How much do you give to your local food bank?

[BluSquid]

I've always picked up a few bits while shopping to pop into the big box on the way out of the supermarket, but lately I've been seeing a lot of social media posts asking for donations to my local food bank, as they're beginning to struggle.

I'm going to increase the amount of food I donate by quite a lot, and look at donating some money, so I'm wondering what most other people give? Also, is there particular foods that they tend to get an abundance of, and any that they could do with more of?

My local Morrisons has a nice approach. They have a local bank they direct goods to - they have a stand of pre-bagged goods, you can't see what is in there, but there's a receipt if you're curious, with a vague title on it - often seasonal, could be specific like 'baby goods' or 'personal hygiene' and a price. You put the bag your trolley, pay for it at the till and then into a container before the exit. They're priced up in the region of £3-6.
I buy a bag a couple of times a month. I figure they are made up with the right kind of items and I can choose how much I can afford to spend.

£40 a month standing order which we used to spend on school lunches but now get for free. £67 to the fuel bank as we are also on a fixed tariff until June.

I do a monthly direct debit to the trussell trust as I don't go to supermarkets myself to buy food. ( online delivery). When my husband get milk etc at the local coop he pays for £5 stamps to go to the food bank too. I try to give extra in months when we feel flush. Trying to decide if we can afford to increase our regular donation at the moment. I feel that a central cash donation makes sure they can buy what they need

We give weekly to our local one, and I check before we go out what they need (on the order of service for the church is the most up to date I find, so I follow them on SM) - usually a few Fray Bentos, tinned potatoes, tinned custard/ rice pudding and sponge pudding plus milk. But whatever they are looking for really

The food bank we support has a list that we are asked to follow, they have done their research and know what is wanted, we do not deviate from the lit although we will add on some extras like toothpaste, shower gel etc.

Heres the list;

Tinned meat/fish
Cereal
Tinned veg
Tinned fruit
Tinned puddings
UHT milk
Biscuits
Jam/Spread
Pasta
Pasta sauces

It costs us between £12-15 a week.
A lot of the users cannot afford gas, electric, so it’s all about convenience.

Normally just add bits and pieces to the collection point at the supermarket

The harvest collection at my DS's school was for the local foodbank. This time I decided that a cash donation would be a lot better than whatever tins/packets I could think of.

Lucky for them the request came on the same day I won on the Premium Bonds so I donated my winnings.

I just buy a couple of extra items whenever I go to the supermarket and add them to the donation box before I leave. I tend to mix up what I donate..... last week a packet of biscuits, this week some soup.

The app Bank the food is a good one to install as you can enter the details for your local food bank and it tells you which items they're in need of and which ones they have plenty of....so it can help you donate what is most helpful. For example my local one is currently most in need of shower gel, sturdy carrier bags and tinned soup.

This time of year I would really suggest treat items for Xmas - things for kids (advent calendars, mince pies, etc) it makes a huge difference

we use a food bank regularly they have a list and always need tinned veg and fruit , pasta, toothpaste and toothbrushes, nappies and tinned puddings , tea, coffee and noodle pots

generally each week:

1x toiletry item (shampoo, tampons, toothpaste)
1 x baby food (usually a pouch of some sort)
1 x treat (chocolate, biscuits, rice pudding or custard pots)
1 x hot drink (tea bags, coffee sachets, hot chocolate)

and in November, advent calendars, maybe one little kids (Peppa pig, Barbie etc) and one generic Cadbury one with a snowman on or whatever.

so around £2-3 of stuff.

I try to give breakfasts- tea, hotchoc that only needs water adding because it has milk powder, cereals, cereal bars, peanut butter and jam.

If no one gave anything, would the * government be forced to raise benefits, supply free school meals? etc. Are we bailing them out?

I donate £ monthly to the Trussell Trust and gift aid it. Our local food banks aren’t v organised and can’t easily give updates on what they need i.e I asked if they wanted no / low cook food like noodles and ready cooked pasta due to energy bills and they looked at me blankly like why was I asking

You could argue that your School's PTA is bailing the government out with al their fundraising for extra stuff...

I donate sanitary products, shower gel,toothpaste,shampoo every week. I also give tinned foods, beans, noodles, pies. Also a little treat, nice biscuits,chocolate etc. It's costs about 10 euro.

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Yes, you could. But there's been PTAs for generations, unlike food banks.

£40/month with gift aid. It was £20, but their demand has grown so much. Giving money if you can is so much more efficient - tax wise, supplies wise, they can buy what they actually need and do bulk purchasing...

I message my local one once a month and ask them what they are short of.

I then go to Lidl and buy what they need and drop it off.

Usually spend around £40-£50 at a time

As some PP's I also do 'You Give, We Give' via my Ocado order. I think it is a very useful and cost effective way to donate.

In November I also buy @ thirty pounds worth of chocolate advent calendars (generally if they are on a 3 for 2 offer) and give those to the food bank too 🎄

I do not donate to the foodbanks but i have a terror of being in need of using them. To be proactive, i have been spending a few pound a week gathering together extra rice, tins, dried milk etc (basically everything that you would be given at a food bank) and squirrelled it away in case i need it. I probably have only about 6 weeks worth for our family but it give me peace of mind knowing that i have it and dont need to look to anyone else to provide for me. Does anyone else do this?

Ocado have a scheme where you make a donation and they match it. I do £5 per week on that and with each shop I also buy a couple of things to go in the food bank at work. I can easily know what to get as we hand it out to our families in need ourselves (we are a school in a fairly deprived area).

This week I added orange squash and ready brek to my shop. Last weeks it was baby bath and some nappies.

I’ll keep doing it as long as we can afford to.

Ambertonix I am lucky enough not to have to do that but it seems like a sensible idea. If it gives you a little peace of mind as well then I think it is doubly helpful. I hope your situation improves-hang on in there

I can't remember who mentioned it up thread (sorry) but I, Daniel Blake also had a massive impact on me. I was in floods of tears leaving the cinema. It is a film that should be shown to everyone in the UK especially our MP's

@MotherOfPuffling i too hadn’t thought about the own brand point but I always shop at Waitrose which is regarded I think generally as a higher price shop. Is donating Essential Waitrose products which clearly are from there, not a good idea then? And choosing branded goods instead? (I’m not worried about the relevant cost)

I take my youngest son to Tesco and ask him to choose things that he would like or feels would be important to a child his age. Predictably it often involves treats. We then pick up a boxed item, cereal etc. we then slide a £20 note into the box. Just to give people a bit of joy. One day I will apologise to Tesco for all the boxes that I’ve inadvertently broken the seal entirely and put back on the shelf!

My local food bank is very specific about what they do and don't want. They want Basmati rice, not long grain, fabric conditioner, cleaning sprays, soup (meat only, not vegetable or tomato,). I find it quite prescriptive.
I tend to give tinned meat (corned beef, hot dogs etc), sandwich spreads, tinned fruit and tins of evaporated milk, toothpaste, shower gel, UHT milk, biscuits etc.

They helped my DP before I knew him and we're now in a position to be able to give something back.

@Nocaloriesinchocolate I think there will be people who want the cheapest for the reason stated, and others who just want good food, so I would have though it will be welcome regardless 😊

I have a monthly standing order set up for £13 a month.