Are you gonna eat that?

It’s the can of green beans, refried beans or garbanzo beans collecting dust in your kitchen. Its fate is likely similar to that box of scalloped potatoes that’s never going to get eaten because frankly, instant mashers are just way easier. It’s not that it’s bad food, it’s just not likely it’s going to get eaten in the next decade if it remains where it is.

One way to rotate your stock this year is by donating those canned goods to Gleaners Food Bank through the “All for One” community-giving program going on at Oakland University now through Nov. 20.

There are donation boxes all around campus sporting the names of participating student organizations, including one in front of The Oakland Post’s office in the basement of the Oakland Center, where you can unload your goods. Dry foods like pasta (such as Ramen Noodles or Maruchan) and cereal are also accepted.

Too many rolls of toilet paper laying around? Never actually scrub your bathtub? Cleaning supplies and other household items are also accepted.

The Post is competing with the other organizations sponsoring this drive to see which one can collect the most goods and money for bragging rights. So in the spirit of friendly competition and doing a good deed, The Post is urging you to drop your goods in our box while picking up your weekly paper.

A second part of this drive is raising money for the Oakland University general scholarship fund. Organizers are asking that those who can, donate $1 along with their cans. The cash can be donated at The Post’s office, or down the hall at the Center for Student Activities office ticket window.

As the holiday season nears, we may get anxious about the pressure to give back. Especially when  there’s a disparity in numbers between those able to give back to those who need help.

If there was ever an era that characterizes the “broke college student,” it would be now. Many of us are struggling to be here, putting ourselves through school or working to keep our families afloat while they support our education. But the honest fact is, we are lucky to be here.

By no means is The Post saying you should donate money or food if it’s not within your budget. But if you can, kindly drop it in our box.

Maybe there’s something else that you can do this year to give back, in your own way that doesn’t cost $1 per can or $1 you would otherwise use on your own sustenance.

If you’re like The Post’s Mouthing Off editor, maybe you could chop off your excessively long hair for a child who doesn’t have any.

If you’re like The Post’s managing editor and editor in chief, you could drop off a load of barely worn clothes and shoes at the Salvation Army.

Or if you’re like The Post’s You/Local editor, you could volunteer a few hours of your time through OU service organizations like Alpha Phi Omega.

We all have things we can live without that maybe others couldn’t.