to have put a packet of penguins in the foodbank trolly?

[bubblesinthesky]

Our local asda has a foodbank trolly and I usually try to put something in when I shop there. Normally its tins or pasta but yesterday for a change I picked up a box of shreddies. I also saw penguins were on special offer so thought I'd get a packet of those too as I thought someone with children may appreciate them for a change.

As I put them in the trolly a woman walked up with a tin of kidney beans and another of mixed beans and said "haven't you read the sign they want nutritious food only, no point giving them unhealthy food". I muttered something about people needing a treat occasionally and went on my way.

Its still irritating me this morning so thought I'd put it to the AIBU jury

[MechanicalTheatre]

Seriously, if I do not eat biscuits and chocolate, I go nuts. It actually depresses me.

And kidney beans, what the fuck? If I got a tin of kidney beans, I'd be like "yay, but, er what am I gonna do with these?"

I am an ok cook, but unless you have something in the cupboard to put with the kidney beans, you're not going to get very far. Unless you dunk them in your tea, YUM.

[MsBella]

The woman seems to me like she was kind of not thinking of the poor people as people if that makes sense. Yes of course nutrition is important but they will love treats! When I had to use the food bank these things were greatly appreciated but it was mostly pasta and rice and beans at the time (not that I'm complaining!) A little thing can lift your/your dcs spirits!

[ReluctantBeing]

Someone will be extremely happy to get them. She w as unreasonable.

[Ragwort]

YANBU at all.

Our local foodbank (at which I volunteer) - is literally swamped with things like tinned kidney beans/dried pasta and rice which many clients really don't want - those sorts of things take a lot of time & effort to cook and many people don't even have a cooker or enough money to pay electricity bills.

Today we had lots of pot noodles to hand out which were very gratefully received . I think it rather smug to assume that we should just be handing out wholesome, nutritious food.

I always personally buy tinned fruit/veg and biscuits - not necessarily Penguins .

[Geeklover]

Have only read the beginning and end of the thread but yanbu.
My friend has just come out the local refuge into her own home with 3 children. She was delighted to get a parcel from the local place running a food bank. It was a huge help at a stressful time.
It did include a couple of packets of plain and tuc biscuits as well as enough basics for a couple of meals.
She was genuinely delighted and it was nice to have a wee biscuit in there as well.

[EmmaBemma]

At the supermarket I go to, the local foodbank hands out a shopping list. One Saturday it was almost entirely Fray Bentos products! I doubt they're very nutritious, but I bunged in a Steak and Kidney and Chicken and Mushroom pie anyway.

[AnnoyingOrange]

Lost a bit of formatting there, sorry

[AnnoyingOrange]

This is the Trussell Trust Shopping list


Please help feed local people in crisis by buying items from the list below and donating them to your nearest foodbank, thank you!

Milk (UHT or powdered) Sugar (500g)
Fruit juice (carton) Soup
Pasta sauces
Sponge pudding (tinned) Tomatoes (tinned) Cereals
Rice pudding (tinned) Tea Bags/instant coffee Instant mash potato Rice/pasta
Tinned meat/fish Tinned fruit
Jam
Biscuits or snack bars


The Trussell Trust foodbanks provides a minimum of three days non-perishable emergency food to local people in crisis. All food given out is donated by the local community.
We work in partnership with frontline care professionals to identify people in need.

Thank you

www.trusselltrust.org/resources/documents/foodbank/ShoppingList.pdf

[xigris]

The food bank I went to today said that other things they need are toiletries, sanitary towels / tampons, nappies, wipes etc. I'm by no means loaded but I'm going to start buying a couple of extra bits each time I go shopping (including penguins / kitkats!) then drop it off to them once a month. Mrsjay I really want a kitkat now!

[Wheresmycaffeinedrip]

Damn phone. Ignore the old woman

[Wheresmycaffeinedrip]

Of course they don't NEED penguins but I bet you any money that the family who get them will have at least a moment of joy when they all get to sit down with a cup of tea/juice and a penguine!!!

Treats should be able to be enjoyed by everyone. And it will mean alot to those families who get them. If ore the batty old woman!!!

[Flobbadobs]

Our local childrens centre has a 'shopping list' for the local foodbank and its the most joyless list I have ever seen.
Staples only, dried goods and sauces, tins of beans and veg, no treats on the list at all and it specifies own brand or value range. They won't accept anything not on the list. I don't give to that one, I tend to take it straight to the library which takes anything, even easter eggs

[whois]

Totally not U to put penguins in!

When I donate I try and think of things I would like if I was getting a food bank parcel:
Tinned fruit
Things like those chocolate puds which last ages, or tons of custard or rice pudding
Big bags of mixed Italian herbs, coriander, cumin and chili. I would like to think they get divide out between people.
Tinned of mixed beans because actually they are v nice and a great source of protein! Tinned meat is not nice and tinned fish is quite expensive. Will bear in mind the comments about needed tinned fish and meat in future tho and look out for offers.
Tinned veg
Tinned toms

I have neer donated long life juice or milk. Is the long life fruit juice really wanted? Would have thought much better value to get a bottle of squash?

[bubblesinthesky]

Oh god now I'm crying over littlebitofthis and whirligigs posts.

Hard to believe we're one of the richest countries in the world isn't it? :(

[bettycocker]

If I was so skint I needed to use a food bank, I'd be overjoyed at the sight of some penguine biscuits. YANBU and that woman sounds like a bossy old boot.

[whirligiggle]

Dh & I got offered food bank just before Christmas, just before my Mat leave ended. We both cried a little bit when we saw the bag, & again when we saw the contents. Trust me when I say, dried or tinned staples, vegetables, fish etc was lovely & we stopped missing as many meals, but it was the extras that were the real treats. We could usually justify getting a few value carrots or other veg, but if you've not even got enough to pay the rent, you don't even go down the biscuit aisle in the shop.

[HoneyDragon]

I don't think ubu. Penguins are fine. The breast will do two meals and the wings can be boiled for stock.

[littlebitofthislittlebitofthat]

thank you for donating to your local food bank..... that woman can wind her neck in! Having been in VERY dire straights, very recently....

its the little things that reduce you to tears, like not having a biscuit to go with your tea when they are only a pound.

it brings to the front of your mind that there is a queue of calls on the mythical pound you could have spent on biscuits

I have sad and cried over a grape... a single grape that was thrown out after being squished into the carpet, when I could have eaten that.

thank you, thank you, thank you... for being mindful of others.

[choceyes]

Penguins are vile. YABU.
Kit kats are much better.

[mrsjay]

mmmm kitkats

[xigris]

On offer Mrsjay! Actually fairly remarkable that I didn't eat one of the packs. I love a kitkat

[Bridgetbidet]

You most definitely were not unreasonable. Think about it this way, if you're down to the point of using a food bank you're going to be in pretty miserable circumstances. What is going to cheer you up more? A rough oatcake or a chocolate biscuit?

I think you'll probably be bringing a tiny little ray of sunshine into some pretty horrid circumstances with those biscuits. I think you should feel pretty darn good about yourself.

[MsBella]

By the way I've put anything from chickpeas to kitkats in there. I've had to use a foodbank in the past and they didn't just have nutritious food, in fact as a mum I was very, very pleased to get treats for DCs. Now I try and donate basics and also treats when I can, they will be ideal for someone and lift their/their DCs spirits while times are hard

Well done!

[MsBella]

Yanbu. Ffs just because somebody is poor it doesn't mean they shouldn't have a bit of chocolate now and again. They'll love it, child or not

[mrsjay]

ooo get you Xigris* 2 packets the next time i make a donation I will remember the penguins I usually get a packet of bourbons or something equally boring,

oh I have emailed my local foodbank to see if they need volunteers thread has inspired me