A couple of food bank questions

[Champagneforeveryone]

Treading carefully having had my arse handed to me on a previous food bank thread, but here goes....

DH has bought home a reverse advent calendar from church. All well and good, we donate a package at Christmas anyway and I assumed this would be things that were specifically needed.

Now I'm aware these are suggestions and I can deviate away from it, but the list includes such random items as salad cream, fish paste, tinned tomatoes and tinned vegetables. I know literally nobody who eats tinned veg or fish paste, tinned tomatoes are a decent staple but need a lot of extra gubbins to cook with, and there's surely a limit to the amount of salad cream one food bank can stockpile. I have visions of the volunteers desperately slipping bottles of salad cream into the bags of every visitor every single time they attend.

So is this representative of what food banks actually give out, or a list compiled by a well meaning but clueless church person? There was no mention of toiletries (including sanitary protection) packet noodles, pasta sauce etc which just seemed odd.

Secondly, while I blatantly ignored the missive to buy fish paste was shopping, I started to wonder which is the best option. For example one of the items was biscuits.
There is a huge range of biscuits and I couldn't really decide whether I should buy 6 packs of the economy ones, or two packs of nicer ones. I didn't consider one pack of the premium range as I don't usually buy them myself.

On the one hand, I feel bad buying cheaper quality than I buy myself, almost as if I'm suggesting you don't deserve nice things if you use a food bank. OTOH, 6 families could have had a packet of biscuits rather than the 2 who will benefit from my choice. I just think that if I was so desperate that I was relying on a food bank, then a nice packet of biscuits is possibly the only treat I might get. If you donate, what do you do?

Once you start considering these things, the whole thing becomes a minefield 😆

This is why I donate £10 a month to my local food bank. They’re best placed to know what their users need.

These things can be a minefield- and whoever came up with the reverse advent calendar ideas at church has peculiar taste!
A quick google provided this decent alternative.

With regards to the quality of the products I tend to donate things I genuinely would eat myself - however that doesn’t mean I don’t buy branded or premium products for ourselves, more if I was on a very strict budget what would/did I buy if that makes sense?!

Alternative reverse advent calendar

I'd go with what they've suggested. Nice biscuits might be a treat but someone might prefer the fish paste so they have something to put in sandwiches. I'd imagine a lot of people really do need the basics

nodairy that's more what I would have expected, not a bottle of salad cream in sight!

The lack of sanitary products always baffles me, our previous somewhat elderly male vicar was mortified when we donated some a couple years ago 🙄

the list includes such random items as salad cream, fish paste, tinned tomatoes and tinned vegetables. I know literally nobody who eats tinned veg or fish paste, tinned tomatoes are a decent staple but need a lot of extra gubbins to cook with, and there's surely a limit to the amount of salad cream one food bank can stockpile

If this is a list provided to many, the salad cream seems odd to me I agree.

However the other 3 aren't really random at all. I imagine they need a huge amount of tinned tomatoes. And I can't see why tinned veg would be random - we don't eat it but these are foodbank users with empty cupboards. Foodbanks have limited capacity for fresh or frozen foods so tinned veg would be necessary and lots of it.

In terms of fish paste - I ALWAYS have fish paste in my cupboards. I love it, as do dc. Salmon paste and cucumber sandwiches are delightful. And I always have a few jars for emergencies, in case the dc need a sarnie and ham/cheese etc has run out while pending a delivery. It's very handy to have on standby in the cupboard and I can see why it would be popular with food banks!

We eat a lot of tinned veg when getting to end of month and money is running low as the tins stay in the back of the cupboard and save an extra trip to the shops! My freezer is tiny so can’t store a lot of frozen food. Tinned sweetcorn/carrots mixed in with pasta or rice add a bit of flavour, tinned potatoes bulk up a meal to make it more filling. Can’t see anyone getting through loads of salad cream - so agree that one’s a bit odd unless different people got different lists!

If you've got no butter, salad cream on your cheese sandwich helps. They don't store things which can go off quickly, it's kept in cupboards not coolers. Tinned vegetables are already cooked, they can be put into a bowl and heated up in the microwave. Not everyone has a cooker or can afford to use it if they do. Tins keep in a cupboard too, which isn't just helping the food bank, not everyone has a fridge where they live. You're looking at it from the perspective of a person living a traditional life ie having white goods, use of a proper kitchen, money for basics, ability to safely use kitchen equipment. This is far from reality for some people. You're right about toiletries but not all food banks offer those. If they have limited storage space they may have chosen to focus on food.

There is a recipe in the tin can cookbook which uses fish paste & it's not bad.
It is also something you can spread on bread even if you don't have butter/margarine.

I grew up with Princes or Shippams pastes always in the cupboard (they do different ones).
Once in a while I still pull some out for a bit of nostalgia eating.
I shop wherever I feel like & buy what I want, but I still choose a paste sandwich from time to time.

People seem to want tinned fish & anytime I didn't include it, it was missed.
If you have given tuna, a lot of people like mayonnaise with it & sauces can make a very restricted diet seem more varied.
A lot of kids (& adults) will eat things they don't really like if there is ketchup or mayonnaise.
It can also be used in place of margarine in a savoury sandwich if you don't have any left.

Some people just use tinned tomatoes as a pasta sauce.
They might have some herbs & spices in the cupboard, or they might not.

Some people may not have a fridge, or only a tiny one.
They want tinned veg because fresh can be too expensive to cook & they don't want it to rot before they can afford to cook it.
You can't eat a raw potato, but you can eat tinned ones, or mash them with tinned fish to make fishcakes, or serve them with pretty much anything else.

A lot of the stuff will be things that if you had to, you could eat cold without having to cook it first, or warm it up a bit over a tealight if you have one.
Tinned stuff is already cooked as part of the canning process.

Peanut butter, jam & honey are always very popular.
Peanut butter being the most wanted (it's filling)

However bad you think real poverty is in this country, you'll find the reality is far more grim than you would expect if you are living it day to day.

I know that not everyone who uses a foodbank nowadays is in that position, but more people than you think are sat in the dark with their electricity off at the meter & no way to turn it back on this week.

If you think the place you got the list from is experienced & knows what they are doing, I'd follow their advice.

I think a better suggestion would be ‘mayo or salad cream’. Mayo is in common use these days in most households isn’t it? Salad cream I suspect is a bit more niche now.

Salad cream is very nice in crisp sandwiches however.

It depends on what kind of system your local Foodbank uses to distribute packages.
I have been a very grateful recipient a few times. The first time was for a period of about 6 weeks while waiting for UC to kick in when my husband left.

A box, or couple of carrier bags was delivered to me with very little input on what I would actually use. Eg/ I wouldn’t have eaten salad cream (only like mayonnaise), I was given a small bag of sugar 3 weeks in a row (and one bag would last me months) and I don’t like rice pudding, semolina, custard etc.
I gave those back the following week when I realised the parcels were very similar week on week, and the volunteers made an effort not to include those items going forward.
But I also received items I hadn’t ever bought for myself before like tinned chick peas (turned out to be very useful) and tinned pilchards (didn’t like) and tinned beef stew (again useful, tasty & easy) so I was grateful to experiment. Like you say, I had never bought myself tinned veg before either (except for sweetcorn) but I made a couple of quick and tasty casserole meals with tinned meat, beans, carrots and potatoes - all just warmed through. I was given corned beef (which I hadn’t had for years) so added baked beans, tomatoes, new potatoes again (plus Worcestershire sauce & onions etc) for a hash.

Not the sort of food I prefer, or would choose, but I was very grateful at a very tough time.

WRT your question about biscuits - personally I would prefer one pack of say chocolate hobnobs to 2 cheaper, basic packs. And again the Foodbank always included some kind of treat - biscuits, or cake, eg/ Mr Kipling, bar of chocolate, tinned fruit… none of which I would have previously bought for myself but did enjoy the novelty.

I was also given peanut butter (yuck) and jam (yummy, but again - didn’t need another one the next week). And I can’t imagine how hungry I would need to be to eat Pot Noodles (not even real food imo). Completely agree with you about the fish paste too… do people actually choose that? Honestly, I’d have marmite or even jam when I can’t afford cheese, pate or tuna for sandwiches.

I felt so guilty receiving items that I knew I wouldn’t like.

I believe some other Foodbank’s are able to provide a list and you can tick which items your family would use. They can’t guarantee what you will get but at least they don’t send unwanted things.

The pasta, and rice, and sauce and tins of tuna and sweetcorn I was so happy to see - the kind of things I always bought anyway.

The only toiletries I had was a couple of toilet rolls (obviously they split a multi-pack) and toothpaste. I would’ve been very grateful for shampoo, showergel and hand soap. I also would’ve liked washing up liquid, and bleach and clothes washing powder - cleaning products are expensive but essential. I guess not many people donate those.

A couple of years later I was able to join a slightly different Foodbank (again just short term need) but this one made much more sense. You were able to choose for yourself from rows of tables. Sometimes could only take one of a specific item, other times could take any 5 from say 8-10 boxes. Everyone was allowed the same total number, and volunteers did supervise. And occasionally there was fresh eggs, or bread, or even vegetables (all those were strictly limited per family). And of course, you only took what your family would eat so no guilt.

On behalf of all those who need to use Foodbank’s - long term or temporarily- I wholeheartedly thank everyone donating.

I should clarify, we have a window for salad cream and a window for mayonnaise 😉

I see mayonnaise as more multipurpose than salad cream, but possibly that's generational. We always had salad cream in the fridge when I was a child, mayonnaise being considered to be suspiciously "foreign" and so not to be trusted.

We do also have a window for tomato ketchup (which I bought) which I guessed was a staple for many households, as well as milkshake powder and peanut butter / marmite, so not all bizarre.

And I may have to treat myself to a jar of fish paste, given the love it seems to be getting on here 😆

They ask for tinned veg because it keeps (unopened) for ages.

Patrons often don't have working fridge/ freezers to keep frozen veg in, and food banks often don't have a lot of freezer space either.

And fish paste makes reasonably nutritious sandwiches. It also keeps well.

I think things like fish paste which come in a tube, rather than a tin, are more helpful for elderly people who struggle with opening containers. Same for pre-sliced cheese. Certainly at our food depot, we are encouraged to decant (but include labels) for this reason.

We are also encouraged to provide meals which are easy to microwave, rather than those that require a stove. Many older people are better able to operate a microwave and open a microwave-meal than a gas stove / wash up pot and plate after.

Tinned veg are cooked, so you can eat them cold. They don't need a fridge / freezer they can be stored in a cupboard, under a bed or any other space.

If you either have had your power switched off or you cannot afford to use much then things you can heat in a kettle or make by adding boiling water are useful.

Blocks of flats often have plugs in corridors so people take a kettle on to the hall to get hot water.

Fish paste can add flavour to a pasta dish or mix it with mashed potato (fresh or instant) to make fish cakes. And again it doesn't need to be refrigerated.

I run a food bank. We get through lots and lots of tinned toms. Tinned veg and tinned fish is good to have in hand if we don't receive fresh veg and protein in a particular week, and it lasts forever. No idea why anyone would want a large quantity of salad cream but hey ho, they know their demographic.

People do usually like mayo and ketchup. We rarely have it though.

Biscuits - I'd say buy more of the cheaper ones. We feed lots of people a week. I'm more concerned with everyone having enough of each item than one person having Heinz/McVitie's. I understand the counter argument about people wanting nice things but really, biscuits are the nice thing. Not Brand X biscuits.

A local (well-off) school did a collection for us recently and nearly everything was branded, organic etc. I expect people just took one of whatever was in their own cupboards, which is absolutely fine and gratefully received, but if people are going to the shops with us in mind I'd personally rather 4 tins of Sainsbury's / Hubbards baked beans rather than one of Heinz or Branston.

Such a great idea. Going to do this with the kids. Thanks OP

As well as being surprisingly versatile as people have mentioned, Fish paste is a decent source of protein. There aren't many non refrigerated sources of protein, especially ones that are so cheap

@AutumnCrow ·

Salad cream is very nice in crisp sandwiches however.

True fact!

I know it’s a nice thing to do but honestly I would just give the food bank a donation.

They can then purchase lots of one product at wholesale prices and claim gift aid on your donation if they are a charity, so your donation goes further.

I have a fondness for fish paste. Good memories of Sunday teas - french bread and fish paste!

I often use to pop a pack or two of sanitary towels in the food bank where I live. Must remember to do so again. Often saw nappy packs too. I think before Christmas I shall make an effort to put stuff in the bank. Tinned fish and some meat - I wouldn't go for tined mince but my flat mate used to cook with tinned chicken from M&S. I am not a meat eater but it looked ok! Some nice chocolatey biscuits and stuff.

It all sounds like a 1970s pantry. Thinking about it though there's a reason for it Most doesn't need any cheffing prowess, most can be cooked with limited impact on power bills or needs none at all, needs no fridge, most don't need 'other ingredients' yet remains somewhat tasty and nutritious.

Fish paste is frequently scoffed at but a friend was in charge of the food when we were camping ata festival as student (no money, one knife and no fridge) and she brought a load of cheap white bread, cucumber and Shippams chicken or mackerel paste. We were all horrified. I swear they were the best sandwiches I've ever had and we have a load in the cupboard for power cuts and hangover days.

The food banks often have a deal with a supplier to buy in bulk