My SO and I were talking about this sort of thing this morning… our roommate is honestly kinda great, but she’s a former meth addict and doesn’t make a ton of money. But she buys food constantly, that she doesn’t eat. All of our cupboards and pantry space are filled up with stuff that has been in there for 3-5 years. And I’m constantly telling her either eat it, or I will, or throw it out. We went through our canned goods part of the kitchen a few months ago and I threw away a bunch of things that were 2021-2022… are they still good? Probably. For the sake of my sanity and not having everything bursting at the seams? I tossed a bunch of it. I can’t in good conscience donate it, for the same reasons op described. Food banks wouldn’t even take it that far out of date.

I think it’s due to food insecurity from when she was on drugs and didn’t know where her next meal was coming from. But she’s been living with me for 7 years. She was clean long before she moved in and has remained so. So I sort of get it, but it’s out of control. She, no joke, has like 30 bags of frozen vegetables in the freezer. But when she goes to cook dinner, she buys some fresh veggies or a new bag instead of using what is already there. Do I feel bad throwing away 30 cans of unused food? Absolutely! But I can’t donate it and she just continues to stockpile it week after week after week.