Safe care: What should we pay attention to when donating food?

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The most basic rule is to only donate food that we ourselves would like to eat! These are foods purchased in legal trade, stored in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations (usually in a cool, dry place protected from light), labeled in Hungarian, in original, unopened and undamaged packaging. It is recommended to donate food that is durable, that is, marked with a shelf life. The most ideal products: flour, sugar, rice, cooking oil, dry pasta, preserves, dry legumes, long-lasting milk, chocolate, sweet and salty long-lasting cakes (biscuits, ropi, cheese tallier, etc.).

Perishable foods marked with a use-by date, i.e. freshly consumed, can cause health damage after the expiry date, so they can no longer be consumed! It is therefore extremely important to handle such products with particular care, and because of the high health risk, do NOT donate food marked with an expired consumption date at all.

The shelf life is indicated on durable products (e.g. canned food, dry pasta, chocolate), so its expiration does not necessarily mean that the food must be thrown away, it remains safe even after the expiration date. That is why – partly in the spirit of the fight against food waste – food with an expired shelf life can be donated at the EU level from this year. Expired products stored in such unopened, undamaged packaging, according to the manufacturer’s recommendations, can be consumed and nutritious even weeks or months after the expiration date. The “expiration guide” compiled by the experts of the “Leave Nothing” program provides assistance to the general public, food distributors, and charitable organizations as to how long it is worth to “give a chance” to each product.

Refrigerated or frozen food is not recommended to be donated, unless safe storage conditions are ensured at all stages (for example, during and after delivery). If this is the only food we can offer, it is worthwhile to deliver it directly to a needy family living near us, so that it can be consumed as soon as possible.

In the case of self-made food, pay extra attention to personal hygiene, the cleanliness of the equipment and the kitchen, as those in need may include people with illnesses, children, the elderly and pregnant women, whose immune systems are weaker. It is important that the donation is a real help and joy for them, and not a source of risk. It is advisable to indicate the time of preparation and the ingredients used, or at least the ingredients that cause allergies, on a label placed next to the food or stuck on it. This is especially true if the food is not delivered directly to the consumer, so we do not have the opportunity to inform them verbally.

Attention and kindness are often more valuable than tangible donations. Helping the work of charitable organizations as a volunteer, or paying attention to the people around us during everyday life can be just as much help as a donation package.

In the Advent campaign of the Maradék without Leftovers program, he shares additional tips for more conscious Christmas preparation on the program’s social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram.

Nebih