Food banks: what isn't popular with users?

[PolkaDotMankini]

I'm just wondering whether certain items are more popular with good bank users than others. E.g. 500g bag of rice that you have yo boil on a hob vs sachets you put in the microwave? Do people take everything they're offered or decline some items because they're too hard to cook/they don't like them?

It depends on your local area. I run the stores for my small local foodbank. We don't have fridges or freezers so everything must be ambient storage.
I prefer to see white rice and pasta to brown. It cooks faster and appeals to more people.
Lasagne, tagliatelle "odd" shaped posh pasta shapes.
Soup - we are over run with it. Especially tomato. At one point I had over 800 tins.
Baked beans - everyone thinks baked beans make a nutritional and filling meal.
Dried pulses don't get used very much .... I recognise my handwriting when they get returned l. I think this could be a local thing.
Tinned meat and fish fly out the door.
Toiletries are always in high demand..... Especially loo roll and soap.
Demand changes throughout the year.... In the school holidays cereal, uht milk, snacks, kid friendly lunches, dried fruits are all high demand.

As a matter of client dignity & safety I will never send out open food packets or anything out of date. Nothing says you are a worthwhile person like an out of date packet of custard and stale biscuits.

We always put our shortages on our Facebook and Twitter pages. The other tip is look what you or other people are buying and mirror that.... There will be similar people to you in your area.

Ps ...thanks for donating. It is really appreciated.

Just demonstrates how each user has different needs so a variety of donations is good.

Well of course they do.

My local often asks for tinned fruit, custard and rice pudding . As well as tinned fish and meat and pies.

Thank you! We haven't tried dal before but we will give it a go on pay day!
When it comes to food we are given what we are given (they ask if you're vegetarian or any other dietary requirements), I have never received lentils but certainly something we can do before we run out of money.

For those looking to donate children's toothbrushes and toothpaste may be something that doesn't get many donations. Obviously depends on area but I can see how it may be something people don't think of. The one time I asked they didn't have any. The volunteer delivering said she stopped to buy some on the way. (I'm guessing with donated money- hopefully not out of her own pocket!). I now keep a little stock of children's toothpaste and brushes though obviously means less for food etc.

They were short on teabags, loo roll and cereal last time I rang about 2 weeks ago.

I used to buy fancier branded biscuits until it was pointed out that if I gave cheaper ones I could give three or four packs for the same money, which overall would help put smiles on more faces.

I usually put male toiletries in.
I often think the men get overlooked.

When I do a food bank shop I always put in some basics, then add tinned fruit, ready made custards and jellies, and chocolate biscuits. In the winter I include hot chocolate drink sachets. I try to think of food that might brighten someone’s day.

I put in cat food - no one’s pet should have to go hungry either.

They're always looking for peanut butter and jam in the local food bank, and nutritious but tasty breakfast cereals.

Peanut butter is a protein source.

I add jam, biscuits, long life milk incl. non-dairy, porridge oats or other cereals, tea, coffee, non-smelly shower gels, toothpaste, juice, fruit tins, stir-in pasta sauces like pesto or similar.

I shop at Waitrose and our boxes don't have updates on the lists so I add of what I see on offer.

Just looked at my local food bank and they don't want any more pasta, washing up liquid, baked beans pulses dog/cat food. They do want tinned soup, tinned meat, long life puddings, coffee and teabags - I usually donate cappuccino/latte sachets along with things that can go in lunchboxes and sweet treats for a bit of a pick me up. Unfortunately, I can't donate as much or as often as I used to anymore as we are feeling the pinch ourselves now.

Our local FB wanted deodorant, instant custard powder, tinned meat and long life fruit juice.

For harvest festival I donated deodorant, because I felt sad seeing it on the list. That and soap is huge for personal dignity.

I tend to buy ladies sanitary items , nappy’s , wipes , baby food , dog/cat food , general shower gels etc , also look on the boards to see what general food items are needed

Christmas , I tend to buy small selection packs , face masks , bath bombs little stocking like things to hopefully cheer someone up even if it’s brief

I do a ‘meal’ every time I go in Aldi for their Food Bank box

So

Breakfast - Cereal, long life milk, orange or apple juice and a jar of jam/peanut butter or I put porridge sachets and breakfast ‘biscuits’.

Lunch - Soup, crackers, tinned hot dogs, Ryvita type things, Super Noodles.

Dinner - tinned veg, potatoes and tinned chilli or tinned curry or the chicken in sauce with microwave rice.

Pudding, tinned fruit, jelly, custard.

I can’t afford much, but I take the time to try and choose something decent (not that the stuff I put in is likely to even go in the same offering for someone but hey.

Our food Bank is currently asking for hot water bottles, which seems a great idea. If your local one is in it, there is a 'bank the food' app which tells you exactly what they are short of currently.

Powdered soup or instant noodles are easy for anyone to make... they have many different varieties now too.
Tinned veg
Crackers
Long life bread and milk
Toiletries

There is the quantity argument, but I sort of feel that if you're struggling and need to rely on a food bank then if you get a treat then it should be a good one! I've been lucky though and not been in that situation, whereas you have, so I take the point.

My DD would definitely have struggled to hand over tasty biscuits when she was younger😁 She used to eat the bread we took to the park for the ducks (seeded before anyone thinks I'm killing them).

I always buy cereals, but reasonably healthy filling ones like Malted Shreddies or Shredded Wheat, I always think that breakfast is one less meal to worry about everyday. Thanks to pp I will start to add cartons of milk, never really thought about the milk to go with it before.

The reason that soya mince could be a bad idea is because people who are so poor they are using foodbanks probably wouldn't have the tomatoes, garlic and onions and potaoes to make it into a meal.

It is also a food that is unfamiliar to a lot of people so they wouldn't know what to do with it and would require utensils and a cooker which people might not have.

I've noticed that the food bank donation baskets in my local supermarkets tend to be full of chocolates and treats, so I usually stick to staples like tinned meat pies and stews, teabags etc.

My dc couldn’t resist peeling labels off tins when they were small so I couldn’t send tins for the harvest collections. Had to be something that couldn’t be poked, peeled or punctured!

I run a food bank supporting over 100 families. People who use a food bank can’t afford their meals, so if you are donating then please do think about focussing on meal items rather than treats. This is what people need. Treats are lovely, but nobody ever starved for want of a chocolate biscuit. Snack items are great in the school holidays, but a lot of children from lower income families will be on free school meals during term time so won’t need items for packed lunches. Tinned meats, tinned fish, tinned casseroles, pasta sauces, non-sugary cereals, long life milk, jam, peanut butter, cooking oil, rice etc - all brilliant and much appreciated as donations!

Tinned curry, tinned chilli con carne, tins of baked beans and sausages, coffee, biscuits and toothpaste are what I've been asked for this week.

I'd have thought tinned fruit would be good. Fresh fruit is expensive, tinned fruit doesn't need any cooking, just open tin and eat.