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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to not just buy the cheapest brands for a food bank

110 replies

suzzieanneba46 · 04/03/2015 12:34

My local food bank is asking for pasta. So as I'm a low carber I gave one packet of pasta suitable for low carb diet and three packets of de cecco as this is the pasta we usually have at home. I'm not sure of the quality of budget stuff so thought it would be best to get what o know is good. The woman at the food bank was a bit Confused and asked why didn't I just buy 10 packets of budget pasta for the same price.

OP posts:
TheFecklessFairy · 04/03/2015 12:37

I agree with her. Then 10 people could have had pasta instead of 4.

I think your priorities are a bit screwed, tbh.

Madamecastafiore · 04/03/2015 12:38

Pasta is pasta is pasta. Feed 10 families over 4 FFS.

ChipDip · 04/03/2015 12:39

I agree with her too. I would rather it feed more people.

PheasantPlucker · 04/03/2015 12:39

It's very kind of you to donate to the food bank.

For pasta, I probably would have bought more of the value stuff, I can't really see the taste difference, and I would buy more so it went further.

Fudgeface123 · 04/03/2015 12:39

She's got a point, you could have bought a lot more for the same price, I'm sure those who will be receiving it won't give a shit whether it's branded or not. Pasta is pasta innit?

MaidOfStars · 04/03/2015 12:40

What, you mean you don't donate fresh hand-made lobster ravioli Wink

Um, I kind of get her thinking and I'm not sure that there's a massive gap between branded and unbranded pasta (Tesco own brand is fine for my store cupboard) but surely food banks should take what they're given (not suggesting they should be inundated with crap, but isn't the message here on MN along the lines of a little bit of quality is better than sheer bulk quantity?).

SoonToBeSix · 04/03/2015 12:42

I don't think people on a really tight budget would be concerned with low carbing.
However I think the foodbank lady was rude.

PannaDoll · 04/03/2015 12:42

I agree with the food bank volunteer. Ten bags of cheap pasta feeds more hungry bellies than one bag of the more expensive kind.

PheasantPlucker · 04/03/2015 12:42

PS I always remember the local ex-Vicar telling me about a Jo Malone candle that had been donated to the church when they did an appeal for things for the local hostel for homeless people..... He smiled, and said how kind it was of the donor, but that maybe some pasta might have been slightly more useful ......... :-)

PheasantPlucker · 04/03/2015 12:44
julker · 04/03/2015 12:44

Whether right or wrong, the person who took the donation should have just said thankyou!

That attitude will put people off donating in future so they have lost out on the next 4 bags of pasta or whatever that might be donated rather than increasing the next donation to 10 bags of cheap stuff

Nolim · 04/03/2015 12:45

I woulg to for quantity over quality

SummerHouse · 04/03/2015 12:46

Hume.... Pasta is pasta is pasta. Yes you could have got 10 times the amount but you didn't. Perhaps this member of staff sees people in desperate need of food? I think I would agree with you on other items of food (e.g. tea bags) but dried pasta is all the same to me. But that's just my opinion.

I don't think its necessary to raise this with you though. Its like getting a luxury birthday card and saying "why did you not just buy the tesco value one?" Sometimes thank you is a sufficient response.

CrystalCove · 04/03/2015 12:48

What is puzzling you over someone stating they could have fed double the amount of people if you had bought cheaper pasta?

PtolemysNeedle · 04/03/2015 12:48

Woman at the food bank was rude, and should accept all donations with thanks, and maybe an offer of suggestions of what they need if she thinks you'd appreciate it.

You can donate or not as you like. I'd have told the FB woman to shove it up her arse tbh, it's just so rude to treat someone that's gone out of their way and spent their money to make a donation so ungratefully.

SummerHouse · 04/03/2015 12:53
CupidStuntSurvivor · 04/03/2015 12:55

Being fair, the food bank worker probably shouldn't have said anything. But it doesn't mean what she's saying is wrong. Families who are in need aren't likely to care for low carb pasta. She was being logical...quantity is the key to keeping more families fed.

NerrSnerr · 04/03/2015 12:56

I would also say that proper full carb pasta is better for a food bank, if food is sparse you want to load up on the carbs.

CarlaVeloso · 04/03/2015 12:57

I'm sure the food bank woman wasn't being rude. It was just a casual comment. She'd have been better off saying nothing really but no harm done.

When I donate to food drives I don't buy the cheapest value stuff. I put in nice things too. It must get a bit depressing to eat value tomato sauce with value pasta every day with your value tea bags and value cornflakes. So I chuck in a few boxes of Jaffa cakes or some fancy soup. I don't spend less because of it, I consider them extras.

GroundhogGirl · 04/03/2015 12:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Floggingmolly · 04/03/2015 12:58

I'm getting the impression that op took pains to point out the superior quality of the pasta to the food bank volunteer...

GroundhogGirl · 04/03/2015 12:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Madamecastafiore · 04/03/2015 13:02

Carla the gap between a value Jaffa cake and a mcvities one is a whole lot wider than value and de ceco pasta.

Thisishowyoudisappear · 04/03/2015 13:02

I don't think YABU. I don't put anything in for the food bank that I wouldn't eat myself, sticking to the suggested items of course.

Hoppinggreen · 04/03/2015 13:02

Anyone else picturing someone going to the food bank and requesting something suitable as she was " low carbing"???!!!
It's nice to donate a few treats as well but to feed as many people as possible they need quantity not quality

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