• Careers
  • Education
  • Research
  • Giving
Ochsner Health Ochsner Health
  • About
  • Find A Doctor (current)
  • Find A Location
  • Specialties & Treatments
MyOchsner Logo
Login | Signup
Submit Search
Close Search
  •   Home
  • In To Your Health...
  • Food & Fitness
  • Conditions & Treatment
  • Health Trends
  • Prevention & Wellness
  • Women's Health
  • Men's Health
  • Mental Health
  • Parenting
  • I need to...
  • Find A Doctor
  • Find A Location
  • Find A Specialty
  • Schedule An Appointment
  • Pay A Bill
  • Explore
  • About Ochsner
  • Careers
  • Patients & Visitors
  • "To Your Health" Blog
  • Health Resources
  • Medical Professionals
  • Education
  • Philanthropy
  • Community Outreach
  • Research
  • Ochsner Health Network
  • Schedule an Appointment
  • Call: 1-866-624-7637
  • Online: Login to MyOchsner
  • Personalize your content
  • patient Edit Persona Persona Chooser
To Your Health

View Newsletter Editions
  • Food & Fitness
  • Conditions & Treatment
  • Health Trends
  • Prevention & Wellness
  • Women's Health
  • Men's Health
  • Mental Health
  • Parenting
Food Donation Items

Food Pantry Donation: How to Give with Respect

Nov 19, 2020 |
By Molly Kimball, RD, CSSD
Share Facebook Logo Twitter Logo Pinterest Logo Email Logo

Dusty boxes of mac and cheese, dented cans of ravioli and baked beans, creamed corn and cake mix past their expiration date. Although these may not sound appetizing, these are the types of items that are commonly donated to food pantries, especially during holiday food drives. If you’re considering donating to a food pantry this year, consider the following strategies to do so with mindfulness, intention and respect.

Four things to consider

  • No glass: Food pantries cannot take products in glass containers.
  • Avoid jumbo-sized products: These weigh down the bags and boxes, and often cannot be distributed.
  • Check the expiration date: Food pantries cannot accept or distribute expired foods.
  • Ask what’s needed: Call your local food bank and ask if they need specific items.

Donating Ochnser Eat Fit style

Just because a food is nutritious doesn’t mean it has to be pricey – or that it can’t taste good. Examples of nutritious nonperishable items include:

  • Brown rice, quinoa, whole-wheat pasta, oats
  • Beans and lentils, dried or canned (preferably low sodium or with no added salt)
  • Canned tuna or salmon
  • Natural peanut butter
  • Low-sodium canned soups
  • Canned veggies with no salt added
  • Canned fruits with no sugar added
  • Plant-based oils such as olive oil or non-GMO olive oil (in plastic, not glass)
  • Low sodium seasoning, dried herbs, spices

To schedule a nutrition consult, whether virtually or in-person, contact us at nutrition@ochsner.org or call us at 504-733-1600.

Additional resources

Print out the Ochsner Eat Fit Food Pantry Donation Guide and encourage friends, family and coworkers to donate more nutritious foods.

Check out the Food Dignity Podcast: Best Donations for a Food Drive, featuring Ochsner Eat Fit Acadiana Registered Dietitian Yvette Quantz.

The bottom line: What we give matters. Donate mindfully, with respect and care.

Editor’s note: A version of this article originally appeared on WGNO.com.

Tags
food donation
volunteer

You may also be interested in:

Happy elderly woman on phone
Health Trends
Apr 7, 2020

8 Ways to Help Your Community During the Coronavirus Crisis

From “adopting a grandparent” and donating blood to simply staying at home, there are many ways you can help your community during these trying times.
By Dean A. Hickman, MD
459273209 Hands Exchanging Present
Health Trends
Nov 16, 2020

Giving Back to Get in the Holiday Spirit

With many organizations hurting because of the pandemic and more people relying on public and non-profit programs than usual, your gift will go so much further this year.
By Shon C. Baker, PhD, CFRE
Women Cancer Donor
Conditions & Treatment
Nov 5, 2019

How To Be a Bone Marrow Donor

Bone marrow transplants can save patients with leukemia, myeloma and lymphoma. If you are thinking of becoming a donor, here is what you need to know.
By Lesley Meng, MD

Comments about the blog? Send us an email!

Ochsner Health Ochsner Health

Schedule An Appointment: 1-866-624-7637

Follow us: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Healthy living tips, delivered weekly to your inbox.

Patients & Visitors

  • Billing & Financial Services
  • Insurance Information
  • International Patients
  • Request Medical Records
  • Share Your Story
  • Read Patient Stories

Medical Professionals

  • Transfer a Patient
  • Refer a Patient

Health Resources

  • To Your Health Blog
  • Golden Opportunity
  • Hello Health Seminars
  • Ochsner Magazine

Job Seekers

  • Career Paths
  • Benefits
  • Open Positions

Employees

  • Webmail
  • OHSLink
  • Workday

Employers

  • Corporate Wellness
  • Medicare Advantage Plans

Community Outreach

  • Classes & Events
  • Programs
  • Community Health Needs Assessment
  • Dr. John Ochsner Discovery Health Sciences Academy

Education

  • Graduate Medical Education
  • Clinical Medical Education
  • Continuing Medical Education
  • Medical Library
  • Publishing Services
  • Medical Illustrations

Research

  • Clinical Trials
  • Applied Health Services Research
  • Clinical Research & Trials
  • Nursing Research
  • Translational Research

Giving

  • Donate
  • Volunteer

About Ochsner

  • Mission & Vision
  • History
  • Annual Report
  • Outcomes & Honors
  • News & Media
  • Alumni
  • Ochsner Health Network
  • Contact Us

Shop

  • O Bar
  • Optical Shop
  • Ochsner Fitness Center
  • Brent House Hotel

© Ochsner Health  | Notice of Privacy Practices | Terms of Use | Vendor Information

Ochsner accepts all major insurances.

Ochsner is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, founded on providing the best patient care, research, and education.

We are one of the country’s largest non-university based academic medical centers.

Ochsner is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.

Community Needs Health Assessment

EpicMobile Tablet | EpicMobile Phone

Healthy Living Tips, Delivered Right To Your Inbox

* indicates required


Must Reads
Food and Fitness
Men’s Health
Parenting
Women’s Health

Source:
Source Description:
Marketing Goal:


Get Weekly Health Tips

Select the weekly newsletters you'd like to receive.

Please select at least one category to continue.

Curious about our newsletters?

View details for each edition

Let us know where to send your weekly newsletters.

To Your Health- Food and Fitness:
To Your Health- General:
To Your Health- Men’s Health:
To Your Health- Parenting:
To Your Health- Women’s Health:

Source:
Source Description:
Marketing Goal:

You're all set!

We’ll send newsletters full of healthy living tips right to your inbox every week.

Ochsner Health System
ESC to Close

Begin Typing to Search

Select the drop-down to filter Search by Blog Articles or Sitewide