactly what I choose for my own family (I try to use fresh ingredients instead of packaged), but I think they are reasonable options for shelf-stable & economical food donations.
Some food pantries do have cold storage facilities and will gladly accept fresh foods if donated during office hours when staff is on hand to receive the perishable food – so donations aren’t necessarily limited to shelf-stable & unbreakable packaging (but donors should check policy & office hours first before showing up with fresh food donations). For instance, gardeners with excess fruits and vegetables can share their excess harvest bounty. I am a CSA host, so when a CSA member is unable to collect their organic farm share box, I have often donated the contents to the Community Resource Center’s food pantry – they love receiving local fresh organic produce! If I see a good deal on peak-of-the-season produce at the end of the day at the farmer’s market, sometimes I’ve bought up a bunch to donate. Many food pantry recipients will happily transform ripe tomatoes & fruit into sauce, salsa, or jam, etc. Food pantries often will also accept food in glass containers on site, even though they prefer non-glass containers for practical reasons at off-site donation collections.
Like you, I do worry about the lack of fresh & living probiotic fermented foods in the food pantry stock, and I’m not sure how to best address that issue. Donations generally must be commercially sealed & meet the usual public health regulations, etc., so non-commercially fermented foods that I’d happily serve to my family probably wouldn’t be accepted. Maybe there’s an opportunity to teach fermentation skills to some food pantry recipients?
Thank you for sharing your story! Great suggestions on “real food” donations, too. What do you think is a good way to find those recipients– especially in this case, where many organizations pull from the central warehouse?
– Austin