To think if you rely on a food bank you may need to compromise your vegan principles?

[LondonUnited]

I’m a supporter of our local food bank and am on their mailing list. I received an email earlier to say that they were supporting a vegan family and were therefore asking for specific food donations, including Oatly oat milk, various nuts and seeds, specific types of beans, etc etc.

I may get flamed for this but I couldn’t help thinking that - allergies aside (and I have a milk allergic child so I do get it) - if you need a food bank to feed your family, you might need to compromise on diet slightly? For a start, Oatly Barista is lovely and all that, but Aldi or Asda oat milk is also ok and half the price. And that the odd bit of tinned fish may be easier to access from a food bank than Brazil nuts and chia seeds...

[choirmumoftwo]

Also worth a look at www.foodaidnetwork.org.uk
which represents those food banks which are not part of Trussell Trust.

[Parker231]

www.trusselltrust.org/get-involved/ways-to-give/donate-food/

If you are interested in donating food to your local foodbank, you can use this link to search for what your local foodbank needs most

[caringcarer]

I donate to food banks like many others by buying a few extra items each time I go to supermarkets. I just buy staples like pasta, pasta sauce, lentils, tins of soup and baked beans, hot chocolate (which I buy because I know how much my son loves it), tea bags, coffee, sanity protection, tins of fruit and veg and the odd packet of biscuits. I only buy more non essential items near to Christmas or Easter. Then I throw in an advent calendar and chocolates or Easter eggs. My view is that a hungry person could eat those items and manage my dh is vegetarian and agrees he could survive on those items if he had to. I think it is very good that supermarkets have donated millions of pounds to food banks during Covid19.

[WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll]

I'm glad that your FB organisers have their heads screwed on

....and that they aren't thwarted by ridiculous rules they're forced to follow in their area.

[WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll]

mathanxiety

I wasn't actually responing directly to your post, but to Parker231's reply. I'm glad that your FB organisers have their heads screwed on, but sadly, it sounds like that common sense (not to mention compassion) isn't universal. As has already been said, telling people to apply through their HV or other government body is the clear mark of a decision made by somebody who doesn't actually understand the concept of urgency and poverty at all. You might not be in the system, you might not speak English, it might be Friday evening, you might not have access to a phone/internet etc. etc. Either they really don't understand the needs of their clients or, worse still, simply don't care

[mathanxiety]

• That is, if you're referring to my list.

[mathanxiety]

Who makes the rules regarding formula? Whoever it is, they should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves for putting their own personal ideology ahead of people being able to feed hungry babies whose mothers struggle or are biologically unable to breastfeed. Or have chosen not to, for whatever reason - the same as those who have chosen to be vegan should have their choices respected. Not to mention widowers with very young children. Disgraceful.

@WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll

You need to look at the list again.

Formula is specifically included on the SUGGESTED DONATIONS list.

The list of items they do not want includes:
Expired Items (or items without a printed expiration date)
Homemade or home-canned Food
Medications (prescription or over-the-counter)
Open items
Products not in their original packaging

[mathanxiety]

@Parker231
I don’t know who is running the foodbank from the list of items above but they aren’t allowed to accept formula or razors

If you're referring to the list I posted then yes they are - those items are in the Suggested Donations list.

What they don't want:
Expired Items (or items without a printed expiration date)
Homemade or home-canned Food
Medications (prescription or over-the-counter)
Open items
Products not in their original packaging

[mathanxiety]

@Pandacub7
I find it odd they’re asking for an expensive brand of dairy free milk. Why not supermarket own soya milk?

Because the clients are allergic to soya milk?

Because the clients need Oatly for their young children? Not all supermarket oat milks are a suitable milk replacement for young children.

Plant based milks are not all created equal.

[Floralbean]

The vouchers are much better, they ensure that they always have access to formula (food bank donations of it wouldn't likely be enough to meet demand), and also people can choose the brand that they want, and not worry that the one they normally use isn't available.

Yup. They're making fools of themselves on their SM too. Basically replying to people who bought from them and being very smug and ignorant in their replies. It's so embarrassing to read.

Yeah they should just say yeah we have accepted money from them because we wanted to rather than their ridiculous excuses. Or just not mentioned i.

[Anotherlovelybitofsquirrel]

Isn't oatly cancelled because they have recieved funding from a company associated with deforestation and supporting trump and part of their selling point is their wokeness? Probably see it dropping in price for a while

Yup. They're making fools of themselves on their SM too. Basically replying to people who bought from them and being very smug and ignorant in their replies. It's so embarrassing to read.

[EssentialHummus]

Who makes the rules regarding formula? Whoever it is, they should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves for putting their own personal ideology ahead of people being able to feed hungry babies whose mothers struggle or are biologically unable to breastfeed.

I run a very new food bank (established during lockdown). In our case the rule came from the local authority (Lewisham). The guidance we were given was not to supply formula or infant food but instead to refer people (with their permission) to the HV team so they could get the vouchers they needed for these items and where necessary support in infant feeding. We saw first-hand that these referrals were acted on very quickly, and where people needed formula it was supplied.

When the guidance came out I was hugely dismayed about it. In hindsight, I support it - we have a lot of people who aren't "in the system" and aren't registered at all with HVs, doctors, schools etc. I think those connections are very useful if the recipient is open to them, and that they can stop people falling through the cracks.

[WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll]

I don’t know who is running the foodbank from the list of items above but they aren’t allowed to accept formula or razors

Who makes the rules regarding formula? Whoever it is, they should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves for putting their own personal ideology ahead of people being able to feed hungry babies whose mothers struggle or are biologically unable to breastfeed. Or have chosen not to, for whatever reason - the same as those who have chosen to be vegan should have their choices respected. Not to mention widowers with very young children. Disgraceful.

[Floralbean]

That's what makes brands who make money off of building their brand around the idea in order to make more £££s somewhat ironic.

[TheHappyHerbivore]

@Floralbean no such thing as ethical consumerism under capitalism 😭

[Floralbean]

Isn't oatly cancelled because they have recieved funding from a company associated with deforestation and supporting trump and part of their selling point is their wokeness? Probably see it dropping in price for a while.

[honeygirlz]

Oatly on offer in Asda, down from £1.50 to £1.20

[Pandacub7]

@TheHappyHerbivore some soya milk tastes better than others and there’s also supermarket own almond and coconut milk. There’s an Alpro soya milk for toddlers and oat milk is quite low fat. I’m just saying there’s cheaper alternatives than Oatly Barista. Saying this as someone that hasn’t touched milk since I was a young child. I’ve tried loads of different types of dairy free milk.

[footprintsintheslow]

Oatly milk has the highest fat content for babies and toddlers to drink ones they do not have breast milk. So that could be the reason.

[TheHappyHerbivore]

Why not supermarket own soya milk?

Potentially because it’s disgusting and tastes like stewed bean juice.

[Parker231]

I don’t know who is running the foodbank from the list of items above but they aren’t allowed to accept formula or razors

[Pomegranatepompom]

@mathanxiety no I am saying that at all. I donate a wide range of items.

Honestly, the people on this thread arguing , I think you’re deterring people from donating.

[Pandacub7]

I find it odd they’re asking for an expensive brand of dairy free milk. Why not supermarket own soya milk? I’m lactose intolerant and I pick up whatever dairy free milk is on offer.

[mathanxiety]

This is what my local food bank has on its website wrt donations -

Suggested donations:
Grains
Brown rice
Quinoa
Couscous
Whole grain pasta
Whole grain cereal
Rolled oats

Proteins
Canned tuna
Canned salmon
Canned chicken
Nuts
Dried beans
Dried lentils
Canned low-sodium beans
Non-hydrogenated nut butters

Produce
Canned fruit in 100% fruit juice
Canned low sodium vegetables
Dried fruit (preferably with no added sugar)

Other:
Baby Items
Baby food
Diapers
Formula

Cleaning Supplies
All purpose cleaner
Dish soap
Laundry detergent
Window cleaner
Paper towels

Non-perishable Food Items

Toiletry Items (especially full-size):
Incontinence supplies
Feminine hygiene products
Lotion
Razors
Shampoo and conditioner
Shaving cream
Body soap
Hand soap
Toilet paper

Cannot accept:
Expired Items (or items without a printed expiration date)
Homemade or home-canned Food
Medications (prescription or over-the-counter)
Open items
Products not in their original packaging
............

Posh whole grains! Nuts! Non-hydrogenated nut butters!
Quinoa, for heaven's sake...

To be fair, they accept everything, but they are mindful that many clients suffer from diabetes and high blood pressure so the wish list reminds donors to bear in mind that healthy foods are better than massive piles of unhealthy items.

The reminder that clients have health conditions that make some items unsuitable also suggests that individual needs are important to the food bank.

[mathanxiety]

Being a vegan doesn’t mean you get preferential treatment over anyone else.

@Pomegranatepompom
How is the concept of 'preferential' relevant here?

You are saying that costly food doesn't belong in food bank baskets regardless of dietary need.

You are assigning values to food that are completely artificial.This is tall poppy syndrome running amok, making a complete mockery of the goal of providing nourishing food that is appropriate for individual needs.

Neither relative cost nor 'what everyone else is getting' are relevant to the filling of a specific dietary need.