Food Donation Guidelines

Safe Food Donations

At Iron County Care and Share, we’re committed to keeping our community safe and nourished. That starts with ensuring all donated food meets high standards of safety and quality.

We’ve created this page to make it easier than ever to understand what food items can (and can’t) be accepted, and how you can help us serve with confidence.

Top 5 Things to Check Before Donating Food

Is the packaging sealed, undamaged, and labeled?
Has the food been stored properly (cold food = cold, dry food = dry)?
Is the expiration/sell-by date still acceptable? (See below!)
Would you feel safe serving this to your own family?
If frozen, was it kept frozen solid the entire time?

✅What We Can Accept

We gladly accept donations of safe, high-quality food, including:

Shelf-Stable Foods: Canned goods (even up to 1 year past best-by date), boxed pantry items, and dry goods in good condition with intact labels.
Fresh and Frozen Produce: Homegrown or store-bought produce with minimal spoilage (80% or more usable).
Frozen Meat: USDA packaged beef, poultry, or fish that is frozen solid and properly labeled.
Dairy & Eggs: Commercially packaged and refrigerated dairy, deli products, and eggs — up to expiration date.
Baked Goods: Fresh or day-old breads and pastries in clean, food-safe packaging.
Personal Care & Cleaning Supplies: Toothpaste, soap, toilet paper, laundry detergent, household cleaning products, non-food household items in good working condition, etc.
Food-Safe Containers: Clean, undamaged boxes, bags, or packaging supplies.

❌ What We Cannot Accept

To protect the safety of those we serve, we cannot accept:

Damaged or Open Packaging: Items that are unsealed, leaking, bulging, severely dented, or compromised in any way.
Expired Infant Products: Baby food or formula that is past the sell-by or expiration date.
Homemade or Unlabeled Foods: Includes home-cooked meals, home-canned goods, or any food without a proper commercial label.
Uninspected Meats or Seafood: Wild game or seafood not processed in a USDA or Department of Agriculture-approved facility (including any seafood intended for raw consumption).
Improperly Stored Foods: Items that have been stored at home, in personal freezers, items with severe freezer burn or kept in unsafe temperatures (outside 40°F or 0°F guidelines).
Restricted or Hazardous Items: Alcohol, tobacco, adult-only energy drinks or supplements, prescription drugs, and hazardous chemicals.

If in doubt, throw it out. Discarding unsafe food is not wasteful — it protects lives.

Helpful Guidelines

1. Use Good Judgment — When in Doubt, Throw It Out.
Donating food that doesn’t meet safety standards may put someone at risk. If you're unsure, it’s okay to discard it.

2. “Expired” Doesn’t Always Mean Unsafe
Many shelf-stable and canned goods are still safe to donate even after their best-by or sell-by dates, if they’ve been stored properly and the packaging is intact.

Low-acid canned goods (soups, veggies, beans): up to 5 years past date
High-acid canned goods (fruit, tomatoes): up to 1 year past date
Dry goods (rice, pasta, flour, etc.): often safe up to 1–2 years past date

3. Cold Chain Matters
Items like dairy, meat, eggs, and frozen goods must be kept at safe temperatures (below 40°F for refrigerated, below 0°F for frozen) to be accepted.
We cannot accept items that have been thawed, refrozen, or stored at home.

4. Clear Labels Are Required
All donated food must have original commercial packaging and clear, readable labels that include the product name, ingredients, and expiration or sell-by date. We cannot accept unlabeled items or food packaged at home.

5. A Note on Wild Game
We can only accept wild game processed by a USDA- or Utah Dept. of Ag–inspected facility. Home-processed meat is not allowed due to safety standards.

Date Labeling 101

Food doesn’t automatically become unsafe after a date! Here's what to know:

Canned Goods (low acid): Up to 5 years past best-by
Canned Goods (high acid): Up to 1 year past best-by
Dry Goods (rice, flour, pasta): Up to 2 years if stored properly
Frozen Meats/Meals: Up to 1 year if frozen before the date
Dairy & Eggs: Some may be accepted a few days past sell-by, if stored at or below 40°F
Baby Food & Formula: Must be before use-by date — no exceptions

Downloadable Guides

For more detailed information, view or download our food donation guides:

Have questions?

Email info@careandshare-ut.org