Let’s bust a myth right now: “Expired” doesn’t always mean unsafe. If you’ve ever stared down a can of beans in your pantry wondering if it’s still good to donate, you’re not alone. We get this question all the time: “Do food banks accept expired food?”
Here at Food Bank of Alaska, we follow strict food safety guidelines—and we also know that date labels can be super confusing. Most people don’t realize that dates like “Best By,” “Sell By,” and “Use By” aren’t regulated expiration dates (with the exception of infant formula). In fact, these labels are more about quality than safety.
Food that’s past its “Best By” date may still be safe and perfectly good to eat.
To help clear things up, we created an easy-to-read Shelf Life Guidelines resource that outlines what our sort room volunteers and agency partners use when sorting food and distributing it to our neighbors.
We review every item that comes through our doors to make sure it’s safe for Alaskans who rely on our network. Our trained staff and volunteers inspect food donations to determine what’s usable—and what’s not. And when food isn’t usable for human consumption? We don’t toss it in the landfill.
Food that’s no longer safe for people doesn’t just disappear. Thanks to partnerships with local livestock farms, unusable food gets repurposed as animal feed—keeping it out of landfills and putting it to good use. It’s all part of how we work to reduce waste while nourishing our state.
If you’re not sure whether something is still good, we recommend downloading the FoodKeeper App. It’s a free resource backed by the USDA that helps you figure out how long food stays fresh and safe.
We love receiving:
Always check for rust, dents, or broken seals—and when in doubt, use our shelf life guidelines to help you decide. Your donations go to families, elders, and individuals who count on reliable meals.
If you’re curious about food labeling, recalls, or how food banks stay safe while reducing waste, check out these reputable resources:
CDC and Food Safety – Learn what the CDC is doing to track and prevent foodborne illnesses
FoodSafety.gov: Recalls & Outbreaks – Stay up-to-date on the latest recalls and public health alerts
Download the FoodKeeper App – Get trusted storage timelines and shelf-life info for hundreds of food items
USDA: Food Product Dating – Understand how and why those “Best By” and “Use By” dates are applied
Have questions about what’s safe to donate? Comment below or call us at 907-272-3663. Let’s keep food out of the trash and on plates across Alaska.