Since reopening on Wednesday after the festive season break, as of 11.30am yesterday the Anglican foodbank had provided 45 food parcels and turned away 15 to 20 more requests.
Ms Campbell said people were turned away not for lack of food, but because the foodbank was unable to assess everyone.
Assessments were shortened from an hour to 30 minutes to get through as many people as possible.
She estimated the food parcels had fed 135 people since Wednesday.
By the same time last year, the foodbank had released about 35 food parcels and had not turned anyone away.
The foodbank referred anyone it could not help to Dunedin's other open foodbank, St Vincent de Paul, and no-one would miss out.
Salvation Army and Presbyterian Support's foodbanks remain closed, both reopening on Monday.
Ms Campbell said it was the first time since the benefit cuts of the 1990s that the foodbank had been so flat out after Christmas.
Food parcel recipients had not spent up large on Christmas festivities or gifts.
Often it was extra visitors or family staying at Christmas which strained budgets that were so tight there was little money to spare.
Some workers had had to take unpaid leave while their workplace closed for the festive season, and if people had not been in jobs long, they had insufficient holiday pay to get them through.
About half those seeking help were employed rather than on benefits.
Recipients were not just given food.
Their situation was assessed thoroughly and the centre took a "holistic" approach to finding solutions to their money troubles, Ms Campbell said.
The Bath St foodbank was well stocked, but donations were gratefully received, especially of fresh fruit and vegetables, butter, and long-life milk.
However, St Vincent de Paul manager Ken Fahey said demand at the foodbank had been normal since it reopened.
The first two days were busy but yesterday was quieter.
In Auckland and Christchurch, the Salvation Army has dealt with much higher post-Christmas demand, as people had spent all their money during Christmas, NZPA reported.
"Christmas is a great time to celebrate but it's not a great time to go in debt and we've seen people who are coming in saying 'the family's been. We had a great time, but we've got no food.' They've put their priority of spending elsewhere, whether that's on family or presents," Christchurch Salvation Army Major Mike Allwright said.
In Christchurch, overspending was compounding the stresses already weighing on people after last year's earthquake, meaning it would be a difficult start to the year for many.
