I really have to get rid of some of this food....

Mail it to me . I would donate it to the food bank, I do this with food that is about to expire, or items people give to me I don't like. I never throw it in the actual garbage, last time I gave a pile of things my friend gave me to my Dad because it makes me sick.

I would give them to a food bank or the salvation army or something like that. You never know on freecycle if that person really needs it or not. Some people are not honest and will just take the food. I wouldn't throw it away but don't forget to check the expiration dates....just in case.

the churches and the food banks would be happy to take it for the poor.

I support whatever action you decide to take regarding those stuffs inside your cabinet, just do it quickly and without delay, so that all these unwanted stuffs are get rid of and are put into a better use for whoever receive them. I am sure you can find many places out there that can accept your donation and give away, it will never be a problem for them to find someone who need food, pasta, cake mix, peanut, cereal etc.. .. . in a real cold world out there.

If you don`t have any use for it, put it where it will be foundwith a sign. I`m glad I cannot have those problems. My pantry is big enough for a couple of weeks of food (exept some food that I buy and use during a month, such as coffee and oil). I just read a post where a mylotter wrote about going to the super and filling 3 carts just for herself as she lives alone. I don`t fill half a cart ever

Make a list and plan meals out to use them, Or find someone you can give some away to.That way they get eaten.

You could donate it back, I know the grocery stores here run collection barrels most of the year for donations. Or even simpler you could just put the box by your mail box in your building and write free on it. I'm sure someone will take some of it if not all of it then you don't have to worry about transporting it.

That sounds a really nice idea.But I would really want to know that a person I was giving it to really needed it, rather than getting it and could do with out it. Is there not a raffle where you could donate it to, so that the money for the tickets of the raffle could be used for a charity, or even a church that could find a needy person to have it, rather than a greedy dishonest person.

I think someone will use it no matter where you give it away to. So if the free cycle site is easiest for you then you do that. Sounds like a plan.

That's the same problem of my mother in law now. She's got lots of stuff on her cupboard and kitchen cabinets and most of them are near its expiration. She already gave some away to neighbors and relatives, but still there's more. I helped her put some of it in a box for donation. And from then on, we put them in trays or boxes and mark the month and year of purchase of the canned goods and other stuff. I also suggested the FIFO method of inventory - first-in, first-out.

A little bit of advise, if you are buying food items check for the expiration date or try not to buy a lot of items. Buyers tend to buy whatever is on sale then it turns out that they wont be able to consume all of them. Buy only what is needed and only items which you and your family will be able to consume them. You might waste a lot of food especially those that are near expiration. If you don't want to throw them away then try find ways to prevent it from expiring. Example: bread, just place them inside a freezer and just toast them if you want to eat it. You can find other ways to save the food in the internet. That's what my family and I have been practicing.

Hey Instead of throwing away your food I would suggest you find places like orphanages, social servicing institutes, NGO's and distribute all your eatable items to them as do remember that there are millions in the world who are struggling to have food atleat once a day