When it comes to donating food for a food bank, most people might go into their cupboards and grab items they won’t be using or may have too much of. Unfortunately, some of that food ends up being junk food.

The Maple Valley Food Bank has been actively trying to avoid giving too much junk food away. One of the main ways they do it is by using their garden to grow produce to give to people who need it, Lila Merz, executive director, said.

“We want people to donate the kind of food they are eating, not just their leftovers,” Merz said.

When people come in for food, they have a My Plate system where people can pick a certain amount of food from certain categories, to make sure they are getting the nutrients they need for themselves and their families.

Donated food is never turned away, unless it is expired. As unhealthy as some donated food may be, it will fit into a category. Those categories are more limited than the healthier categories.

“We all eat cookies and Top Ramen, it isn’t bad to have those things every once in a while, it just shouldn’t be most of a person’s diet,” Merz said.

When money is donated to the food bank Merz goes out and buys as much healthy food as possible, such as eggs and produce they haven’t received or grown in their garden.

The food bank’s food system is also a little different from most food banks. They set up the food in a grocery store style. They have shelves full of food, organized with signs telling people how many of each item they can take. They also have a sheet to help them out.

People are welcome to grab a bag and fill it up with as much produce as they can fit in the bag. When they walk out, they should have enough food staples to feed their families until they can come back the next time.

For more information on what food to donate or how to volunteer, visit their website at www.maplevalleyfoodbank.org.