Food bank items

[EatSleepRantRepeat]

I've been given some supermarket vouchers from work and I'd like to buy some extra items from the food bank with it. If you work for a food bank or have used a food bank, what kind of things do your clients really want or look forward to?

I've checked the local wishlist but it's things like brown sauce and bags of sugar (so non-essential for most people) and frey bentos pies & powdered mash, which I personally wouldn't eat or serve to people at home. They wouldn't go in a microwave either because of the metal packaging.

Do people actually eat and enjoy those things, or are they just shelf-stable but people are too polite to decline? What happens to people like me with food allergies - is it bought in or is it tough luck?

I usually just buy laundry liquid and tampons/pads but there aren't the usual bulk-buy offers on this week so fancied buying something different.

(Before anyone judges me, I'm not policing anyone's dietary habits, I'd just rather spend my money on something foodbank users would normally eat and enjoy. I've never been able to volunteer in one because they're not open outside of working hours).

I adore a frey bentos pie, and so does my primary aged son 😳 some tinned potatoes, a frey bentos pie, and some tinned mixed beg, a cost effective Sunday lunch that is for us. 😂

You can roast tinned potatoes ...coat them in olive oil and some sea salt 👍🏻 beautiful.

As someone who picks up food banks weekly for work and service users.

Some nice tinned puddings don't go a miss. Chocolate, packs of buscuits to have with a cup of tea. Some cakes, vienesse whirls. Rice pudding, custard in tins.

Honestly it's nice to have a bit of a treat in them.

I know it's tempting to think oooh I'll put a treat in. But their boxes are really well thought out to be nutritionally balanced as possible. Please just buy what they ask for, that is what they will be most grateful for.

I usually add

tinned mince
hotdogs
uht milk
cup soups
tinned puddings (rice pudding or custard)
sauces
some herbs (can make a nice pasta dish with some mixed herbs and tomato)
biscuits and crisps.

I remember reading on here a few years ago about a woman whose family had needed a food bank and how grateful they were for a packet of biscuits in there.

Personally i like donating things that dont need to be cooked in an oven or hob because a lot of struggling people just dont have a oven or cooker, i remember getting loads of pasta and stuff but i couldnt cook it, i more enjoyed the noodles, pasta packets (just add water etc) pot noodles are good, tins of hot dogs or beans etc

@MooSakah

I know it's tempting to think oooh I'll put a treat in. But their boxes are really well thought out to be nutritionally balanced as possible. Please just buy what they ask for, that is what they will be most grateful for.

That's not what I've found. Foodbank is always happy when I put treats in. Everyone likes a biscuit or cake. The food bank trolley in my local supermarket is full of nice things.

Why not use the vouchers for your own shopping and give the money you save to the food bank?

I run a food bank, one where people choose what they want from a selection of 20-30 items each week. Our volunteers monitor what’s popular and also ask for feedback. The things that consistently go are baked beans, jam, UHT milk, tinned sweetcorn, pasta sauce and bar soap. Over and above the perennial rice and pasta.

You have people with “heat or eat” circumstances, people in hostels, people with very limited cooking experience (along with the occasional vegan chef or whatever! We get all sorts). I’d say follow what the particular organisation suggests.

The things they have asked for are perfectly normal at least for poorer section of the community that I’m a part of. They wouldn’t ask for stuff they know can’t shift honestly just go with the list.

I volunteer at a food bank and would recommend you follow the list they provide. There are all sorts of reasons why those items are asked for and it's generally well thought out.
Treats don't go amiss though as an additional item.

At the place where I help out even the most random of donations get taken so I don't think you need to give it much thought. Even old dusty banged up cans get taken (in date obviously).

Id buy whatever seems like a good buy.

Thank you for everyone's suggestions, especially posters who work in food banks. I'm reading them all and taking them on board even if there's too many to reply to individually! Hopefully this thread will be useful for other people as well.

Spam gets taken where I work! It's actually quite popular. 😅

I usually give treats- such as hot choc, custard, tinned fruit

This:
use the vouchers for your own shopping and give the money you save to the food bank

Please no cous cous. Or salt and pepper. Or brown sauce.

My Foodbank is currently desperate for tinned fish, tinned fruit, tinned tomatoes and milk.

Biscuits are good.

I’m always excited when I can pop a frey bentos pie in a pack up. That with some potatoes and peas would be a decent meal.

Get whatever they asking for, but don’t go for the value or range.

Have you thought about contacting your local Food Bank and find out what ‘gaps’ they have on their shelves? This will change month to month. My local Food Bank particularly like getting tuna, mayonnaise, pasta and tinned meats on a regular basis.

@lljkk

This: use the vouchers for your own shopping and give the money you save to the food bank

It takes me a while to get through £200 in shopping vouchers because I am quite frugal, so that money would be coming out of my other bills, I'm already paying tax on the gift.

My main reason for asking was because I have more to spend than I would usually so was wondering whether to upgrade to a few spendy things. I wasn't sure how many people enjoyed the stuff on the usual list but the fray bentos fan club here have reassured me otherwise I've never eaten some of it because I'm allergic to it.

Fruit shoots and club bars are going in though, anything that upsets Jamie Oliver is fine by me

@JayAlfredPrufrock

Please no cous cous. Or salt and pepper. Or brown sauce.

My Foodbank is currently desperate for tinned fish, tinned fruit, tinned tomatoes and milk.

Biscuits are good.

I’m always excited when I can pop a frey bentos pie in a pack up. That with some potatoes and peas would be a decent meal.

It must vary a lot on area as the food bank I work at always needs cous cous ! It’s quick and easy to make and hot and it’s something we always need !

I work for a foodbank. This is what is handy at ours.

Large multipacks of own-brand crisps are good as they can be split down into individual packs
Tinned tuna/mince/chicken in white sauce etc
Long-life milk
Cereal and porridge oats
Tinned potatoes
Packets of biscuits
Tea & coffee
Bottles of squash

We also take fresh fruit & veg, so might be worth checking if yours doas.

OP I work for a big food bank. Please take notice of the Wish-lists that are published with the most urgently wanted items . The lists are there for a reason.

Some people request Fray Bentos pies in their weekly allocation btw.

If we are told about allergies or any food preferences we always try to accommodate. Vegan, gluten-free, free from, diabetic etc items are always welcome.

Ours has a list at the entrance of what they need. I get those (often fresh things like butter) but if no list I just buy extra of what I'm getting.

@MooSakah

I know it's tempting to think oooh I'll put a treat in. But their boxes are really well thought out to be nutritionally balanced as possible. Please just buy what they ask for, that is what they will be most grateful for.

I find this unbelievably patronising.

Custard, rice pudding longlife puddings . Snack bars, crisps, fun cereal, coffee. Food banks don't like to ask for extras as there is this expectation that they are providing for the poor so gruel will do. You only need to look into donation boxes to realise people give what they won't eat. Whilst some will be without an oven a depressing amount will be families who on the surface people would think are coping.

I agree with the pp that has helpers that think spam is something to be grateful for.

I would buy tins of chicken in white sauce, chicken curry, stewed steak, chilli / veg chilli.

The more expensive tinned groceries.

What about veggie/vegan versions of things?