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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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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 and asked why didn't I just buy 10 packets of budget pasta for the same price.

OP posts:

SummerHouse · 04/03/2015 13:03

Agree with Carla but... Spend lots of money on nice chocolate and you will get nice chocolate. Spend loads of money on dried pasta and you still get dried pasta. If you haven't tried it you are not to know but speaking as the voice of experience, dried pasta all tastes the same.

Except low carb. I imagine that's horrible.

YourMaNoBraBackOfMyCar · 04/03/2015 13:06

I regularly donate and give what we would eat or use. That's a mix of everything. I give budget pasta but branded teabags etc.

PannaDoll · 04/03/2015 13:07

I'm with Floggingmolly otherwise I'm sure the volunteer would have simply said thank you and rolled her eyes as OP walked out.

Mousefinkle · 04/03/2015 13:07

I'd imagine a person trying to stay warm in winter and equally trying to fill themselves up because they haven't eaten much that day would bloody appreciate and NEED some carbs!

I agree with the volunteer. Ten families fed for the price of four of your 'low carb' shit.

NaiceVillageOfTheDammed · 04/03/2015 13:07

Humm, not sure about this one.

Some food stuff is pretty much the same whatever the price bracket ie chopped toms but other food stuff can vary depending on what you buy.

I think it was a very thoughtful donation. Don't like the idea that you buy one type for your family but the food bank gets the low cost/quality stuff.

SummerHouse · 04/03/2015 13:09

Yes yourma

Branded tea and value pasta. If I was receiving food from a bank, I would like your donation.

gabsdot45 · 04/03/2015 13:11

Our church does a food collection for our local Barnardos centre every Christmas.
Last year a lot of people donated cash so myself and dh went to Aldi buy food. DH was poor growing up and often hungry so he has a very different attitude to this that I do.
I picked up the kind of items I would usually buy, heinz beans, Kelloggs cornflakes etc. He wanted to buy all the cheapest food and get as much as possible. He said when you're hungry you'll eat cheap cornflakes and be grateful that there are 3 boxes instead of 1 of the expensive stuff.
So quantity rather than quality is best in these cases, but I think the lady you spoke to was quite rude.

lertgush · 04/03/2015 13:13

I think you gave more food to a foodbank than most people on this thread OP.

Joyfulldeathsquad · 04/03/2015 13:13

Wow somepeople do live in laa laa land. Did you expect a nod of approval at your good taste?

Grumpyoldblonde · 04/03/2015 13:16

It was nice of you to donate, she should not have commented, I wont give things to the foodbank that I wouldn't eat myself or feed my children.

SummerHouse · 04/03/2015 13:16

Yes lert but they thought about giving 10 times as much.

Gileswithachainsaw · 04/03/2015 13:18

On principle the lady was right. fir the same price you could feed more people.

BUT I have noticed that say cheap aldi pasta takes forever to cook. which could mean that they wouldn't have the money to cook it.

If you knew that the budget stuff was actually vile or didn't work (I have no idea if your on about dried pasta or with a sauce in the packet style btw. obviously I'm common) or would be more expensive to cook or make edible then ywnbu.

If you just didn't want to be seen dead with value products or wanted to show off how much "taste" you have, ywbvvvu

MrsHathaway · 04/03/2015 13:19

I think in general low-carb pasta or low-sugar sweets or no-dairy milk will be an overprocessed "food" that isn't much good for anyone. Foods that are naturally low-carb, -sugar or -dairy will almost always be more nutritious. So I think the low-carb pasta was a daft choice for a food bank.

On the other hand I think it's fair to give the brand you eat yourself if you don't know how good other brands are. If you are happy with value (as I am) then you can give it knowing you've given something good enough.

I do think the volunteer could have worded it better but it was worth saying. Maybe "ooh those look nice, but another time don't worry about getting the top brand thing. Ten bags of own-brand would have been even better."

I tend to buy brands on offer, so it looks better and goes further. And I've learned from MN that fuel and equipment matters hugely to many food bank users, so I put in foods that can be eaten cold or heated with minimal fuel and equipment, including more indulgent things like tinned puddings or chocolate biscuits.

I ranted to friends this week about a donation in the food bank box (in the church hall) because it was a box of teabags three years past its Best Before. Why bother?!

rollmeover · 04/03/2015 13:21

I think you probably were being unreasonable when it come to pasta.
I tend to donate own brand pasta, rice, biscuits, nappies as to me there isnt much difference but go for Heinz soup or baked beans or branded tea bags as to me it makes a massive difference. Tesco tomato soup is not good.

dejarderoncar · 04/03/2015 13:23

Please would all who kindly donate to foodbanks throw in a bag of cat or dog food if they can afford it. Sometimes people who find themselves with very limited resources have to lose a well loved animal companion.

OnlyLovers · 04/03/2015 13:25

'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'

I agree with this. And it was rude; as someone says upthread, it's a bit like someone giving you a more expensive present or card and you saying, instead of 'Thank you', 'Why did you buy the expensive one?'

I give the same kind of stuff to the food bank that I eat myself; a mix of branded and cheaper things. I don't even think about it. And maybe someone using a food bank might be slightly cheered up by the sight of some de Cecco pasta or something –maybe that's the brand they used to like best and will buy again when things are better.

YourMaNoBraBackOfMyCar · 04/03/2015 13:26

Thanks summerhouse. :) I think it's important to remember that those relying on food banks are people with certain tastes too. I'd have no problem feeding my family a hearty meal made with value pasta and sauces but I'd very much appreciate the pack of decent branded teabags or jar of instant coffee. I also try to put in some nice kids stuff like wagon wheels or kitkats. Oh and before anyone jumps on me for donating food with little nutritional value it's always as well as instead of(iygwim?) OP it's lovely of you to donate anything at all. I'm sure whatever you give will be given to someone who appreciates it.

MiaowTheCat · 04/03/2015 13:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

5Foot5 · 04/03/2015 13:36

Our food bank usually has a sign on saying what they are most in need of at present itme and suggestions. Sometimes the suggestions are stuff I would never have bought myself or thought of buying for the food bank, but if that is what they know they need than fair enough.

At present they seem to have a need for cereals and things suitable for single people and they have a picture of those pots of porridge that you just add water to. Now I am sure a box of porridge oats is better value for money but presumably they know that many of the people they help just have access to a kettle so this is what is most sutable.

Apart from that I do usualy buy the value own label stuff for the food bank because I can afford to give more of it!

Stealthpolarbear · 04/03/2015 13:37

Am I the only one whi thinks decent pasta is nicer? There definitely is a difference

OnIlkleyMoorBahTwat · 04/03/2015 13:37

Low carb pasta is a bit pointless really, because it's unlikely that someone who has to use a foodbank is going to be able to afford a low carb diet.

It's best to follow whatever guidance the foodbank gives as they know their clients and account for factors that the donator may not have thought of (lack of cooking equipment and fuel for example).

And I don't personally think anyone should be embarrased about donating value food, especially if they are not well off themselves. Most of it is absolutely fine and surely given the choice, most people would rather have sufficient food even if it is not their preferred brand, rather than an inadequate amount of more expensive brands?

Unidentifieditem · 04/03/2015 13:45

What the fuck is low carb pasta?!

SummerHouse · 04/03/2015 14:03

YourMa your post has the perfect balance and its kindly put. Op, if you read nothing else on this thread and just read that.

Starlightbright1 · 04/03/2015 14:03

I think you were coming from a good place but low cab food is not what you eat when hungry and very little food. yes some foods such as tea and coffee I do think brand makes a difference but not pasta...

I think you need to have been there to hear how it was said , to know if she was rude.

LoisWilkersonsLastNerve · 04/03/2015 14:04

My local foodbank are grateful for anything off the list but I suppose quantity over quality is best when it comes to staples. Yanbu to donate the fb. If you start in a regular basis keep on mind what they said but its up to you what you donate.

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