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.
Related Research
May 2026
Ultraprocessed Foods in the U.S.: Recommended Definitions and Policies
Despite growing interest in ultraprocessed foods (UPFs), there is not consensus on how to define UPFs for policy purposes. To meet this need, Healthy Eating Research convened an expert panel to develop evidence-informed recommendations for policymakers and advocates interested in advancing policies to limit UPF exposure and consumption at the local, state, and federal levels. MoreApril 2026
Identifying barriers and facilitators of the implementation of nutrition guidelines in food banks using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research
This qualitative study used the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) to systematically identify the barriers and facilitators to implementing the Healthy Eating Research Nutrition Guidelines for the Charitable Food System (HER Guidelines) in a national sample of U.S. food banks. In-depth interviews were conducted among a random sample of food banks that reported implementing MoreApril 2026