This is our entry into the Second Annual Pay It Forward ActiveRain Challenge For December.
We like to help others less fortunate, usually by making donations to food drives, along with gently used clothing and other useful household items.
This year was no different, making several trips to the HonorHealth Desert Mission Food Bank this year.
The most recent drop off was three days before Thanksgiving Day.
My Dad, who was being discharged from the hospital later that same day, had purchased 12 Cases (not boxes) cases of Girl Scout Cookies to help support the Girl Scouts earlier in the year.
His favorite Girl Scout Cookie of choice is the Samoa!
According to the LittleBrownieBakers.com website, Samoas are “Crisp cookies, coated in caramel, sprinkled with toasted coconut, and striped with a dark chocolaty coating.”
That they are indeed! Very tasty - although I do my best to resist them right now.
Any way - back to the story.
My Dad had initially thought of giving a case or two of the Samoa "treasures" to the staff of the ward he spent 20 days with in the month of November.
When checking his stash I found that the cookies were just past their expiration date. It varies by food product, but food banks accept and are able to use food for up to a year past the "official" use by / expiration date. I even opened and tested a box to make sure they were in good shape - at least that's my excuse!
Suzanne and I proceeded to load the car with nine - count them - nine - full cases of Samoas, which I dutifully trundled down to the Desert Mission Food Bank.
They gratefully accepted them and advised me that the timing was perfect - they would be distributed to the needy the following day - just in time for Thanksgiving.
Food for thought: If you have food that has expired - check with your local food bank before discarding it - just in case it is still useful for some of those less fortunate.
Comments(14)