DH is using community pantry for free food

Are you serious? Means testing people? It should be down to the morals of those attending places giving out free food not to want to take it from those less fortunate than themselves. As for food being left over, how do you know that and if there is, it should still be given to the needy not the high earners!

Is it a free one or is it a set fee though? We have one locally that you pay £8 per bag. Still way cheaper than in the supermarket. Everyone can use it.

So you actually want (for example) 5 loaves of bread and several packs of some kind of cake on/past their best before date, 3 bags of slightly limp carrots and 4 packs of wilted basil on a given day that need to be used within a couple of days or frozen? I mean if they happened to have corriander as the herb instead I guess you could make a big batch of soup but would you even get through the bakery stuff? Or do you just resent the idea of anyone better off getting cheap food as a matter of principle regardless of whether or not it makes a difference to anyone else?

A food bank, and a community pantry are very different things, if someone needs a food bank then of course both could be very helpful to them.

However... I used to volunteer at a community pantry, and because the donated items are generally close to their expiry we encouraged everyone to take some. In fact, if people didn't then we'd have to chuck it out anyway which felt worse.

We have one of these in our town and they’re designed to cut food waste (we have a separate food bank for those struggling) so don’t see the problem at all - it’s to be used, and will likely just go to waste if everyone doesn’t get involved.

You are overthinking this.

Your DH is saving food from going to landfill.
Make a donation to the charity ever so often to support it and admin costs, but keep using it as that's the way it'll be available to the community....

Hi @cookingaroast

My charity operates a community food hub. It has a number of objectives.

It increases community spirit, by people donating to know they are contributing to their local society.

It reduces food miles. Local allotment owners put produce directly in there. Apples have travelled 400yds rather than 4000 air miles.

It reduces food waste. Any local stores with surplus that would otherwise be thrown away, donate.

It provides food support to those in need.

Now, just taking those 4 objectives, the first 3 are things that people choose to engage with. The 4th is not a choice, it's a need.

Many people use our hub, but it's staffed with volunteers, so we always hold back enough for those priority users, because some people are just grabby and take their fill just because it's free, with no thought or consideration. Lots of people like the food we have for "green" reasons, and that's great, but it's like there's an unspoken rule that if you don't need then you don't continuously take take take without giving anything back. Whether that be a donation, or volunteering your time, it's the decent thing to do.

We advertise ours as reducing food waste because it helps people who are in desperate need, but too embarrassed to be seen taking "charity hand outs" feel less stigmatized in coming along. Food banks need referrals and it's not very dignified to have to get one, when you're already in a difficult state, in my opinion.It's often the people who need it most, who are the last to take. This doesn't appear to have occurred to your husband, but I can assure you, it's not in good taste what he's doing. It's all one sided and just a bit grabby. Give back. It's a community pantry. It's a wee bit sad that he needs to be told that.

It's not a food bank it's to prevent waste, I'd say why not.

I once found a book hidden in a public place and inside was a note saying it was part of a massive global project where people read books, then leave them somewhere for others to find and read, and then leave somewhere else, etc. Books would be shared for free all over the world and travel internationally. Hurrah!

So I took the book home and started reading it, and it was some kind of weird pornography from start to the point where I stopped reading. I think it was intended to be read as some kind of running allegory but whatever the message was, I wasn't prepared to wade through graphic descriptions of bestiality and women doing obscene things with ping pong balls to find it. Book ended up on the bonfire.

Why? Just out of spite? You'd rather food get thrown away than someone save a few quid on their grocery bill? To what end?

A community kitchen is open to anyone, there's no shame in using one no matter who you are. A food bank requires a referral so that's totally different

Why is it disgraceful?

It's a community pantry to avoid food going to water not a food bank for people struggling and he is using the food not wasting it.

I don't see the problem. If it was food meant for people struggling then yes that would be disgraceful because he is depriving people who need it more but in this case it's open to the community to avoid having to throw the food away.

I think it is often difficult to tell. There are services in my area that are referral-only or advertised as serving those in food poverty which is very straightforward, and then there are those who advertise as 'open to all' or 'all welcome' but in practice they aren't really meant for/used by everyone. I've seen communal hot meals at churches advertised on Olio. Lines can be blurry.

My local one doesn't. It says several times on their website that anyone can use it.

My local scrapstore often has a loaf of surplus food from shops too. They post on FB with pictures of it asking people to take it. The reiterate that you do not have to be in need to take it.

Oh and I walked past a community pantry while on holiday in Northumberland (possibly Alnwick?) which was literally a red phone box with shelves. No staff. Help yourself.

rofl

I'm sure they have rules & guidelines. In my town we're aware ours is used mostly by those who can't afford supermarket prices. He will have been noticed & marked as a miserable grabber. I volunteer in another charity & we do notice more affluent people buying to save money. As long as our stock sells I don't care who buys it 😬

Would you prefer that food was thrown away than given to a higher earner?

Of course it does. Most people are very clear on the difference between the two models.

Our local pantry often are almost begging people to take the fresh veg, bread etc.

I really do think some of the posters would rather the food went to landfill then let someone who is not poor have it. Maybe they are some of the people across the country who throw good food away and don't think the food waste is disgusting

It sounds more like olio than a food bank.

Food bank is donated food for the poor.
Olio is short dated, almost food waste, and available to anybody that can keep it out of landfill.

Oh and if anyone thinks I am an idiot. You choose between heating and eating which I had to do for two years and get back to me.

If it still tastes good and fresh, I wouldn't have any qualms about it. Get some good stuff now in these food banks and community places, like steaks, beef topside, best Waitrose pizzas and even guinea fowl and pheasant.

I suppose if it's aimed at waste reduction then he's welcome to use it

If you feel bad about it you could buy some extra when shopping and pop them in the food bank bin? Evens it out