To anyone who has ever donated to a food bank...

I've mentioned this before on these threads but please check with your local Food Bank about what is actually required.

We tend to get inundated with certain items (pasta, rice, soup, baked beans, tinned tomatoes and san pro) but are desperate for other items.

All Food Banks will be different so please ask locally.

So glad you're safe and you'll ber okay for food lass.

Thank you to those who've put suggestions as to what's needed. I tend to get stuck in a rut and do mainly the pasta and rice, with biscuits and small bars of chocolate.

Thanks for the thread, op.

I volunteer in a food bank and it is great to hear from clients.

If you donate 'off list' items we do our best to match it with someone who needs it. If it doesn't match a client it goes on the 'help yourself' shelf or we pass some items off to other community organisations. Hardly anything goes to waste (I have told the story of our long term doorstop, aka catering tin of prunes :) )

Donate anything, most banks will be able to find a good home for all goods given.

Looks fantastic. So happy for you and your little ones.

So many supermarkets have collection points but also remember that’ll trussel trust has loads of local drop off points. With school holidays looming families often need a bit of extra help to feed the children who would normally rely on school lunches and breakfast clubs. And a few cremw eggs wouldn’t go amiss.

Brilliant thread! OP - all the very best to you and your DCs.

I love that Ocado have a system for on line shopping donations. I do my bigger shop on line at Tesco and have suggested this sort of system a few times when asked for feedback.

Your suggestions for what to donate are very helpful (and from those who volunteer(. I taken screen shots so that I can get some of these next time I actually go into a store

I'm terrible for remembering what type of things the food bank asks for, so I set up a £10 a month direct debit for my local one. They can then buy the things they need or are running low of. Even a couple of pounds a month would help them greatly, there are so many families who need help.

OP, I hope things work out ok for you

All the above foods are Ok for coeliacs as well. But thank you for thinking of us .

That’s good to know - I hate the idea of someone with a bit of an allergy or food intolerance having to ‘manage’ with foods that may make them feel sickly or have to go without.

Obviously I’m not meaning full blown allergies or coeliacs etc.

I wouldn’t put in anything that’s specially branded as gluten free. Because they will end up going in the general pile and be taken by someone who is not gluten free, who will throw it in the bin because most “ gluten free” products are horrible.

Also the demand is low, so Gf bread would go out of date. GF biscuits are very fragile and would get broken and binned.

And of course, all manufactured GF food is horrendously expensive.

The majority of foods from the food bank are naturally Gf anyway. Here’s a typical list

Cereal
Soup
Pasta
Rice
Tinned tomatoes/ pasta sauce
Lentils, beans and pulses
Tinned meat
Tinned vegetables
Tea/coffee
Tinned fruit
Biscuits
UHT milk
Fruit juice

Of these, only the pasta, cereal and biscuits are not GF and maybe some tinnned soups. Of course, FB also give out ( gluten containing ) bread as well.

The microwave packets of rice would be more useful to a Gf person that biscuits TBH. Or the packs of three Twirls or similar chocolate bars ( instead of biscuits ). Aldi sell their own brand of pringles which are gluten free ( branded Pringles are not ).

Chocolate and crisps are the “ treats “ that most Gf people eat IME, unless they do a lot of home baking or are rich ( so not most foodbank users ! ).

For anyone who has used the banks - what items made you smile or think ‘thank god’?

It’s easy to pop in whatvwe think people want but is there much call for special diet foods (ie gluten free)?

Our tesco and coop have collection points all year, though our coop is tiny, so the funeral parlour across the road takes the collections.

What a lovely post. Wishing you and your DC all the very best

I usually donate biscuits.

Best of luck for your future, it’s going to be great. 👍🏻💐🍫🍪

Best of luck for the future to you and your DC

So glad you got away and are safe. What a lovely thank you op.
I love that there was a bag of monster munch. I always put chocolate/sweets/crisps in the food bank as i like to think of people, especially children, having a little treat when things are tough. Food to eat is obvs the priority but everyone needs a treat

So welcome OP, this is exactly why many of us donate.

Wishing you a safe and healthy future OP

Wishing you and your family a wonderful new life.

That you have taken the time - at this difficult time - to say thank-you speaks volumes about you. Thank-you for your thoughtfulness.

Enjoy your new life not walking on eggshells.

I always put something in the food bank basket when I'm in. You never know when you're going to need their help.

You are awesome and courageous OP; thank you for posting. Sending love to you and your children.

We normally put in Cheerios (DD’s priority) and heavy duty Always pads (mine), which is a slightly random combination. I try to add other bits when I can but it’s really good to be reminded of how important it is. You’ve inspired me to donate a bit more when my pay clears on Monday

Didn’t know you could donate via Ocado. Off to investigate.

Your post has made me cry

Thank you for your thank you. Much appreciated.

I just put a few bags of sweets in our local one tonight, on top of the usual pasta and sauces I usually put in. I'd never have thought of it before.