Food donations

Save money and help your community by giving away extra food.

Overview

18% of Minneapolis residents don’t have access to enough food or affordable food. When your business donates food, you save money and help the community and environment.

See benefits to your business

We explain how to:

  • Donate food to people
  • Donate food to animals
  • Stay protected from liability
  • Donate food safely

Get started

Benefits to your business

Save money

On your taxes

On your garbage bill

  • Everything that leaves your business as garbage is taxed extra fees. There is no state solid waste tax or county solid waste fee on recycling or organics.

Help your community and the environment

Donating extra food ahelps local hunger-relief agencies serve those in need.

In the U.S., as much as 40% of food made for people to eat is wasted.

How to donate

We explain how to get started and how to donate safely.

Donate food to people

Feeding America has a food rescue app called Meal Connect. Meal Connect makes it easy to donate your extra food to people in need.

Read about Meal Connect and download the app

Donate food to animals

You can partner with a local farmer to have your scraps picked up and turned into animal feed.

Contact Barthold Farms

Protection from liability

The Food Donation Improvement Act (FDIA) protects you when donating food. Businesses that donate food in good faith:

  • Are not liable for the condition of the food
  • Must donate to a nonprofit for distribution to people in need

Watch FDIA liability protection videos

Video

Prevent Wasted Food in Minneapolis: Donating Prepared Food

Nearly one in five Minneapolis residents do not have consistent access to healthy, affordable food. A great way for restaurants to prevent food waste is to donate unused prepared food that meets safety guidelines to a food bank or shelf

Video available in three languages

Person
Person looking at laptop in coffee shop

Get help from Hennepin County

The County offers free technical help and grants to businesses. Learn how to reduce wasted food, donate food and compost with organics recycling.

Contact us

Minneapolis Health Department

Phone

612-673-2301

Address

Public Service Building
505 Fourth Ave. S., Room 520
Minneapolis, MN 55415