Nutritious donations are more important than ever: 60 million people turned to the charitable food system in 2020. Food banks rely on retail and distributor donations for about 30 percent of inventory, and often receive unwanted unhealthy food, like soda and candy. This resource was developed to help food retailers and distributors donate more nutritious foods and beverages to food banks, food pantries, and other charitable food system organizations. It also provides practical tips on identifying and tracking items for donation by grocery store departments. The resource emphasizes that food donations should be nutritious, fresh, and culturally relevant. It highlights the financial benefits for businesses and the social impacts for communities. The guidelines were informed by Healthy Eating Research’s Nutrition Guidelines for the Charitable Food System, which recommend nutrition parameters for food banks and have been endorsed by Feeding America.
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