"W. Baker" > wrote in message
...
> Julie Bove > wrote:
> : I could be wrong here but I believe you said you either work at a
> food bank
> : or have worked at one. If this is true, I have a question. Do they
> take
> : expired food? This subject came up on a couponing site where many
> people
> : are saying they donate their expired food. But there is one woman
> there who
> : works at a food bank and she said they are unable to give it out and
> have to
> : just toss it. She said they toss most of the food donated because
> the cans
> : are dented or the food is badly expired. Some by as much as years.
> Yet
> : there are other people who claim their food bank does take expired
> food or
> : that they themselves have gotten expired food from a food bank. I
> know
> : there is no universal answer on this and each food bank would be
> different.
> : I just would never donate expired food. To me that seems like a
> mean thing
> : to do.
>
> : Thanks!
>
> The food banks I am associated with, both in NYC and Margaretville
> discard
> all expired food. I believe that it is the law in NYC. I, myself,
> have
> often used slighly outdated food with no harm. Of course, I do
> examine it
> to make sure the can and the contents are all OK.


Are they expired dates or best by dates? Canned food will last for years
after best by. Packaged or fresh obviously don't. I have received cans
past best by date from food banks and nothing wrong with them. Pity the
rules couldn't be bit more lenient especially for canned foods. I was
given a bunch of stuff when an aunt died and I made buttermilk pancakes
from a powdered mix in sachets that were 7 years past the expiry date. I
lived And the quality was great.