About food banks.

[fucketyfuckety]

Having a conversation with my mum yesterday, she's a lovely person, always tries to help others wherever she can etc. She was having a bit of a rant about how shocked she was that people bought and donated smart price or value range food to food banks, when they could afford better quality products. She said it treated people who go to food banks as if they're not "worth" better food. I was really cringing because I try to donate as regularly as possible but I do pretty much always buy value ranges. I also use quite a lot of value range products myself and feel that my money will stretch further if I donate these rather than expensive alternatives. I'm not on a mega tight budget but I'm by no means rich either and need to be careful with money. So AIBU to donate value products to food banks? Or is my my being unreasonable to think that it reflects badly on the person donating?

I help out in a food bank and when we need to buy stuff to top up donations we always buy value ranges. It means that we can get more for our money and quite often tastes just as nice.

Well possibly, but if you are, I am too. I'm always a bit when someone puts one tin of a premium brand product into a food bank collection box when they could have put 3 or 4 tins of an own-brand or value-brand product in.

What I do do is stay fairly well informed of the lists that the local food banks have of what they need - if they're overwhelmed with dried pasta but have no tinned fruit or vegetables for example...

I think a mix is good, im always boring and buy the milk - i know its the least popular - either that or a donation to the foodbank directly to help with overheads and shortages.

Carry on providing what you do already

I thought the food banks asked you to spend your money on value stuff, so that you can buy more.

I think they're grateful for everything. I think a mix is nice. Our team collected money and chocolate selection boxes last Christmas- all received well.

there's was a truly awful thread a while back about people mocking donations to the food banks, the whole thing would have put off many people from giving anything at all.

I cant' see an issue either way: some people give more in quantity, others put something as a little treat. Someone said they were so grateful for a little bit of "Luxury" to give their kids (biscuits of some kind) because it made them feel more "Normal". Both givers mean well. As long as people are generous, it's unkind to complain.

It's different to try to ask people to be realistic (brown rice takes longer than white rice to cook so might not be the best choice).

It's a fine balance. We think it is nice to have both, those in receipt of help deserve nice stuff as much as anyone else. The staple stuff tends to be just as good when you buy basic, but it is lovely to have treats as well.

I tend to put in the same brands that I buy tbh purely because I know, to me,they taste ok. I don't tend to buy value ranges for us and so don't buy them for the foodbank but I do buy supermarket brands for some things. I also buy BOGOFs as well whether I use them here or not.

I have a limited amount to spend so I buy value or go to discount stores because I get more. It's never anything I wouldn't eat myself. Unless their fb page has asked for it specifically

I buy basics for us so I can't imagine what the issue would be with buying them up donate. Value biscuits are great.

I wouldn't put anything in a foodbank that I wouldn't eat myself.

I tend to buy nice branded stuff for the food bank, because I just think it's nicer than some of the horrid value stuff and it would be nicer to get a package with some premium stuff in it? Oh no, I feel a bit patronising saying it like that!

I'm not sure whether someone in the tough position of having to use a food bank particularly cares whether their beans are Heinz or not edsheeran. Three meals with value vs one with branded isn't going to be a difficult decision for most families.

I buy lots of basics for us like tinned tomatoes, tuna, pasta etc.

However after a thread a long time ago on here I now buy Pasta n Sauce for the food bank. I wouldn't eat it myself but was told it was good if in fuel poverty as it doesn't take long to cook.

I also buy the variety packs of cereal as they're a treat for children.

I met a guy on holiday who works for Yeo - same fat free yoghurt that is in Yeo pots is also in Tesco own! He said it comes straight from same production line.

So 2 families can have a 50p tin of tomatoes or 5 can have a 20p tin. Better to help 5 families I say

Also our Tesco has a list of what they need this week. Own brand toothpaste and deodorants always needed

I think as long as you're giving something, that's better than giving nothing, isn't it? I always give pasta and a jar of sauce because it's easy to prepare, though I notice a lot of people give pasta and wonder if they have too much.

I usually also give a tin of fruit (not very exciting but at least it's fruit) and a pack of decent quality biscuits, because people need a treat.

I noticed the other day that someone had donated a whole box of Thornton's, which was kind! I don't know how they'll decide who to give that to.

I eat mainly value, and as a result buy mainly value for the food bank.
I do always make sure though I put treats in, sweeties and chocolate buttons, biscuits, crisps, crumble mix, jam, rice pudding, sponge puddings, custard, ice poles etc as well as fruit juice and canned fruit/veggies/pulses cans of goulash, tinned ravioli, beans, tuna, rice, loads of tinned toms, part baked baguettes, herbs and spices, and cereal. Most of the value stuff is as nice or nicer than the brands anyway. And The way I see it, if I buy myself and the foodbank value/own brand I can afford to get the foodbank a large trolley full every month (totals about thirty quid) if I bought no value stuff this wouldn't be possible at all. It's less than 20p for cans of value veg, rice pudding and custard but 80p to a pound for brands, it's 40p for tinned ravioli but 1.30 for brands, 60p for own brand goulash/stew and 1.35 for princes. You can get so much more for your money!
I do understand the hypocracy though when people buy stuff they wouldn't eat, and that does get my goat!

I think you are fine doing what to do as you use value products yourself

After a thread/petition on here I try to add sanitary products due to girls missing out on school or using socks - it had never crossed my mind before

I tend to give something out of my own trolley because it is always on the way out and I forget so it doesn't tend to be a value product. So if I have had a BOGOF on something the spare will go in.

IT depends on how long the pasta/rice takes to cook. Certain cheap brands take ages to cook, whereas, for example, Tesco fast cook pasta is ready in five minutes. Many people live in fuel poverty too, so every time they cook, it's using a little bit more fuel.

Based on my own eating habits, I donate a combination of value staples and non-value "treats". We're not struggling/watching our shopping spend and I still buy basic tinned toms, rice, pasta, milk, tinned fruit, but branded chocs, cereals, bath stuff, custard tampons (not suggesting they're a treat!), pasta sauces etc. So I donate following the same pattern. If I'm doing an Aldi/Lidl shop I'll buy loads for the food bank there (and then have to drive to the local Waitrose to drop it off!).

I know what you mean. On one hand buying value stuff means you can buy more, but on the other hand the people who rely on food banks might enjoy something a little more special. I tend to buy some basic stuff and some nice stuff. I don't buy anything I wouldn't eat myself.