As far as I know, most chain grocery stores in urban areas already donate their expiring food. My local Trader Joes and Ralphs have each donated hundreds of tho

As far as I know, most chain grocery stores in urban areas already donate their expiring food. My local Trader Joes and Ralphs have each donated hundreds of thousands of dollars of food so far this year - they both have signs advertising their donations that they update weekly with the new figures. The problem in my city is labor - there simply isn't enough manpower to convert all that produce into healthy food so they end up dispensing mostly the less healthy processed stuff, which also tends to have lower spoilage and higher "utilization" at the supermarket so there's never enough to go around based on peoples preferences. Whenever I volunteer at the local shelter, anyone who wants fresh produce can just ask for it but most people wanted (needed) hot prepared meals that tasted familiar and comforting.