Food Rescue

Capable of being redirected to feed people, surplus food is food that is still good but could go to waste because it’s no longer needed by an individual or business.

Avoidable food waste is food that could have been consumed but has instead been wasted. This can include unsold food across the supply chain like unharvested produce in farmers’ fields, items past the best before date, and food left to go bad at processors, distributors, retail and restaurants.

Rescued food is just like any other food. In Canada, we waste 11.2 million metric tonnes of good, edible food every year. This food is perfectly good to eat, but because we lack a cohesive rescue system, it ends up in landfill instead of on our plates. 

Second Harvest takes food safety seriously and we ask that food donors and recipient organizations comply with Second Harvest’s donation and recovery guidelines. All facilities need to be up to date with local public health requirements and safe food handler’s training. We also offer useful information that helps everyone make the most effective food rescues possible. Second Harvest has many resources to help you donate, rescue and store surplus food. Visit our Resource Library for more helpful info.

Every province and territory in Canada has food donation legislation that protects organizations from liability when donating food in good faith. Under the food donation acts, incorporated businesses, non-profits, employees, and volunteers are not liable for damages resulting from the consumption of donated food.   

Second Harvest takes this assurance one step further by offering education to recipient organizations on safe food handling and by providing a digital paper trail for donations. Should a business need to recall a product, we know exactly where to find it.   

We take food safety seriously and ask that food donors and recipient organizations comply with their provincial or territorial food safety requirements. All facilities need to be up to date with health inspections and food safe handling training for anyone who prepares food. 

We take food safety seriously and ask that food donors and recipient organizations comply with their provincial or territorial food safety requirements. All facilities need to be up to date with health inspections and food safe handling training for anyone who prepares food.    

Our training and education programs provide tools, training, and safe food handler certification to our non-profit partners, to help make sure they meet and exceed food safety standards.  

Any food that is safe to eat can be donated. Check out our Best Before Date Timetable for a quick guide on when foods can be donated and consumed. However, to ensure everyone’s safety, these foods can’t be donated: 

• Leftover food that has been plated and served, including salad bar ingredients that are exposed to public touch  
• Prepared food that has been in the temperature danger zone for 2 hours or more  
• Food or drinks with alcohol and/or medicinal ingredients  
• Packaged food that’s been opened or has a broken seal  
• Sushi  
• Food from people’s homes