The Foodbank Donation Thread

MrsStepford

We donated food to our local food bank, at a church close by, but they stopped taking donations there and their warehouse (in next town) is only open 0800-1200 twice a week. I don't drive and husband commutes so we can't donate now. Rumour has it that our local hospital will be opening a food bank and if so, we will donate there. 

I have Type 2 diabetes and it's basically severe carbohydrate intolerance. The body becomes unable to clear the glucose from cereals, pasta, biscuits, rice, fruit, noodles, bread, cakes, ice cream, from the blood stream and it causes a lot of problems. 

We concentrated on protein, such as canned fish (salmon, tuna, sardines, mackerel), seafood eg cockles, meat, (ham, corned beef, mince, terrine) not biscuits. A child can't grow (upwards) on a diet of biscuits. Cell damage can't be repaired with pasta. 

I think everyone should have the right to adequate food which meets their nutritional needs, daily. Those will vary, there's no one diet fits all. Growing kids need protein and calcium for example. 

I do take the point made earlier though, that someone feels 'worth' posh biscuits. I've been poor and when my parents would buy us food, it was all Sainsbury's Basics stuff, which they would never have bought for themselves. It made me upset, as if they thought that was all we were worth. Whereas my parents in law would bring wine, river trout, wild rabbit, veg from their garden, home-made jam and pickles. 

It's important that people get a bit of a morale boost !

theoretica

PennyForThem_2 said:

Why hasn't this thread got any comments?

I am going to be very, very contraversial here - why has anybody got the 'right' other than children, to eat 3 meals a day?

Poor nutrition leaves people less robust and medically vulnerable - decent food is a very cost effective public health intervention, and a healthy population is generally good for everyone.

MovingForwards

My local food bank puts a shopping list up and also accepts money donations. Today there was a gentleman standing, offering small lists to people as they walked through.

I keep all the vouchers that come through my door, or I get online, for free items. Get the item and drop it in the basket on the way out. Even free online samples like moon cups etc have gone in.

I also rotate purchases - food and drink the first trip, toiletries and food the next one. Spices, flavouring and herbs I add do a monthly run.

Brie

MovingForwards said:

I keep all the vouchers that come through my door, or I get online, for free items. Get the item and drop it in the basket on the way out. Even free online samples like moon cups etc have gone in.

I also rotate purchases - food and drink the first trip, toiletries and food the next one. Spices, flavouring and herbs I add do a monthly run.

Vouchers or the free shopping apps make donation easy.

And it's good to remember that it's not just food.  It's soap, toilet paper, tampons, etc.  

My problem at times is to remember that it may be just one bag of stuff that a family might get.  So while it's not much more to buy a large bag of sugar that might take up too much space and so a smaller bag might actually be more helpful for some.  Or buy a variety.  Half dozen 500g, and half dozen 1 kg.  

I've also tried to do a whole meal in a bag - so buy the carrier, add a tin each of meat, veg, potatoes, gravy granules, fruit, cream/ UHT milk, coffee, tea, biscuits.  Or buy breakfast items one week and holiday treats the next.  

I've also tended to use my "free money" to buy things.  So save me clubcard vouchers - I've had £30+ at times and that can be enough to fill a trolley if you max out on the offers in store at the time.  

MovingForwards

@Brie I also include 'free from' items to try and help out those with dietary requirements.

Like you, I buy various sizes as I'm mindful it could be a single person, a family or a couple with different tastes receiving the pack.

I'll also try and get things so people can have a homemade takeaway, like packets of Chinese curry sauce (just add water, tinned veg and heat) or jars of different curries and micro rice (it can be heated with hot water or quickly fried to heat it).

cymruchris

Most foodbanks will tell you what they want if you ask them.

I support two - and one thing they are always short of is toiletries.

I tend to keep an eye on Boots and Superdrug for when they have their best promos on 3 for 2's or extra discount vouchers, and then bulk buy shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes and shower gel. I can usually get over a £100 retail for £50 if I'm focused on best value, and still obtain decent products I'd be happy to use myself. 

arnoldy

Believe it or not food is actually very cheap....astonishingly cheap...mince £2/500g, Pork £4kg, Chickens £3-4 each, Carrots, potatoes, veg 20-50p per Kg or unit.

It feels like the best thing foodbanks could do is teach people how to meal plan, cook, budget, use leftovers. Maybe they should buy slow cookers for people which are not expensive. It may be well meaning, and necessary in the short term, but food handouts are not the answer long term.

Rosa_Damascena

arnoldy said:

Believe it or not food is actually very cheap....astonishingly cheap...mince £2/500g, Pork £4kg, Chickens £3-4 each, Carrots, potatoes, veg 20-50p per Kg or unit.

It feels like the best thing foodbanks could do is teach people how to meal plan, cook, budget, use leftovers. Maybe they should buy slow cookers for people which are not expensive. It may be well meaning, and necessary in the short term, but food handouts are not the answer long term.

The good thing about food banks is they feed without judging. Hungry kids cannot be blamed for their circumstances.

Brie

arnoldy said:

Believe it or not food is actually very cheap....astonishingly cheap...mince £2/500g, Pork £4kg, Chickens £3-4 each, Carrots, potatoes, veg 20-50p per Kg or unit.

It feels like the best thing foodbanks could do is teach people how to meal plan, cook, budget, use leftovers. Maybe they should buy slow cookers for people which are not expensive. It may be well meaning, and necessary in the short term, but food handouts are not the answer long term.

I quite understand this attitude and know that in some cases this would work well for certain individuals/families.  The problem though is for those who don't have enough money to pay for the electricity required for cooking.  So a jar of hotdogs that can be opened and eaten cold is a good option. 

There was the comments in the news recently where some politico waffled about cooking classes and bulk cooking being better than people buying ready meals or takeaways.  Bulk cooking is great.  But if you don't have a fridge or freezer it won't work.  If you have a kettle and a toaster/microwave oven you are dependent on instant noodles and something that can be warmed up quickly.  

Add to that those who are suddenly caught with no money.  Their pay of any sort (employment, benefits) ends/stops for whatever reason, their bank account is emptied due to all their DDs going out, credit card (if any) is already maxed and then they have to go food shopping.  If you only have £20 to last 2 weeks you won't be spending 1/5 of that on a chicken.  You'll buy cheap toilet paper and own brand beans.  Cheapest bread and discount jam/spread/peanut butter.  Not potatoes that take too long to cook.  Carrots or discounted fruit are fine as can be eaten raw.  But no salads as they are surprisingly expensive (even to me!).  Not lettuce as having relatively minimal nutritional/fill up value.  

I certainly agree that food handouts are not the answer long term.  Ensuring people have an adequate income for their requirements is essential. Until that is possible handouts will need to be available. 

[Deleted User]

Grumpy_chap said:

Would it be better if people were able to make regular (or irregular) cash donations to foodbanks rather than donating whatever they choose to buy an extra one of into the baskets?

I say this because our local food bank does not work in the manner it should.  Today there is a post on the local FB group asking for specific items that are required.  At other times, there are posts on the local FB group saying they have too much  of XYZ and to save it going to waste anyone can go and collect some, with a "please" at the end.

If cash donations were accepted, the food bank could better manage the mix and flow of produce to meet the needs.

I have offered cash / monetary donations in the past to the local food bank and they decline saying that cannot be accepted.  Our local food bank will also only accept donations between 10 am and 12 noon on a Friday, which is not the most convenient.

My local foodbank accepts cash donations, they use the money to stock up on the stuff they are short of.

I assume it depends on how the foodbank is set up. I know my local one runs across the district, they have a van, and are fully registered as a charity.