Posts Tagged: donations
SAVE THE DATE! #BigDigDay is June 4, 2021
On June 4, 2021 we are hosting #BigDigDay, 24-hours to show support to our program and help us...
5 Tips for Holiday Food Donations
1. Ask what is needed before you give.
Sometimes what we want to give—holiday foods, homemade jam, or cake mixes---may not be what is needed. Check the website of your local food bank or call to see what foods they currently need. Generally, the most needed items are:
• Peanut butter
• Canned meats such as tuna or chicken
• Cereal
• Canned and dried fruit
• Canned vegetables
• Macaroni and cheese
• Canned soup.
2. Choose a more nutritious form of the food you want to give.
?For example, select:
• Fruit canned in its own juice rather than syrup
• Vegetables canned without added salt
• Cereals that are high in fiber and don't have much added sugar
• Whole grains such as brown rice, whole wheat pasta, and quinoa
• Low sodium soups and low-sodium versions of other products such as pasta sauce
• Lean protein, such as beans and canned tuna.
3. Check the use-by or expiration date on canned or packaged food items.
If donating food items from your own pantry, check the freshness date. Most food banks will not give out food that is past the use-by or expiration date printed on the container. (Use-by and expiration dates refer to the quality of the food, not the safety.)
4. Avoid foods in glass containers or damaged packaging.?
Some food banks don't accept food in glass containers---even baby food or infant formula---because they chip and break easily. Inspect the packaging of an item. Avoid dented or bulging cans. Food banks won't accept damaged or open paper or plastic containers. Only donate commercially prepared foods. Food banks cannot take home preserved foods.
5. Give with the food bank clientele in mind. ?
Are the clientele homeless? If so, they probably don't have access to storage or refrigeration. Dr. Lucia Kaiser, Nutrition Specialist at the University of California Cooperative Extension, suggests giving easy-to-prepare and ready-to-eat foods such as:
• Pop-top cans of stew, chili, and soup
• Shelf-stable milk and cheese
• 100% fruit juices in single serving boxes
• Convenience foods like granola bars, packaged crackers (low fat), beef jerky, and single-serving packages of nuts.
Programs for children may want single serving sizes of foods, such as;
¥ 100% fruit rolls
¥ Raisins
¥ Graham crackers
¥ Unsweetened applesauce
¥ Fruit cups
¥ Low-sugar cereal bowls
¥ Pretzels
Ideas to Help You Plan a Healthy Food Drive?
Request donations by meal (breakfast, lunch, or dinner), by food group (fruits and vegetables, dairy, protein, etc.), or by recipes. Another option is a SuperFood Drive where participants donate items on a list of nutrient-dense foods that you provide. Or, help potential donors by giving them Dorothy Smith's food bank gift list.
Here's to healthy living and giving during the holiday season!
Gifts to Bohart Museum of Entomology
Folks are asking how to donate to the Bohart Museum of Entomology, the world-renowned insect museum...
A walking stick in the live "petting zoo" at the Bohart Museum of Entomology changes hands. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Tabatha Yang, education and outreach coordinator, interacts with visitors.(Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Crowds fill the open houses at the Bohart Museum of Entomology. Weekend open houses take place throughout the year. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Giving healthy holidays and a happy New Year
The warmth and joy of the holidays often stirs the giving spirit, boosting donations to food banks. All contributions are welcome, of course, but food donors can add extra value to their gifts by making careful choices when scouring the pantry or grocery store for food contributions, say UC Cooperative Extension nutrition educators.
“People who get help from food banks are often at risk for health issues. Elderly recipients might suffer from chronic health problems, like heart disease or diabetes. Younger clients might suffer from obesity or overweight,” said Dorothy Smith, UC Cooperative Extension nutrition, family and consumer sciences advisor. “It’s important that they get the best quality nutrition possible.”
Lucia Kaiser, UC Cooperative Extension specialist in the Department of Nutrition at UC Davis, suggests donors select basic foods that can be used across ethnic groups, with an eye toward good health.
Rather than packaged ramen noodles or noodle-soup cups, which are high in fat and salt, she suggests bagged pasta with no added salt, whole grain, if possible. Give canned fruit in light syrup or in its own juice, rather than heavy syrup, to reduce sugar content. Instead of sugar-sweetened breakfast cereals, pick cereal that is low in sugar and high in fiber. Canned 100 percent juice is preferred over fruit punches.
Though some families might prefer bags of uncooked beans, rice and lentils, there are other recipients who have no idea how to prepare them. In addition, some food bank clientele are homeless and may have limited access to storage space and refrigeration. For recipients in this situation, easy-to-prepare and ready-to-eat foods would be most helpful.
Consider giving pop-top cans of stew, chili and soup, shelf-stable milk and cheese, and convenience foods like granola bars, packaged sandwich crackers, beef jerky and single-serving packages of nuts.
Providing healthful ethnic food staples is a way to support programs that serve families who prefer foods with a Latino or Asian flavor.
Lucrecia Farfan-Ramirez, UCCE nutrition, family and consumer sciences advisor in Alameda County, said donations of canned vegetables that meet the needs of Latino families include chili peppers, tomato products, corn, olives, hominy and nopales (cactus pads). Other staples used often in Latino households are long-grain rice, vermicelli, oatmeal, dry pinto beans and lentils, corn meal, masa and harina. Food banks that distribute fresh products to Latino families would also welcome fresh potatoes, onions, garlic, chayote and cabbage.
UCCE nutrition educator Sua Vang works with low-income families of Southeast Asian descent in Fresno County. She said donations of rice and canned oriental vegetables, such as bamboo shoots, mushrooms and baby corn, would be most welcome.
Other considerations for food bank donations:
- Check the “best by” or expiration dates on food donations you glean from the home pantry. Food banks cannot use anything that is old or expired.
- Don’t forget to look in the backyard for donations. Many Californians have citrus trees full of nutritious fruit. Mandarins, grapefruit, navel oranges and lemons are all ready to eat in the winter.
- Food banks also look for healthy donations after the New Year. Smith said they are often inundated with junk food in January when people clean their cupboards to comply with their own healthy eating resolutions. “Certainly, families that rely on food banks deserve treats and any donation is appreciated,” Smith said. “But to be of the greatest help, choose foods that are as healthy as possible.”
- Many food banks publish a donation “wish list” on their websites, which outlines needs specific to the populations they serve. Or, use the list below, which Smith compiled to help ensure healthy holidays for the hungry.
Dorothy Smith’s food bank gift list
Dairy
- infant formula
- nonfat dry milk
- evaporated milk
- instant breakfast drinks
- small boxes of shelf-stable (UHT) milk
- canned and boxed pudding
Protein foods
- canned tuna
- canned chicken
- canned beef stews
- canned salmon
- canned or dried beans
- baked beans
- canned chili
- peanut butter
- canned nuts
- bean soups
Vegetables
- canned vegetables
- vegetable soup
- canned tomato products
- spaghetti sauce
- baby-food vegetables
- V-8 juice
Fruit
- canned fruit
- raisins
- applesauce
- dried fruits
- baby-food fruit
- fruit leather (100% fruit)
- canned and boxed 100% juice
Grains
- rice and rice mixes
- canned pastas
- noodle mixes
- dry noodles and pastas
- macaroni and cheese mix
- cold cereals
- bran cereal
- shredded wheat
- infant cereal
- hot cereal mixes
- oatmeal
- bread and muffin mixes
- pancake mix
- whole-grain crackers
- granola bars
- graham crackers
- flour
- bread
Oils and condiments
- vegetable oil
- salad dressing
- syrup
- jelly and jam
- honey
- sugar
- mayonnaise
Extras
- tea
- coffee
- spices
Paper products
- toilet paper
- paper towels
- napkins
- tissues
- disposable diapers
Soap products
- hand soap
- laundry and dish detergent
- cleaning products
Personal care products
- shampoo
- toothpaste
- toothbrushes
- shaving cream
- razors
- deodorant