Nutrition Guidelines

for Food Donations

Why Nutritious Food Matters

Since our founding in 1978, Lynnwood Food Bank has been dedicated to addressing food insecurity. Over time, our focus has expanded to include tackling the health disparities that disproportionately affect individuals along socio-economic and racial lines. Since 2015, we have worked to implement additional healthy food options, education, and programming to better serve our community.

We are committed to breaking down barriers to food access while providing participants with choices that:

  • Promote positive health outcomes.
  • Help prevent diet-related chronic illnesses.
  • Respect cultural needs and dietary preferences.

To guide our efforts, we follow the Healthy Eating Research (HER) guidelines, which rank foods into three categories:

  1. Donate/Choose Often (Green) – Healthiest options.
  2. Donate/Choose Sometimes (Yellow) – Moderately healthy options.
  3. Donate/Choose Rarely (Red) – Least healthy options.

While we gratefully accept all donations, certain items align more closely with our mission to support health and well-being. We encourage you to refer to the following pages for guidance on donation choices.

Thank you for helping us provide a variety of nutritious and culturally relevant foods to meet the diverse needs of our community!

Why Cultural Food Matters

At Lynnwood Food Bank, we respect and celebrate the rich diversity of our community because we know that food is culture. The City of Lynnwood’s vibrant diversity is reflected in the members of our Food Bank community, and we are committed to honoring that diversity through the food we provide.


As we work to increase healthy options, our commitment to culturally traditional foods stems from both our dedication to equity and inclusion and our deep love for our community members. These foods are more than sustenance—they are a way to preserve identity, tradition, and connection.


It’s important to recognize that many cultural foods are inherently healthy options. While nutrition is grounded in science, food is deeply personal, and healthy eating looks different for everyone.


At Lynnwood Food Bank, sharing food with people experiencing food insecurity is at the heart of what we do. Providing healthy and culturally traditional foods to our multicultural community is our way of fostering health, dignity, and belonging for all.

Cooking is the Healthy Choice


One of the best ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle is by cooking your own meals. Using fresh and whole-grain ingredients instead of processed, quick foods can make a significant difference in overall health. At Lynnwood Food Bank, we are committed to supporting healthy, home-cooked meals for our community through the following initiatives:

  • Encouraging Donations of Ingredients
    We ask our donors to provide ingredients that empower our customers to prepare nutritious meals for their families.
  • Cooking Demonstrations
    We offer live and video cooking demonstrations to teach valuable cooking skills and introduce new, family-friendly recipes.
  • Accessible Recipes
    Our recipes highlight affordable and healthy foods, making it easier for our customers to enjoy home-cooked meals.
  • Nutrition Education
    We provide nutrition tips and handouts that explain how different foods affect our bodies and support better health outcomes.

By making cooking accessible and enjoyable, we aim to empower our community to make healthier choices for themselves and their families.

Donate/ Choose Often

Pantry staples

  • Brown rice
  • Whole grain pastas Gluten free pastas Chickpea pasta
  • Quinoa
  • Other whole grains Dried beans
  • Lentils
  • Shelf stable tofu
  • White rice
  • Oats
  • Breakfast items
  • Shelf stable non-dairy milk
  • Shelf stable milk Coffee & tea Vegetable based oils Vinegar
  • Nuts & Dried fruits Canned tomato sauce Canned fruit in 100% juice
  • Canned vegetables, low sodium
  • Canned soups, low sodium
  • Canned beans, low sodium
  • Canned meats, packed in water and low sodium
  • Nut butters
  • Misc. side dishes


fresh foods

  • Fresh fruit
  • Fresh vegetables
  • Eggs
  • Fresh tofu
  • Butter
  • Yogurt
  • Cheese
  • Milk
  • Non-dairy milk

frozen foods

  • Fish
  • Beef
  • Poultry
  • Halal meat
  • Frozen vegetables
  • Frozen fruit
  • Plant based meats
  • Plant based meals

spices, condiments, and cooking/baking supplies

  • Cumin
  • Red pepper flakes
  • Enchilada sauce
  • Salsa
  • Hot sauce
  • Pickled jalapenos
  • Chipotle peppers
  • Adobo sauce
  • Dried chili pepper pods
  • Masa flour
  • Corn flour
  • Black & white pepper
  • Salt
  • Cinnamon
  • Garlic powder
  • Chili powder
  • Flour
  • Baking powder
  • Baking soda
  • Cornstarch
  • Honey, Sugar, Stevia
  • Vanilla extract
  • Butter
  • Coconut oil
  • Coconut milk
  • Fish sauce
  • Gochujang/ chili paste
  • Oyster sauce
  • Soy sauce, low sodium
  • Siracha
  • Sesame oil
  • Ginger powder
  • Seaweed
  • Soybean paste
  • Hoisin sauce
  • Sesame seeds
  • Rice flour
  • Rice paper
  • Rice noodles
  • Curry powder
  • Turmeric
  • Tahini
  • Berbere
  • Cardamon
  • Fenugreek
  • Coriander
  • Chickpea flour
  • Teff
  • Ghee


Donate/ Choose Often

Specialty

Single Serve Items for students /homeless

  • Protein bars
  • Granola bars
  • Cereal cups
  • Fruit snacks
  • Nuts
  • Peanut butter packets
  • Dried fruits
  • Pop-top cans
  • Etc. 

Items for seniors

  • Nutritional shakes (Ensure, Boost, etc.)

Other items

  • Gluten free
  • Sugar free
  • Low sodium
  • Plant based


Baby Supplies

  • Diaper wipes
  • Formula
  • Baby food
  • Diapers, in particular size 4, 5, 6 and pull ups

Pet Supplies

  • Dry dog food
  • Wet dog food
  • Dry cat food
  • Wet cat food
  • Cat litter

Hygiene and Household Items

Hygiene
  • Feminine hygiene
  • Dental care items
  • Deodorant
  • Shampoo/ conditioner
  • Lotion
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Body wash
  • Hand soap


Household

  • Laundry supplies
  • Cleaning supplies
  • Dishwashing supplies
  • Toilet paper
  • Paper towels

Donate/ Choose Rarely

why rarely?

Treats are great every now and then, but on a regular basis it is better to choose fresh fruit and other items that have lower sugar, lower carbohydrates, and lower sodium. 

Choose rarely

  • Cookies
  • Cake
  • Pie
  • Candy
  • Chips
  • Instant ramen
  • Energy drinks


choose rarely

  • Soda, regular or diet
  • Canned fruit in heavy syrup
  • High sodium canned vegetables

support the health of our community

While we appreciate all donations, we'd like to discourage donations of these items as they provide little nutritional value and are high in saturated fat, added sugar and sodium which contributes to chronic disease. 


Thank you for supporting the health and nutrition of our community!

What We Cannot Accept

What We Cannot Accept

While we deeply appreciate every effort to support our mission, there are certain items we cannot accept for safety, quality, or logistical reasons.

Items We Cannot Accept:

Homemade or Home-Canned Foods

For safety reasons, we cannot accept items prepared or canned at home.


Opened or Partially Used Products

Only unopened and sealed items can be accepted to ensure safety and hygiene.


Alcoholic Beverages

Alcohol of any kind is not accepted.


Perishable Foods Without Proper Storage

Fresh items like produce, meat, or dairy must meet temperature requirements. We do have a large freezer and refrigerator, so if the items have been kept at proper temperature, we can accept them.


Damaged or Bulging Cans

For health and safety reasons, cans with dents, rust, or bulges cannot be distributed.


Recommended Consumption Guidelines

Bakery items

Coming Soon

Beverages

Coming Soon

dairy & alternative dairy

Coming Soon

dry & canned goods

Coming Soon

Recommended Consumption Guidelines

Fresh produce

Coming Soon

meat and meat alternative

Coming Soon

prepared foods

Coming Soon

when in doubt


Coming Soon