where to donate leftover thanksgiving food

by Tremayne Jacobi II 9 min read

  • Try donating leftover Thanksgiving ingredients to your local food pantry. You can find a food pantry near you here. ...
  • Call your local food bank to see what their policies are about donating cooked food—some are happy to receive leftovers the day after they're prepared to ensure the longest possible ...
  • Housing shelters and other non-profit charities may accept food donations. Here's a good non-profit directory. ...
  • Some restaurants donate their leftover food every night at the end of service. ...
  • Pack them to go. If all else fails, use clean takeout containers to pack individual meals, and place the containers in a sturdy paper bag. ...

The first step to donating a Thanksgiving meal to a family facing hunger is finding your local food bank
food bank
A food bank is a non-profit organization that collects and distributes food to hunger-relief charities. Food banks act as food storage and distribution depots for smaller front line agencies; and usually do not themselves give out food directly to people struggling with hunger.
https://www.feedingamerica.org › food-bank-network
. The Feeding America network includes 200 food banks throughout the United States that work with food pantries and soup kitchens to reach communities.
Nov 23, 2021

Full Answer

Where can I donate leftover food?

Oct 18, 2021 · To help, instead of having a pantry full to the brim with cans of pumpkin well into the summer, consider donating your Thanksgiving leftovers. Here are some suggestions: Try donating leftover Thanksgiving ingredients to your local food pantry. You can find a food pantry near you here. We recommend calling your nearest location ahead of time to inquire if there are …

What to do with leftovers after Thanksgiving?

Nov 23, 2021 · Because food banks need to maintain high safety standards, you should not plan to donate a Thanksgiving turkey or donate leftovers from your holiday meal to food banks. Instead, the Feeding America network of food banks’ food rescue programs works with restaurants, caterers, and manufacturers to donate leftover food that is guaranteed to be fresh …

How can I donate a Thanksgiving meal to a hungry family?

Oct 18, 2021 · Try donating leftover Thanksgiving ingredients to your local food pantry. You can find a food pantry near you here. We recommend calling your nearest location ahead of time to inquire if there are...

Why should you donate your leftovers?

Nov 09, 2017 · If you're unable to donate uneaten food, the meal kit service is accepting money donations for its holiday meal drive, which runs through 12 p.m. ET on Dec. 22.

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How do you get rid of Thanksgiving leftovers?

If You Still Have Thanksgiving Leftovers, Here's What to DoRemove all the plastic containers of leftovers from the fridge.Empty them into a large trash bag.Tie up the trash bag, put it in the big trash can outside on the curb.Go back inside and wash out the plastic containers.Feel guilty for wasting food.More items...•Dec 3, 2013

Is Feeding America a good charity?

Charitable Ratings Charity Navigator has awarded Feeding America a four-star rating for ten consecutive evaluations. Only 3% of charities evaluated by Charity Navigator have received ten consecutive four-star evaluations.

How do you give back on Thanksgiving?

5 ways to give back this ThanksgivingOrganize a drive. Find a local food bank or homeless shelter that needs food, clothing or other supplies. ... Run a Turkey Trot. ... Spend time with older adults. ... Volunteer at a local food bank. ... Enjoy time with friends and family.

When should you throw away Thanksgiving leftovers?

According to the Mayo Clinic, refrigerated leftovers, whether they're Thanksgiving leftovers or any other leftovers, should be eaten within three to four days. The clinic says after that, the risk of food poisoning increases.Nov 26, 2021

What is the salary of the CEO of Feeding America?

Our auditors at OpenTheBooks.com reviewed Feeding America's payroll disclosures and found Diana Aviv, CEO, made $1.1 million (2019). This amount included $347,209 from a previous employer and rolled into a new 457B plan which was distributed to her when she left the organization that year.Jun 11, 2020

How much of my donation actually goes to Feeding America?

They also noted that Feeding America has a charitable commitment of 97 percent. As year-end approaches, Feeding America encourages people to give the gift of meals to those facing hunger. Each $1 donated helps provide nine meals to hungry Americans.Dec 5, 2013

What do you put in a Thanksgiving basket for the needy?

When creating your basket, consider adding the following items:A box of mashed potatoes.A box of stuffing with gravy packets.One can of corn, yams, cranberries, and green beans.A pumpkin or apple pie.Bags of tea or apple cider packets.A carton of shelf-stable almond, rice, or soy milk.Canned soups.More items...•Nov 21, 2015

What is in a Thanksgiving basket?

Items to Include in a Thanksgiving Basket1 Canned Ham.1-2 Boxes of Stuffing Mix.1 Box of Instant Potatoes.2 Box of Macaroni and Cheese.2 Canned Yams.Brown Sugar.1 Bag of Marshmallows.2 Canned Green Beans.More items...

Where are volunteers needed most?

Do a World of Good: 15 Best Places to VolunteerAnimal Rescue Shelters. There aren't many pet-friendly apartments out there these days, but there are always pets in need of companionship at the shelter. ... Food Pantries. ... Habitat for Humanity. ... Local Libraries. ... Museums. ... YMCA. ... Retirement Homes. ... Red Cross.More items...

Can leftover turkey be frozen?

Good news: turkey meat is definitely freeze-able. You'll need to remove the meat from the bones first. Slicing the meat will also help it to defrost evenly. You can eat the turkey with gravy as usual, but leftover turkey is quite versatile: it makes a great filling for casseroles, tacos and sandwiches.Oct 28, 2020

How long does sage and onion stuffing last?

Properly stored, a package of stuffing mix will generally stay at best quality for about 12-18 months at room temperature.

How many days after Thanksgiving can you eat leftover turkey?

three to four daysA leftover Thanksgiving turkey lasts for three to four days in the fridge and two to three months in the freezer. Just make sure you carve your turkey off the bone first. We like adding a splash of gravy to the meat to help retain moisture.Dec 16, 2021

Feeding America

Through the Feeding America website, users can search for food banks in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

AmpleHarvest.org

Have home-grown Thanksgiving ingredients you’d like to give away? Consider AmpleHarvest.org.

FoodPantries.org

Another online resource, this website lets users search for food pantries throughout the United States.

Turkey on the Table

Turkey on the Table describes itself as “a book and activity that encourages the whole family to express and display their gratitude.” The company says it involves writing what you are grateful for on feathers that go on a knit turkey, and reading the feathers on Thanksgiving.

Blue Apron

If you're unable to donate uneaten food, the meal kit service is accepting money donations for its holiday meal drive, which runs through 12 p.m. ET on Dec. 22.

VolunteerMatch.org

There are other ways to give on Thanksgiving besides donating unused food. Volunteer Match, for example, connects people with volunteer organizations specializing in human rights, the arts, children and youth services, education and more. Visit VolunteerMatch.org to learn more about opportunities in your area.

Become a Food Donor

Our dedicated rescuers will pick up your excess food and deliver it to a local human service agency, where it will be distributed to the food insecure. There is no minimum pound requirement to donate food, and we can come by on the days and times most convenient for you!

Get Started Today

Sign up today and we’ll email you more information about our program. We can then set up a call to learn more about your needs and our pickup process in detail!

Benefits

Food vendors may receive enhanced tax savings through IRC Section 170 (e) (3).

Food Safety & Legal Liability

As long as your excess food was purchased from a licensed food vendor and prepared and handled according to food safety laws and regulations, we can rescue it! Feel free to review our Food Guidelines for more information.

Store Your Leftovers Properly

Before we get too far, let’s make sure everything gets packed up correctly. No matter how it’s going to be used, you want your food to stay fresh for as long as possible. To read more on this subject, check out our tips to safely store leftovers.

Donate Your Leftovers

On a day meant to acknowledge all we’re thankful for, it’s important to remember those who might not have as much as we do. If you bought too many cans of pumpkin or are drowning in canned cranberry, take those goods to your local food bank. Find your nearest food bank here.

Host a Post-Thanksgiving Get Together

If you’re left with enough food to feed a small army, invite one over (what about the widowed neighbor down the street or the young couple far away from family?)! The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas can be a bit of a limbo, so break up the monotony with a small lunch or dinner.

Find a Thanksgiving Leftover Recipe

Thanksgiving dishes probably aren’t something you make every day — if they are, we’ll be over for dinner next week! — so capitalize on the turkey while it’s here. Scope out a recipe where the meal you’ve slaved over can shine for more than one day. If you need some ideas, read about some great ways to use holiday leftovers.

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