What to do with unwanted Christmas food/gifts?

[elly]

Every year we get bombarded with biscuits/chocolates etc that just dont get eaten..I’ve eaten my body weight in quality streets the last few days and i’ve had enough!

what do you do with it all?! Is there any charities I could take it to?
my local food bank doesnt want any other items except those listed on their website.
I really dont want it to go to waste!

[sammy]

Many many charities will take it. Big supermarkets usually have a box at the exit. Worst comes to worst, there appear to be locusts at most yards.

[katykaty]

I’m surprised your foodbank wouldn’t take unopened items, all our local ones cry out for nice biscuits/chocs alongside the long life and tinned stuff. Maybe try any smaller ones? Church run maybe?

I’ll be taking a tin of chocs to work, where they’ll disappear, or failing that, there’s a couple of shops that I’m friendly with the staff, so they’ll go to them.

[beth]

What about a Homeless charity or night shelter? They seem to like donations of cakes and goodies. I had a good clear out of stuff, smellies, sleeping bags, biscuits and anything else that I thought would be useful.

[dave]

I’m surprised they won’t take unopened packages of nice chocolates and biscuits. It’s not like they go off quickly.

This charity has a network of food banks you could try.

What We Do

I usually take stuff up the Yard or into work and that gets rid if it pretty quickly as CT said.

[muhammad]

Just take them in to work and let the gannets there get them or your local mosque. I hate giving stuff to charity may get in the hands of someone who doesn’t deserve it.

[sammy]

@muhammad wow your attitude sticks!

[don]

I am shocked your local foodbanks and food kitchens etc won’t take them, ours are desperate for anything useable
As suggested, drop them into a Supermarket Food Bin, save them for when you next fancy something, take them to work/yard.
Even some old peoples homes will take and appreciate unopened and in date products (most will still be perfectly safe long past BBE date)

Give them to me, I got nothing!!!!! (No,d on’t give them to me)

[dave]

Foodbanks really don’t take luxury items, such a shame as we have loads here they could have. If there is a local refuge or similar they might?

[adam]

Our local food bank were on the radio before Christmas saying it was lovely to receive things that were not staple foods as they receive tons of baked beans and pasta but not the “nice to have” stuff – worth trying a different food bank.

[horseface]

I donated fancy tea and brandy butter from last year’s hamper this year to the food bank among other stuff. They were still within date don’t worry!

This year we got given a hotel chocolate hamper, most has a long shelf life, but some I’m giving away as we’ll never get rid of it all (like a solid chocolate wreath!)

[carl]

Food banks have a list of staples that they particularly need for those who cannot afford to feed themselves or their families but usually welcome luxury items as well. They will organise distribution of luxuries separately from staples, so that no-one is left trying to make a meal from biscuits and chocolate.

[elly]

Food banks have a list of staples that they particularly need for those who cannot afford to feed themselves or their families but usually welcome luxury items as well. They will organise distribution of luxuries separately from staples, so that no-one is left trying to make a meal from biscuits and chocolate.

ah okay! maybe i’ll email them, I just assumed as the website is pretty clear with ‘this is what we need!’, the other one local to me said they were not taking any donations at all!