Internet Reacts to Ohio Food Bank Video Showing Half-Eaten Peanut Butter, Canned Goods That Expired 5 Years Ago

An Ohio woman posted a TikTok video showing the state of some donations received at a food bank. The video has triggered hundreds of responses from former volunteers and even current-day workers who say the problem is far more disturbing than most people realize.

The video also surfaced on Reddit's r/TikTokCringe community and accumulated nearly 700 comments. It showed the woman examining a selection of donated items that included a jar of peanut butter that was mostly consumed and a can of fried apples bearing a 2021 expiration date. The can was roughly five years past its use-by date.

Food bank workers responding to the post said such donations are not unusual. "Those bills are life-ruining," wrote one who warned about the dangers of botulism from such canned goods. "Horrible people using food banks as dumpsters drives me insane." Another user wrote: "I hate when people treat food banks like their personal garbage cans."

One user who said they helped run a soup kitchen described donations that included an elderly woman who brought in a large zip-top bag of used tea bags. She insisted they could be used a second time and then even asked for a tax receipt for her charitable donation!

Another former food bank volunteer described seeing items with rat droppings on them, open and rotting food, and canned goods that had expired decades ago. "The literal garbage people would try to donate, and be offended when we would not take it," they wrote. Similarly, one person (who said they worked at a women's shelter) recalled receiving a box of men's clothing, including used underwear with stains.

According to Feeding America, food banks accept shelf-stable, nonperishable items that have not yet reached their sell-by date. Items explicitly flagged as unacceptable include expired food, opened packaging, leftovers, food with damaged or bloated cans, and anything prepared in a personal kitchen. "If you wouldn't consider buying it new, don't donate it," Feeding America advises on its website.

The 2021-expired can of fried apples shown in the Ohio video is in the prohibited category.

However, one user who is a food bank recipient said that much of the produce and meals at their local pantry were already rotting or moldy, so institutional donors are at fault, too.

State food quality standards require adherence to expiration dates and proper storage and temperature controls. But according to Leader's Edge Magazine, nonprofits often rely on volunteers and have limited space.

"The best thing to donate to food banks is cash," one commenter whose response received significant support wrote. Feeding America also notes that monetary donations allow food banks to purchase items in bulk directly from manufacturers, often at steep discounts. So, every dollar can stretch further.

A handful of commenters suggested some donors might clean out their pantries without checking dates or be unaware of guidelines. But the grace runs thin for those who are on the receiving end.