City Harvest Inc.

Here are our food donation guidelines for fresh, refrigerated, frozen, prepared and packaged foods. City Harvest gratefully accepts perishable and prepared foods maintained in safe temperature zones and chilled or frozen before being donated.

More information on what foods we can safely accept is available.

Food Products	Preferred Packaging	Storage Conditions**	Non-Acceptable Conditions***
PREPARED FOODS	Packaged separately Securely closed Avoid spillage	Chilled, 40^oF or less Frozen, 0^oF or less	Mixing food types e.g. meats and side dishes
Sandwiches	Wrapped in clear plastic wrap or foil	Chilled, 40^oF or less	Stale/hard bread Encrusted filling
BAKED GOODS Fresh or day-old bread and/or bagels	Must use City Harvest logo bags & keep separate from other baked goods	Cool, dry area	Stale/hard
Muffins, Pastries cookies	Pack in own paper boxes avoid crumbling	Cool, dry area	Stale/hard bread
PREPACKAGED FOODS Perishable	Packaged separately Securely closed	Chilled, 40^oF or less	Opened, punctured, bulging or damaged packaging
Non-perishable (mislabeled- ok with proper notification)	Packaged separately Securely closed	Cool, dry area	Opened, punctured, bulging or damaged packaging
FROZEN Dairy, Pastries Factory-prepared	Packaged separately Securely closed	Frozen, 0^oF or less	Defrosted, punctured, opened or damaged packaging; Severe freezer burn
Vegetables, Meat, Poultry, Fish	Packaged separately Securely closed	Frozen, 0^oF or less	Defrosted or damaged packaging; Severe freezer burn
Dairy	Individually wrapped Clear plastic wrap	Refrigerated at all times	Damaged packaging
Milk	Securely closed	Refrigerated at all times 40^oF or less	Damaged packaging
Meat, Poultry, Fish (Fresh)	Original packaging Clear plastic wrap City Harvest logo bags	Refrigerated at all times 40^oF or less	Strong odor Discoloration
Frozen	Original packaging Clear plastic wrap City Harvest logo bags	Frozen at all times 40^oF or less	Damaged packaging
FRESH PRODUCE Whole	Bag or carton	Cool, dry area	Significant decay
Chopped	Bag each vegetable separately	Chilled, 40^oF or less	Color change or decay
BEVERAGES Perishable	Securely closed bag or carton	Chilled, 40^oF or less	Alcohol not accepted
Non-Perishable	Bag or carton	Cool, dry, unopened	Opened, punctured, bulging

* Packaging: We supply clear, food grade bags. If you are able to provide your own disposable packaging for donations that require more than plastic bag, you help City Harvest use its resources most effectively. However, we don't want packaging to get in the way of your good intentions. Call us. 917.351.8700

** Chilled perishable food should be below 40^oF except during necessary times of preparation or while being held for service which may not exceed two hours.

*** We do not accept any products that contain alcohol.

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