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 volunteer at a local foodbank. One of the reasons each foodbank has a wish list is due to storage. If we end up with an excess of beans, pasta or cereal we need to store it whilst trying to make up parcels from items we are short of.

A friend who helps at a food bank recommended getting a full balanced meal as far as poss so I tend to get say a tin of beef stew or tuna, mash, tinned vegetables and then tinned fruit salad for example.

The things that make the real basics a little more are a real godsend. I manage the stores for a small independent foodbank. I currently in stock have 50kg of spaghetti, over 300 tins of beans, 150 tins of tomatoes, 400 tins of soup. I get more in than I use - the surplus goes to other foodbanks.

I love to see cooking oil (coconut, olive, vege oil) - it can be used to fry tined potatoes, vegetables available from the local allotment society,
sardines, etc Any meat they do buy, or as a butter and egg substitute when combines with vinegar for making a cake.

toilet paper, soap, de odorant, shaving items - we never seem to have enough. Toothpaste and toothbrushes are not in need atm b/c the nhs has a thing on at the mo. Nappies are given out by health workers.
Shelf stable meals - there are a huge variety including frey bentos pies, puddings, ready meals
instant mash- is a wonder ingredient it can be used to make all sorts of tops for a tin of chicken in white sauce, beef, mince & onions etc., thickening for sauces made with a stock cube,
Condiments -tomato sauce, brown sauce, mayo, cooking sauces, dressings, seasoning sauces (the ones in sachets), spice mixes.... all make the over processed things in tins more palatable.
Juice, squash, milk are also really useful.

Check what your food bank for what they do need

As you’ve got quite a decent amount to spend, go for the more expensive items from the wish lists, e.g tinned meats / tinned fish / coffee etc

Some people like to donate but can only afford to spare cheap items, hence why places end up with loads of pasta and rice and not much meat.

@EatSleepRantRepeat

My budget is max £50 out of my £200 voucher *@jsl52 as I'm tithing, so I can't get it split down to give to the volunteers either. Good to get the quality vs quantity perspective too @gogohm* because that was something I wasn't sure about either.

Thanks to those that mentioned half term - that wasn't even on my radar at the minute.

Ok. Well I hope you get some good stuff.

Plenty of people eat, and enjoy, Fray Bentos pies. They keep for ever and so are handy to have in your cupboard for a hot, comforting emergency meal. One of them, a tin of peas and/or carrots and maybe a tin of potatoes/ bit of smash would sort a hungry person or two right out. YABU to judge what other people eat and to think you know better than the people who work at food banks.

I help out in my local foodbank. We actually do love getting fresh produce like fruit and veg and bread not just long life.

It wasn't meant to be patronising. But if they've asked for it it's what they need. If they need crisps and stuff they'll put that on the list.

@BaconOmelette

As you’ve got quite a decent amount to spend, go for the more expensive items from the wish lists, e.g tinned meats / tinned fish / coffee etc

Some people like to donate but can only afford to spare cheap items, hence why places end up with loads of pasta and rice and not much meat.

That's a good shout

These posts always have a similar vein - apparently supportive of food banks but containing many cliched digs along the way.

Usually:

• the requested food is not nutritious
• the requested food is not what I bought when I had little money (the implication being the feckless poor are wasting their cash)
• I knew someone who worked at one who ate the food themselves/was out of touch/saw the clients driving BMWs etc

It’s always so strange that an apparently positive post actually seems to go out of its way to discredit food banks and their users…….

Stick to what the local food bank with experience of the users has requested, if you’re genuine.

@PinkSyCo

Plenty of people eat, and enjoy, Fray Bentos pies. They keep for ever and so are handy to have in your cupboard for a hot, comforting emergency meal. One of them, a tin of peas and/or carrots and maybe a tin of potatoes/ bit of smash would sort a hungry person or two right out. YABU to judge what other people eat and to think you know better than the people who work at food banks.

If I thought I knew better I wouldn't be asking people who actually use food banks, would I? I literally know no-one in real life that eats FB pies, but I know lots of people who use lentils, split peas, and other more expensive dried goods like curry powder, cumin etc that are never on the list. This isn't AIBU anyway, so I guess you saw this on active and decided to try a pile-on. Jog on.

Check what your local needs.

When we were struggling a small jar of coffee, oats, UHT milk, and a jar of honey would have taken care of breakfast for a week. We were given coco pops that DS wouldn't eat, he'd been raised on porridge, chilli, vegetable curry, cheap staples.

A family without cooking facilities would have preferred the coco pops I'm sure.

I get toiletries, tea, coffee, sugar, biscuits, jam, cereal or cans of soup most often.

but I know lots of people who use lentils, split peas, and other more expensive dried goods like curry powder, cumin etc
I used these all the time when the budget was very tight, well still do.

If I thought I knew better I wouldn't be asking people who actually use food banks,

More likely you posted to let us all know what a good charitable person you are, forgetting that actually good, charitable people do not judge what others eat.

@MissTrip82

These posts always have a similar vein - apparently supportive of food banks but containing many cliched digs along the way.

Usually:

• the requested food is not nutritious
• the requested food is not what I bought when I had little money (the implication being the feckless poor are wasting their cash)
• I knew someone who worked at one who ate the food themselves/was out of touch/saw the clients driving BMWs etc

It’s always so strange that an apparently positive post actually seems to go out of its way to discredit food banks and their users…….

Stick to what the local food bank with experience of the users has requested, if you’re genuine.

Or I'm someone who would rather spend a gift that I've been given on something lots of people would enjoy, rather than buy myself a few bottles of gin and some jeans. Look at the rest of these posts on this thread - plenty of people suggesting things I wouldn't have thought of, like half term packs. Where is the BMW post you are referring to???

Typical fucking tall poppy syndrome on mumsnet, thank you to those who have actually taken the time to RTFT and provide advice. I'm at the supermarket now so no further suggestions are needed, thank you.

@EatSleepRantRepeat

The only thing I know *@maslinpan* is that our local ones have a lot of refugee families who use them, I didn't know that the pies were pre-cooked and safe to eat cold so I could see why that would be useful (if a bit horrible to think about), thanks.

Tinned Fray Bentos pies need to go in a hot oven for at least 20 minutes!

They’re not that bad. Occasionally, when I’m feeling very lazy, dh and I will have one each, just with frozen peas.

My local food bank has just posted a desperate plea for everything. They received 1300kg of food donations and gave out 4500kgs last year and literally have nothing left.
I’m not overly wealthy at all but can spare £20 this month, would it be better to buy lots of the things they’ve asked for ( but budget brands) or fewer more luxury items?
Genuine question.

@Jojobees

My local food bank has just posted a desperate plea for everything. They received 1300kg of food donations and gave out 4500kgs last year and literally have nothing left. I’m not overly wealthy at all but can spare £20 this month, would it be better to buy lots of the things they’ve asked for ( but budget brands) or fewer more luxury items? Genuine question.

Lots of the things they've asked for if they are desperate to build their stocks up.

Food wise, I mostly buy things that need minimal cooking/heating. Tinned ham, tinned stews and curries, substantial soups, etc. Plus microwave rice and mash, tinned veg and fruit, biscuits, Mr Kipling mini apple pies, etc.

@MooSakah

It wasn't meant to be patronising. But if they've asked for it it's what they need. If they need crisps and stuff they'll put that on the list.

Apologies,

I just know so many are not who you'd expect, working parents, working individuals ending up in difficult circumstances. Food bank boxes are often made up with the most destitute in mind

Why so snobby about Fray Bentos pies? I haven't had them since childhood - when they were the height if sophistication! 😉 But I went to a friends how the other day and they gave me some FB steak and kidney with mash and peas and corn. It was flipping delicious. Many, if not most, people going to foodbanks have ovens.

@PinkSyCo

If I thought I knew better I wouldn't be asking people who actually use food banks,

More likely you posted to let us all know what a good charitable person you are, forgetting that actually good, charitable people do not judge what others eat.

Exactly. Surely following what the food bank ask for is the best thing to do They know that of course though, just want to crow.

@SouthOfFrance

I never understand the lists either, never met anyone who would willingly buy a frey bentos pie.

Eh? We always have a couple in the cupboard for a once in a blue moon meal with green beans, carrots and new potatoes. Teen son loves them! The pastry on them is lovely.

Expect the food bank is more aware of what it needs than you are.