DH is using community pantry for free food

So much virtue signalling. I just don’t get it - he is using the pantry exactly as intended.

ditto people thinking that if you’re rich and shopping at a charity shop you’re depriving poor people of bargains 🤷🏽‍♀️🤷

I run a food pantry and a lot of it is counter-seasonal or over-stocking.

Rainy weather? We get salads and sausages.
Hot? Soups.
Week after Halloween? Pumpkins.
January? Mince pies, xmas chocs.
And so much high-end bread and patisserie from posh markets, mad quantities.

We receive and distribute around a tonne a week (a Transit van's worth).

Yes you can - it’s easy

Well stocked pantry
Access to google

I use Olio all the time and I almost never have to buy more than 1 additional ingredient to complete a recipe using the items I’ve picked up for free.

Your DH is correct. It’s not a food bank. He’s as entitled to use it as is everyone. It’s about reducing food waste not feeding starving kids.

I bet a lot won’t use it because they dislike the idea of eating food past its best before or on its use by date.

Absolutely. It's been loooong time sinceI left retail, but yes, thimgs can change quickly. Order for bank holiday weekend, weather changes, crapton of left over while if weather stayed nice, shelves would be emptied.
With basics such as bread shops don't want empty shelves because that would drive cuatomers to other shops.
Basics are what most people go for in anyway and that's why they are usually at the back of the store.

I think calling a food bank an excellent scheme is a bit of strange way to view it.
That there is a need for them in this country is absolutely appalling.
They are a temporary solution to immediate food needs and go no way to addressing the problem or solution.

sometimes its things like a cold summer weekend and salad sales drop.

I've always assumed (wrongly perhaps) that orders are based on what sells and when (some of it will be seasonal). So if mounds of stuff is frequently going to waste, I'd expect them to order less of it. But I've never worked in food retail. I know we can't avoid it completely but some of the figures are quite alarming.

Over ordering I assume. Not wanting customers to be annoyed because they've sold out.

Is there anyone with food retail experience who can explain why so much unsold food goes to waste? Obviously we don't want shortages, but that doesn't seem to be an issue if so much is wasted. How are shops/supermarkets receiving so much food that won't be sold before its expiry date?

The fact that people cannot differentiate between anti-food waste initiatives and food banks is quite fascinating.

The food waste in UK is about 9 million tonnes annually iirc., people.
Iirc from that the shops waste 200k. That is 200,000,000 kg.
Imagine it in pasta bags. That weight equals to Four Hundred Million standard 500g pasta bags. How ridiculous is that. Edible food.

Anyone using anti food waste initiatives gets a point from me.

If he's helping to prevent food waste (and actually eating what he takes) then I think he sounds great.

I had not realised there was a difference between a food bank and a community pantry before reading this thread. I think both are excellent schemes.

You are allowed to go twice a week and I tend to meal plan around that but there's almost always things such as steak, chicken drumsticks/thighs, mince, meatballs, pizzas etc.

It's actually alarming just how much supermarkets etc waste.

I used to use my community pantry regularly and feel no guilt. It's not a food bank and it was made clear when I went it was for all. When the supermarket over ordered marmalade oranges I made a nice batch of marmalade. The people who used the pantry due to financial issues did not take this kind of food, or the fennel bulbs. No judgment on my part but generally if you're struggling financially you're not looking for fancy food that uses a lot of energy to cook. So I reduced food waste and enjoyed it. I left the more 'useful' food e.g. potatoes, carrots etc.

But surely they can't predict what will be left over that day from the shops/cafes etc.
You couldn't rely on it to plan actual meals.

It's actual meal stuff at ours but you pay for a yearly membership and pay towards the food as well.

Cancel the cheque.

we have one here and I said to a volunteer once that I feel bad as I’m not in need. They said it’s for everyone, it’s not a food bank, and if I don’t take it it will go to landfill. I go at the end so let those more in need have first choice (there is often a queue). Also they accept donations towards the running of the project, so perhaps he could donate

Reduce food waste.
Depending on where you live it could consist of catering size trays of donuts and some of the local person's extra plums from their garden tree.
It's random stuff not "actual meal" stuff.

Is the aim to support those in need or to reduce food waste?

What is parasitic about preventing food waste?

Yes. My friend runs a charity providing food parcels to people in need. Supermarkets give her food. But some very perishable stuff she just can’t get to those in need, either she has no volunteer drivers or her freezers are full (she’ll freeze bread) etc or those who need can’t collect. At that point she’ll just ask anyone at all to take.

Completely agree! He sounds like a parasite

If it’s open to anyone then fair game.

I don't have an issue with this, as long as there aren't any people who generally need this.

It's for food waste. I'm sure you are in an affulent area.