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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:

CalicoBlue · 04/03/2015 16:25

I am sure she did not mean to be rude, and was just pointing out that for the same money your donation could have gone further.

My local supermarket has a foodbank box by the exit. I always put something in. Often instant mash, tinned carrots, UHT milk, not things I would normally buy for home but things that the Food bank list says they need. For treats I often put in a packet of jelly, as it is easy to make, cheap and kids love it. I will usually buy the value brand as I can then buy more.

insanityscratching · 04/03/2015 16:26

I tend not to donate the value brands because I don't eat them myself and so don't know whether they are any good. I tend to buy supermarket brands or named brands if they are on offer and I can get more for my money.
I think the FB volunteer should just have said thank you regardless and maybe have printed lists of specific items and their brands and offer it to you for suggestions. I wouldn't have bought low carb pasta for a food bank tbh.

ThereIsACarInTheKitchen · 04/03/2015 16:33

I have never even heard of de cecco pasta or low carb pasta (). Probably because I always just buy supermarket own brand pasta.

The lady was rude imo. Even if she did think you should have bought the value range so you could donate more she should just keep that to herself and be grateful you were donating something.

Low carb pasta though...seriously?! That just sounds vile.

ThereIsACarInTheKitchen · 04/03/2015 16:35

I also only donate things that I buy myself. So for things like pasta it would be the value range but for soup it would be brand names.

Moln · 04/03/2015 16:45

Did she ask in a way that meant 'you should have given more' or was it along the lines of 'it would have been more beneficial to have spent what you spent this way'

It's probably a bit rude of her to say what she said, but if there's a lot of people arriving at the food bank then they need more items rather than quality items (and I think that with pasta it's generally not a dramatic different in the taste between the budget and pricey), so even if it feels like it's rude of her, it's probably needs to be said as the need for more items is greater than the need to be polite all the time.

I think budget is acceptable in donating to a food bank as long as it's food you'd eat (in other words don't go giving tinned pineapple because it's on offer) and it's of a quality you'd be OK with yourself.

Tryharder · 04/03/2015 17:31

Why do people who use food banks only deserve value brands?

How horrendous to buy expensive pasta for yourself and then value spaghetti for "the poor"!

You did the right thing OP.

Gileswithachainsaw · 04/03/2015 17:58

Who said they only deserve value stuff

It's merely been pointed out that more people would be fed for the same price or less if you didn't buy brands.

as people have stated, some things like rice or pasta or flour etc are all pretty much the same and people don't usually pay put for themselves either. and then they pit in the branded stuff that they know does taste a bit better like baked beans or spaghetti shapes.

which is how people ship for themselves usually too.

everyone mixes and matches with basics stuff and own brands and named brands.

It's not about making poor people eat shit

Floggingmolly · 04/03/2015 18:02

Low carb pasta is apparently made from soy protein... If op was donating that; then she was literally trying to feed them shit, Giles.

Gileswithachainsaw · 04/03/2015 18:03

Moln · 04/03/2015 18:03

Not sure it's 'horrendous' but more about more packets.

Mind you I don't buy expensive pasta for myself. However if I were putting in tea bags I wouldn't buy certain budget ones as I would drink it myself due to them, judging by the taste don't contain tea.

"The poor" as you put it, certainly don't deserve rubbish, but value brands don't automatically mean rubbish. If someone where to go to a shop with £20 in order to buy for a food bank surely the more they get the better as it'd help more people.

Moln · 04/03/2015 18:05

*wouldn't drink it myself

BigChocFrenzy · 04/03/2015 18:11

I tried several kinds of low carb pasta. Most are made from soya, so different taste & texture that I found vile.

Diet food often has different tastes and textures, so anyone expecting normal food could feel disappointed. Might also have artificial fillers or sweeteners, including polyols that can cause the runs

Some folk might want diet food, so ok if it in a seperate area. Complicates things though - I'd worry about mixups / rushed helper not reading the label and it being given to a client expecting a normal parcel.

Also, "expensive labels" that needs longer cooking might not be so welcome.

MkDaddy · 04/03/2015 18:45

You donated something useful, what more do they want?!

Could you have bought more cheap pasta for the same money? Yes you could have. Is it your choice as to what you donate? Absolutely. They should be grateful that you donated anything!!! And to be honest I think it's sweet that you put that bit of thought into it too.

YANBU.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 04/03/2015 18:48

If you really want to help then do what the food banks are asking for, they know better than anyone else what's needed. Not difficult - go on Trussell Trust or just type 'what do food banks need?' in google.

They're always short of tinned meats so, if your sensibilities are allowing you to turn up your noses at 'value' brands, buy tinned meats and give those instead.

Royalsighness · 04/03/2015 19:03

Well done for donating food, 10 bags may have been better than 4 but 4 bags are certainly better than none.

Someone could have taken that home tonight and be looking forward to it as a refreshing alternative to the basics stuff.

Some people simply might have had that in the cupboards and be emigrating, so the food bank saying things like that is pointless, I can understand being irked by a rusty out of date can of prunes but come on? a friend of mine recently tried to donate 2 large frey bentos pies which the food bank refused.

sarkymare · 04/03/2015 19:29

Don't Frey bentos pies take about 40 minutes or so in the oven? That would be a lot of electricity for someone who cannot afford even the pie itself. I can see why they refused. Being hungry with no food is one thing, being hungry and looking at a pie you can't cook is another.

Mrsbird311 · 04/03/2015 19:37

Really?? Giving the food bank value stuff is vile?? Most working families rely on value products to feed their families and to call perfectly good and healthy food vile!! Grrrr can't stand snobs, carefull dear you might find yourself in hardship one day and have to feed your family vile basics, it's a jolly big fall off your high horse!!

Stealthpolarbear · 04/03/2015 20:06

who said its vile?

Mrsbird311 · 04/03/2015 20:12

Sorry someone said it was horrendousnot vile to give value brands??? I was so cross that someone would be so rude I got my words muddled

fizzycolagurlie · 04/03/2015 20:15

If you are emptying your cupboards to put food in the bank - use what you have. If you are buying to put food in the bank, buy the most you can. Ultimately its up to you of course, its a donation.

Seriouslyffs · 04/03/2015 20:34

Bollocks OP, this didn't happen.
At the most as Miaow said,
"ooh you didn't have to spend that much - a few bags of the value stuff would have been fine"

Stealthpolarbear · 04/03/2015 20:38

someone called it horrendous to buy expensive stuff for yourself and value stuff for 'the poor'
not quite saying value brands are vile

mizu · 04/03/2015 21:52

We put things in the food bank bin in the supermarket when they are 2 for 1. Chocolate digestives last week. Mini eggs this week

Grandshiredoubles · 04/03/2015 22:05

I buy stuff that I would eat myself. Sometimes to to glitch shopping which is sort of using thr price promises against price guarantees I can get stuff for free or even get paid to take away. Something which I have been getting for a while are gluten free cereal bars. Boxes and boxes. I have been donating these are they aren't that bad. I would eat them myself, so should I stop or Re they useful fillers

ShadowSpiral · 04/03/2015 22:42

I would have thought that gluten free cereal bars would be a useful thing for the food bank to have in stock if someone who can't eat gluten comes in.

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