Why Canned Food Drives Aren’t The Best Way To Give Back

Adam Conover hosts a show called Adam Ruins Everything, and it seems he may have just ruined canned food drives for everyone. According to a clip from his truTV show, which has him setting the record straight on topics ranging from death to video games, giving a few cans to charity may not actually get food to the hungry people who need them. Conover explains that half of the cans you donate are actually thrown out. This is because people tend to donate the old cans they don't want to eat, with expiration dates that have already passed. Another problem with donating canned foods is that a lot of it is high in sodium and doesn't actually meet any nutritional needs. One in seven Americans rely on food pantries to feed their families, so it's not that you shouldn't give back. It's just there are more efficient ways to help those who are hungry. Simply put, that way is by giving money. With your donated cash, food banks can buy their own food at wholesale and work with farmers to make sure that dollar you would have spent on a can of beans actually goes way further. So from now on, can the cans and just give the cash.
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