What to give vegan at foodbank?

moneyistooshorttomention

msb5262 wrote: »

Interesting thread...my local food bank will be receiving some vegetarian stock cubes, a jar of yeast extract, soya milk, coconut milk, cans of green lentils & chick peas, vegan dry mix for falafel or burgers, olives, nuts and long-life soya yogurts next time I donate. I really hadn't thought about this so thank you to the OP for starting the thread.

You're not the only one - as we've seen (ie and that included me).

I guess there are a variety of causes for this:

1. The list of wanted items that food banks give out only tends to have junk food items on it - so people think that's all they take. When I specifically asked the local foodbank here whether they would take fresh fruit and vegetables - they said they do. It wasn't on their list though....

2. The items I see in the "food bank donations" boxes are always ones apropriate to a very conventional and unhealthy way of eating.

All round - I came to the conclusion at some level that only junk food eaters ever get in a position of needing food bank help. Which then leads on to "People like me obviously don't......".

I was surprised to realise just how many excuses the DWP has for sanctioning peoples benefit - and could see that even I could have ended up getting benefit sanctions (eg because of assuming a job interview trumped turning up for a DWP appointment and the message I left about it would have been passed on and accepted).

When I was unemployed back in the 1980s and had to join "dole queues" to sign on I was the only person I knew in those queues ever - so I guess that's another reason I assumed this. I'm guessing that rather a wide range of people land up in dole queues these days - and, with that, a wide range of ways of eating.

Caterina

MITSTM I wish I could donate fresh fruit and veg. Our local food banks don't accept them and I know what you mean about unhealthy food on the list.

Put it this way though, as it is meant to be only a stopgap, sometimes a bit of what the likes of you and me consider unhealthy, like a packet of biscuits, or mince pies, say, could offer a bit of comfort to a family that has nothing.

I am the ultimate health food snob in so many ways, but having been volunteering at a food bank for just over a year now, I have learnt to suspend personal judgement on food issues, especially seeing how an extra jar of coffee or packet of sugar makes a destitute person smile, or a packet of biscuits for the children makes a mother happy.

It's the same with the winter night shelter last year, I had managed to secure some amazing bread, organic long ferment sourdough, to use at the shelter kitchen. It just didn't get eaten, but the white sliced went down really well, time after time.

Conclusion: there's a time and place to educate people on food choices and the food bank or the emergency night shelter are not it. They are places to offer comfort and familiarity in the form of whatever food people like to eat.

As this thread has shown, though, it is important to consider all dietary variations, to be able to help as many people from different traditions as possible.

pollypenny

I'm not sure about this dilemma. Are they unable to cook from scratch or choosing not to do so?

If the latter, I've no sympathy.

I've been vegetarian for nearly 50 years - hard to believe myself - but I wonder what I'd do if I was starving.

MrsTinks

I'm neither vegan nor vegetarian, I do have friends who are both and also friends who have specific diet issues (genuine issues linked to illness, not self diagnosed) who have to avoid pulses, chicken eggs and dairy. I try to bear this in mind when I donate to the food banks here.

Whilst I try to follow the lists they suggest then it's not really more than a wish list, so for Christmas I try to do a shop as if it was for myself - in so far as I can with long life products. I'm also going to do a drop off with a home less charity which contains "luxuries" like soap, deodorant, tooth brush and paste, high calorie bars and socks.

People sometimes end up in these situations through no fault of their own - some people may be vegan because they need to be too. My friend isn't vegan, but imagine having to work round pulses, dairy and chicken eggs! I cook for them a lot and cooking from scratch it's a doddle, anything processed (even bread at times as many loaves contain milk!) can be a nightmare. If her illness gets worse she won't be able to cook easily, so ready ish food would be a necessity.

Just because someone has a "label" like vegan doesn't mean they're "fussy" (although it's a choice that we should respect) - it could actually be a medical reason for their restrictions to their diets.

Hats off to the food banks trying to accommodate all the various needs out there.

moneyistooshorttomention

The impression I got was that many people in this position don't have even the most basic of cooking facilities. That being full-size cooker, fridge, freezer, basic cooking utensils.

I guess there are a noticeable number of people that don't have a "full kitchen".

The spectrum must extend all the way through from people with little in the way of cooking facilities (through no fault of their own), to the majority of people (ie with a "full kitchen"), to people like myself (ie deciding whether to use our blender/spiraliser/food processor/etc/etc).

At each of those 3 points on the spectrum one has the option of a wider range of food. At my end of the spectrum (ie the "You name it and I've probably got it" level of kitchen equipment) then I've got so many more options even than those with a standard "full kitchen" and can do a wider range of things if I choose to (yep...that sourdough bread/home-made pasta/etc/etc). The higher the level of kitchen facilities - then the more able someone is to cook from scratch.

Yep...and I'm amazed Caterina at someone forgoing organic sourdough bread in favour of "rubber bread" (ie supermarket white sliced). That's my personal idea of "desperation eating - starving and that's literally there is available. Will probably have to eat half a loaf of that to stop feeling hungry - as there's nowt much in it".

But - in a very different context - I can understand why people "want what they personally know" rather than taking "what's available" and a time when they are feeling low anyway isn't the right time to try to explain food values, etc. You will try and turn "what you have" into "what you know" - and, speaking of my house like that - just off to do further planning what my new kitchen will be like (to feel "familiar" to me).

Caterina

The year of volunteering has really opened my eyes and thrashed many prejudices and preconceptions. It is really the case of But For The Grace Of God...it could be anyone of us. I have met scientists, highly educated people from all walks of life, people who speak several languages and play the piano beautifully, makes you wonder what life threw at them to make them so destitute. We are not supposed to ask their stories but some share willingly, without being asked.

"They" are just you and me, when the chips are down. No matter how educated, rich, aware, wise, prepper...it could be any of us.

MandM90

Breakfast bits and bobs:

Oats (porridge is always a cheap, easy breakfast)
Any vegan fortified cereal (check labelling)
Flour (pancakes!)
Soya milk/oat milk
Jam
Peanut butter

Cupboard bits:
Olive/veg oil
Lentils
Dried beans
Dried split peas/soup mix/marrowfat peas
Dried granose sausages/mince/burgers
Dried veggie mince
Dried falafel mix
Dried instant mash

Things for flavour:
Instant gravy (many are vegan if you look)
Curry powder
Chilli powder
Marigold vegan stock powder
Soya sauce
Mixed herbs

Starches:
Cous cous
Millet
Quinoa
Bread (check labelling, most supermarket brands I've come across are vegan) OR bread flour and yeast
Dried veggie noodles (even some chicken flavoured ones are vegan :eek:)
Dried pasta

From the above you could make things like:

Veggie sausage, mash, peas and gravy
Lentil soup
Bean chilli (don't need tomatoes, use chilli powder and a bit of gravy powder)
Lentil curry and millet/flatbead
Chickpea tagine and cous cous
Noodles with sweetcorn, peas and a splash of soya sauce
Pasta with a sauce made from onion, garlic, stock and herbs and whatever veggies thrown in
Veggie burger sandwiches
"keema" (veggie mince) and pea curry
Shepherdless pie

The main thing is to always check ingredients for ones in bold first (obviously if it says egg or milk it's an instant no-no), then have a look deeper. Some E numbers and vitamin D aren't vegan, but there are apps and websites to help and luckily many supermarkets are now labelling vegan.

Mohawk_3

I must admit that when I'm considering food for the food bank, I don't like to go too worthy and healthy, and like to include some treats, because I like the message that just because you need to use a food bank, doesn't mean you should be restricted to gruel and the nutritional essentials. A bit like I try to avoid buying the absolute budget items, because I think it would be pretty disheartening to get the absolute budge teabags when you are already at a low.

GreenBitterfly

bumblebeany wrote: »

Cheap places to find free from foods to donate -
Bit of a lucky dip as to what they might have in stock each week but I've found Fultons to often have free from stuff in, usually have rice/soya/nut drinks, can have tinned veg bargains and often have wheat free crackers and cereals. To a lesser extent b&m bargains and poundstretcher too.

Thanks for the Fultons tip, we have one on the local high street, so will keep an eye out.

I like to put biscuits in whenever I donate to the local independent food bank, mainly for children, so they can have a biscuit and a glass of squash when they come home from school. I also donate selection boxes at Christmas, and Easter eggs (funnily enough at Easter!) so the children can tell their peers they've got something for those festivities and so they've got something at least to open at Christmas.

I never considered Vegan food, which is strange given I'm vegetarian myself! I will keep an eye out and add some items to my Food Bank bag especially with Christmas coming up.

Doom_and_Gloom

iammumtoone wrote: »

Putting the issue of whether it is right to supply a vegan option at food banks.

It is very difficult to get the nutrition you need from a vegan diet especially one that also needs to avoid tomatos (which eliminates a lot of tined vegan friendly food). It is difficult for those that can afford the diet and cook from scratch let alone those who are struggling to afford to eat and do not know how to cook.

With the lack of cooking from scratch it doesn't sound like their diet could have been very good before they got into the situation of needing a foodbank.

Of course it is up to the person if they want to continue this diet choice but I think someone should explain to them how hard it can be to get all your nutritional requirements on a limited budget following this plan.

I think one of the best things you could supply them with would be a packet of multi vits/minerals, I would be worried that their health will suffer from this diet in this situation.

It is a myth that veganism is expensive to do right. It can be as cheap or as expensive as you make it but it needn't be expensive to get the nutrition you need.

It's people thinking like you that has made me build up my stockpile of vegan foods even more. Tinned tomatoes currently have 26 of those (I used two in my slow cooker last night and still this is the number I have. I bought them when they were 25p a tin). Have over 20 tins of chickpeas, again bought when 25p a tin. Rice I have 10k+ easily. Pastas, rice noodles, quinoa, oats, flours, yeast etc. I have enough vegan milks for around half a year. When I see things in clearence or last chance to buy that are packets or tins that are vegan I'm there; I've had tins of soup for 10p buying like this. I've bought extras steadily each time I shop to spread the cost. I doubt my stockpile came to more than £70 total. It wouldn't be completely sound though after a month or so I'll agree but I have vegan multivitamins I bought on offer, again something just to make sure due to wanting to avoid the food bank no matter what.

Basically because I know I have a different lifestyle and how people can react to that I have made sure to do everything possible to avoid the food bank, though I'm sure my parents would never see that happen while they are alive.
Just to add my OH isn't vegan but is fussier with food than I am. I've made sure he has a sufficient stockpile also. Though he won't drink UTH cow milk he will drink my vegan milks, so on second thought I probably have enough for 3ish months with both of us drinking it...I should get more in.

We aren't on great incomes. My OH spends a lot of money to get to his work in central London and our rent isn't cheap. We are the people that if my OH lost his job or quit to become my carer (something he has been considering as full time work, commuting and caring for me is taking it's toll) that the food bank probably sees before benefits kick in. Yet mostly because of my being vegan and people's views on that I'm doing everything to avoid that situation. Just because someone else has a different lifestyle shouldn't mean they should feel worse if they need help!