To ask what to put into a foodbank shop?

[PumpkinSquash]

Wanting to take some food to the local foodbank in the next few weeks.
Never really donated to one before, so what do you suggest?
So far I'm thinking -

• tea
• biscuits
• hot chocolate
• pasta
• dried noodles (easy to eat if you don't have much cooking facilities)
• soup
• beans
• maybe a few advent calendars for the kids as it's coming up to Christmas

Our local food bank has requested that no more baked beans are donated at the moment.

One of our local food banks won’t give sugar as it’s not needed 🙄 my mum over heard a man asking for some and was told no because you don’t need sugar.

One of our local food banks won’t give sugar as it’s not needed 🙄 my mum over heard a man asking for some and was told no because you don’t need sugar

That's a bit of a miserable attitude for the foodbank to have! Might not be "needed" from a nutritional point of view, but surely it's needed as an energy or morale boost?
I know if I don't have much cash, or any "interesting" food in, a bit of sugar lifts you up mood wise!

That's bizarre. There are lots of reasonably nutritious foods that can feature sugar and not be bad for you - porridge, pancakes, rice pudding, semolina. And frankly, when you're low on calories anyway, why not?

I was told that single men can be quite forgotten in the toiletry department. Cheap disposable razors and cheap shaving foam is something I was told to donate (when asking the question to a volunteer some time ago!!)

My local one is asking for tinned sponge puddings which is not something I would automatically think of, also jam and chocolate spread and I stand mashed potato. I would also add in some Christmas foods, maybe some individual Christmas puddings.

Screenshots to say what a local foodbank does and doesn't want.

Ours always needs larger sizes of nappies as well as loo roll and sanitary products.

I put in breakfast cereals, biscuits, tinned fruit, tinned rice puddings, tinned tuna and ham, UHT milk and instant noodles. For toiletries: toothpaste, soap and shower gel. I am going to start putting in tinned stews and curries after reading this thread. The folk I know who are referred to foodbanks are often in crisis and won't want complicated imgredients things that need to be oven cooked. I'm heartened to see so many who donate on here. My work has a box and over 70 people work in my office. I normally stick a few items in on a Friday. Often it's my stuff from last week on the top of the pile ie. Nothing has been put in all week. I think people just don't think of it but I wish they would. Stuff from Aldi is so cheap you can donate a tonne of useful items for less than a fiver.

Can pet food definitely be put in? I normally put nice (human!) food into the food bank collection at Tesco, but it breaks my heart thinking that a family might get rid of their much loved dog because they cost too much to feed. If anyone knows please could you tell me as I don't want to waste money if not, I'll give food directly to rescue centres.

I always look to see what they are short of and buy that .

I heard a thing on the radio recently which highlighted that some who use food banks don’t have means to store perishables nor to cook - so providing perishables like frozen food or anything which would require more than a kettle or microwave to prepare would rule out those who are really in dire circumstances.

They also said there’s not much available for those with out of the ordinary dietary requirements like gluten free, lactose intolerant or vegetarian and vegan.

Pet food is always welcome at ours. We're always in need of things like washing powder, bin bags, toiletries, that sort of thing. Obviously we're really grateful for any and all donations, but the ones where people have thought a bit outside the ordinary are brilliant.

iamyourequal, if possible now (as in the spirit of Christmas!) might be a good time for you/HR to send out a reminder and ask people not to forget that there is a donation point on site? Obviously, only if you are able.
My collecting point is at Tesco. There used to be a separate bin for animal food (in fact, it was there before the food bank crate) but now seems to have disappeared. I presume people are asked to put pet food in the food bank crate, but it isn't obvious.

My local one needs toilet roll

I've just checked mine and they are in need of:
Pasta Sauce
Jam
Biscuits
Sweets/Chocolate
Cereal
Tinned Fruit
Instant Mash
Mayonnaise/Ketchup
Toiletries, especially men's toiletries
Savoury Snacks
Long Life Juice
Long Life Milk
Pasta
Rice Pudding
Tinned Vegetables
Tinned Meat
Toilet Rolls

I try to get a couple of these each time I shop. I'm doing a Xmas hamper for the Foodbank so I've included some kids character bubble baths and some minions magic flannels too as well as paper plates, cutlery, cups and napkins.

Funnily enough after posting this yesterday, I saw in the local supermarket what they needed.
Pasta
Rice
Tea

were on the list from what I can remember so I'll get those, and there's some other great ideas on this thread too, thanks.
We live really close to an Aldi so can get loads for my money there

This really do need to check locally what is wanted.

Because the lists posted above bear no resemblance to what mine wants (it's awash with pasta, cereal and sanpro; wants pasta sauces, tinned meat, tinned puddings and shower gel).

When I have been out of work and skint - I always had to use my Boots points to get sanitary towels. Mind you, I so objected to paying for thee stuff I used to do this regularly! So now I always try to buy some and put them in the food bank cos I know what it is like when you are down to your last one and have to buy store's own economy ones (don't).

I think tea and coffee are always a good bet. I think one I passed asked for no more soup for a while or was it beans? But they would say otherwise I guess. Nappies. Maybe hot chocolate. Chocolate bars liek someone else said. Tinned meat, veg, fish. Longlife milk deffo - keep meaning to have some in myself! Biscuits with long dates - try to get ones that are well packaged otherwsie they will get crumbs. Jars of jam and honey. Toiletries. Tinned fruit.

Last time I put in juice, non dairy milks and dog food
This time I put in cat food

The list on ours never changes, and there is no name on it so can't look it up, the staff don't know. On that basis I put something different in each time, often pot noodles, pasta, biscuits, jam, and because people don't want to have to give up their pets, I put something in for them too.

If you donate money through Ocado they’ll give at least twice the value in food to food banks and they give what the food bank needs.

If you google ‘food banks in my area’ you should be able to find out the details of any local to you, and then check what they are looking for.

Sorry havent RTFT (on phone on bus) but one of this week's papers had something about how refuges and charities never give menstrual supplies. They instantly went to the TOP of my list.
Refugee aid organisations too -- maybe MN should organise a campaign

Just realised someone has already mentioned Ocado. I also remember being told once that if you can afford nothing vet quality things, do get them. I spose people using food banks are used to buying the cheapest they can get so something a bit nicer has a feelgood factor.

Sorry ads making my phone jump around.

‘Nothing yet’ should have been ‘to get better’.