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?

IceLollycraving - try your local Church or Chapel? They may have a donation box.

groundhog day?

OP goads and leaves.

or journalists looking for pre election MN sound bites,

either way 0/10

no style, no originality, not even amusing.
yawn smiley

There was a woman with a baby on TV the other night, she had a short time where she was living on rice and she got a food bank parcel - it was a lifesaver and the thing that really cheered her up was getting chocolate. She is now back at work and earning enough to buy food but I'm sure that the chocolate did her a power of good. Workhouses were grim- I don't think we want to get back to that attitude. YABU.
People also donate whatever they want- if they want to give biscuits it is their choice.

I think most food banks do try to be nutritionally balanced. The thing is that a nutritionally balanced diet does contain carbohydrates. Rice pudding and custard will help fill people up, which is good if they do not have much food. Biscuits can be used for a burst of energy if there is not much sugar in the diet.

Tbh, I think sugar is a staple food not a luxury, as it is used in all kinds of baking, including for example making bread- which may be cheaper for the family than buying from the supermarket, and home made bread is obviously nutritionally better than the cheaper supermarket breads.

I think YABU. Sugar and biscuits are hardly total luxuries. Nor is custard.-

Thank you, OP. Your post has inspired me to go and buy a load of "treats" with my next shop to donate to the local food bank.

It's bad enough that people are being forced into the position of needing foodbanks. Why the he'll shouldn't they have a few small treats?

custard and rice pudding are filling and have some milk in. also they do not take much heating up and use little power.

how do you know that they have not been forgoing "luxuries" to get to this state already?

I agree with you OP.

If I cannot afford it then I do not buy it.

I would have thought food banks were for emergencies only too.

I have been putting in things like pasta and cereal, I shall now add some treats,so thank you OP.

They are on the bottom of the list which goes out with the box. Its on the 'included if we have them'.

Tinned puds are the one thing we are short of.

Asda deliver to our local foodbank so you can order online.

oh dear god.....

hobnobs, don't know why you are complaining about demented... hobnobs are luxuries too, now bugger off....

:)

Evening all

YABU! FFS. Then don't donate them.

Yabu, I agree with previous posters,much better to send them some money as they can get much more for the money if they buy things wholesale in bulk.

Blimey! that got a very angry response! Custard and rice pudding fair enough, but I'm not sure I'd go for biscuits - no nutritional value and they don't even give you a decent sugar rush unless you eat the whole packet! Cake much better

Evening Olivia.

I hate the idea that you just send money. It is very simple in the supermarket to buy something extra and put it in a box.

Wow, seems IABU
Funnily enough I had considered character spaghetti as a treat but not puddings. As a child we rarely had pudding and it was considered a real treat which I think is why I was surprised to see it on the list.
And I do think food banks are a great idea, given the fact that they are so in demand they clearly fulfill a need (and the fact that there is a need is wrong in a modern society)
Anyway, comments taken on board and judgey pants unhoiked :)

Jesus Christ TeamEdward I really hope they put her some luxuries in!

I gave two carrier bags full of stuff last time my local food bank were collecting at ASDA. It came to just over £8 and included JAM .

My only thought about it was that there are people in THIS country who do not have £8 to spend on basic shopping let alone a few "extras" to donate to a food bank. I did not miss that £8 and it provided at least 5 meals and numerous cups of tea. No one should have so little that they cannot find a couple of £ to feed themselves and their children.