About food banks- just a bit surprised really

[topbannana]

I have just come across a notice in the paper from church, appealing for donations for the local food bank.
Thankfully I have never had need for a food bank but I think they are a great idea and I was happy to buy extra and donate.
The list however was quite specific (understandable) but I was amazed to see requests for custard, rice pudding, biscuits and sugar. In my book these would be considered luxuries, in that if I was short on my grocery budget we would forego them.
Surely the food bank is there to supply people with emergency essentials not extras? As it goes I will simply buy loo rolls, pasta, powdered milk or something else off the list and ignore the bits I don't agree with. I don't really think I am but AIBU?

because the people that need them just might need a little treat considering things are so bad

YABU

Goodness me. Poor people should only eat bread, water and vegetables. God forbid a struggling family might want to actually give their child an occasional treat in an otherwise miserable week.

Yes let them eat gruel

FFS

It'll be gruel and the workhouses next ffs

YABslightlyU buy the healthy things, and don't begrudge the people who need charity a little treat. It's thinking like yours that ensured people in workhouses lived on gruel.

Sugar is a basic isn't it ? ( we bake alot so always got at least 3 types in)

Rice pudding is hardly a roulade - that's basic too isn't it? And filling.

Sounds an ok list to me.

FFS, no treats for the poor?
YAsoooooooooBU.
Here have a .

Do you not think sugar and sweet things could be quite good for someone who is low on energy?

I doubt they are choosing those things just to provide 'luxuries'. You obviously think you know best, however.

Why not just donate gruel and be done with it

Demented don't give the op a biscuit....no treats allowed.

Oops - major crossposts!

I have actually had to calm myself down before replying to this as it has made me so angry.

The people who use these kind of banks are in the most desperate, horrible depressing circumstances. Would you really be that much of a miserable bitch that you would deny them the tiny pleasure of a packet of biscuits which cost about 25p?

A bit of custard might be the nicest thing that happens to some of these people in their weeks. Your attitude seems to be almost that you want them to be punished again by having horrible food too because being poor is somehow their fault.

I buy stuff for a foodbank and yes I do put practical stuff in like pasta but I always put in a chocolate pud or some character spaghetti shapes for kids. Honestly, if it bought the tiniest bit of pleasure to someone in such nasty circumstances I think it would be worth a billion times more than powdered sodding milk.

Does it really take that much imagination to wonder why these items are put in?

Remarkably it seems to be so.

YABU.

Luxury items that would be surprising on such a list would be foie gras, quails eggs and caviar. Sugar, not so much.

Yes, those well-known extravagances like tinned rice pudding and custard. They'll be wanting truffles and caviar next.

When you're so far into the shit you have to resort to a food bank, the slightest little highlight, like being able to give your kids some pudding, make a difference.

YABU in thinking food banks are a good idea as well.

We should be ashamed people in an allegedly civilised society are reduced to using them. Bitterly ashamed.

Yanbu to buy what you want, but yabu about your attitude to a bit of rice pudding or a bag of sugar, can you imagine being so tight financially you need to use a food bank and what a small luxury like that would mean.

I donate to ours monthly and I always buy 'treat' things, if we were in that position my kids would be ecstatic to get some biscuits.

Nothing wrong with food that is filling and has calories to keep people going.

If a family has absolutely no money and has to use a food bank, this will most probably be the only treat they have. YABU!!!

Rice pudding is warm and filling.

Which, in either context, is not a luxury.

Custard makes stewed fruit into a pudding that children might actually eat.

YABU. I have just set up a standing order to my local food bank. I trust the organisers know what people need.

I totally agree with people saying a few very cheap and sensible tasty things like sugar are nice to have.

But they're not just treats. Sugar and sweet things give a quick energy hit - that's why you give someone in shock sweet tea. We're used to thinking sugar is only for 'treats' and not 'necessary' because we're mostly well-nourished. If someone isn't well nourished and is feeling dizzy from low blood sugar, something sweet will be good for them, won't it?