To Let You Know What My Food Bank Needs

[RamblinRosie]

I’m guessing the requirements are similar across the country, mine needs:

Tea bags
Pasta sauces
Nappies size 5&6
Tinned vegetables
Jams/spreads

Apparently, they don’t feel they can ask for biscuits or treats, but they are very much appreciated.

My local food collection point is full of very worthy food but I like to add a few nice bits, if you need to use a food bank, you deserve the occasional treat.

A colleague who used the food bank when she left her violent partner said that she craved fruit & veg.

So I always donate tinned fruit.

My SIL is a dentist, she donates hundreds of toothbrushes and toothpaste tubes every year. She used to donate 20 but after getting a new patient once that admitted to using the same brush for years she takes a big bag of everything in every month.

Interesting about the tinned hot dogs. I have always avoided buying them because I thought they might be too depressing! But if they are popular I can get them.

grass jelly??? Is that what I think it is?
I try to buy something every week when I do my big shop. I bought the instant mash a couple of times but then thought it was too posh, so I'm glad to see it's welcome. I'll bear in mind though the weight issue that PP pointed out; that's really relevant. And biscuits! Thanks to all those who volunteer.

In my local town here in the North West, we have charity food tubs in all the big and smaller food shops and a food donation system in all of our church's called grub tubs.
Each congregation is asked to bring something each week or several items from a detailed list and then a nominated person collects it all, sorts it, bags it up and takes it to our nearest food bank every few months.
The idea is too continuously donate regularly not just during harvest and at Christmas.

From about this time of year, I get a decent chocolate advent calendar or two with each online shop and donate them all by the middle of November along with everything else.

Our local food bank urgently needs (amongst other things) washing powder. I'm over thinking this but do they literally mean washing powder or are pods ok as well? When I use washing powder, I like to use fabric softener as well but they haven't asked for this. Should I buy an all-in-one like Bold?! See, massively over thinking this. I want to get it right.

YY SheGotBetteDavisEyes you need to get items for a particular occasion to the foodbank well in advance.

The school mentioned above should have co-ordinated when it will be sending Advent collection stuff with the foodbank, so it can be put into the packages in the run up to Christmas.

Do not do this after about mid December! I can say this here, and a coupe of months in advance, as I hope it won't come across as ungrateful. But dropping off Xman stuff in late Dec means the recipients get it in January, and I'm pretty sure that's not what the donors intended.

Also, after Christmas, we are still here and still need the stuff on the lists.

Just checked my local food bank needed list, it’s quite extensive. I usually add a few things weekly from my shopping as there is a collection bin at my local Tesco, will add a few more in my next big shop.

Usually mid November I add advent calendars and tins of Christmas biscuits running up to Christmas. Is there anything else that would be a nice add, or do foodbanks prefer to have less treats more regular stock?

I never give treats tbh but my food bank is really good at saying rhat they need. I feel really patronising putting advent calendars etc in but perhaps they are needed I don't know

@stickystick what does the foodbank do with these items? I've read that some food banks have a 'random' box which service users can pick an item or two so would caviar go in there? Can large bags of pasta/rice be split into smaller bags or is that a h&s issue due to no best before etc?

Miladymilord why would you feel patronising putting in advent calendars? Genuinely interested as I saw that as a purely nice thing for children growing up in families that had had to access a food bank. I imagined that, if as a family you were in a situation where you had to use a food bank, you would not have any spare money for the type of little luxuries that my children (and most children!) get excited about. And I would like those children to have the nice little extras and treats. I am really really interested to understand an alternative viewpoint though as I may very well have missed something there (I frequently do!)

I try really hard not to imagine what it's like as I do not know and I'd hate to 'play at it' even in my head!! But that's just me being weird.

RatbagCatbag what size are these huggies bed pads? If they are fairly large and food banks won’t take them, try a local nursing home or someone who does community care. I’ve noticed a few elderly people whilst I’ve been out on my rounds as a community Carer who use puppy pads for extra protection on their beds so these pads you’ve got would probably be really useful for someone!!

Yes to puppy pads - I'm a carer and they're used on probably 75% of people's beds that I go to

I feel really patronising putting advent calendars etc

We were told by one of the local co-ordinators that they love having the odd festive treat to put into bags especially for young children. To paraphrase her: all kids need to feel a bit of Christmas magic and getting a chocolate advent calendar can make a big difference to a child who rarely gets anything like that.

I always think how the recipients will feel of they get something like an easter egg for the kids or box of Christmas biscuits. Probably happy that they have the everyday stuff that we take for granted - giving the kids a small treat or having a biscuit to offer a guest.

giving the kids a small treat or having a biscuit to offer a guest

Yes...that was the other point the co ordinator made actually, it's a real boost for the adult recipient to have something nice and special to hand over to or share with a child or guest.

I absolutely understand the need for things that are needed - we make sure we add those as well, but we ALL love small treats at Christmas, there is a 'need' for those as well, particularly when everyone around you is indulging.

I also send nice soaps, shampoo, conditioner, bubble bath, shaving foam (some collections don't take razors). Some places take small, new kids books/toys/gloves/socks - even supermarket gift cards. Check what they need.

Can you imagine feeling down on your arse and needing to use a food bank? There but for the grace of God.

I feel really patronising putting advent calendars etc

Last year my local food bank was specifically asking for Christmassy food donations in the run up to December.

So they wanted people to donate stuff like chocolate advent calendars, selection boxes, Christmas cake, mince pies etc etc, in addition to the usual basic food staples.

Can you imagine Christmas dinner of tonnes spaghetti hoops on toast and a tinned sponge pudding?

I usually add things like salt and pepper, stock cubes, bisto, mixed herbs, ketchup, etc too.

There are some small selection boxes of Cadburys (I know, but kids still like it) stuff for only £1 on the Tesco website. I can definitely afford a few of those each week to donate with regular stuff.

Last year my DC wanted to do the reverse advent idea. We decided it would be best to start in october so we could donate in mid november. I also found some bargain advent calendars from amazon and donated those. We also have a local organisation that makes up sacks of gifts every year for children. So during the summer when Argos did there summer clearance i picked up some bargains.

I try and buy mens toiletries as our foodbank always seem to be desperate for them.
It breaks my heart to think of children without things like advent calendars. I know how important these things are for my children.

What are your thoughts on including bubble bath? I bought what I thought was shower gel for myself last week and realised when I got home that I'd picked up bubble bath instead. It's no good to me as I don't have a tub in my house. It's sealed with a foil lid. Would it be any use to a Foodbank? Thinking of facilities of users to run a bath etc.

I wouidn't get bubble bath for a foodbank, because running a bath when you're in energy poverty just isn't possible. But if you have something you'd otherwise be binning, then there's no harm in sticking it in