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...

No. That is not true. I am in favour of equal opportunities for all. I spend a lot of time helping others and also giving business advice, how women can make it etc.

@Xenia

No. That is not true. I am in favour of equal opportunities for all. I spend a lot of time helping others and also giving business advice, how women can make it etc.

Equal opportunities doesn't help people equally. Some people need much more help to level the playing field.

However I do think the nation would do a lot better if we only drank tap water

I agree. However as vices go I think oat milk it pretty low down on the list.

Your personal values is that you look down on anyone worse off than yourself. You've made that perfectly clear over the years.

Also agree with this. You seem to be Catholic in the Jacob Rees-Mogg type mold.

@Xenia

No. That is not true. I am in favour of equal opportunities for all. I spend a lot of time helping others and also giving business advice, how women can make it etc.

Paying taxes doesn't count as spending a lot of time helping others. Especially since you think it makes you more entitled to NHS treatment to someone who pays less.

They might occasionally need to, but it's not a good thing. It would be very sad if someone who was poor through no fault of their own had to compromise their beliefs due to a lack of support from the government.

Equal opportunities doesn't help people equally. Some people need much more help to level the playing field

Oh god, what an annoying meme. I much prefer this one 😁

OOh! Mango that wasn't the one I was expecting

@MangoFeverDream

Equal opportunities doesn't help people equally. Some people need much more help to level the playing field

Oh god, what an annoying meme. I much prefer this one 😁

Alright then, doctor Peterson.

@mathanxiety

Not only do we now have the responsibility of feeding the poor, we are now having to feed the poor top choice brands otherwise we are being mean about deserving/vs undeserving poor.

You don't have to feed the poor top brands.

Give whatever you see fit.

But ask yourself why you think it's fitting.

because I dont tend to pay for strangers to have more expensive brands than I would buy for myself.

saying this, I dont think the majority of foodbank users are that fussy, which is why im a regular donator. I think its important, but of course hearing aboutpeople taking the piss is a bit annoying, but it wouldnt stop me donating, and if I was using a foodbank myself then I wouldnt be fussy. Ive never used a foodbank because they werent a thing when I was at that level of poverty. I would never have complained about the food at the soup run when I was homeless, and I ate food from the dented tins/ out of date food shop. Im not sure those exist anymore either, but oatly didnt exist back then either

The oatly barista could be because it's the brand most nutritionally similar to cow's milk. If the vegan family has small children then they need certain amounts of calcium/fat/protein/iodine that other brands of oat milk don't always have. It's especially important for vegan (or allergy) families who aren't getting them from other sources. So that might be why a brand was specified. Not all oat milks are equal.

Oatly barista is still cheaper than providing other calcium sources like cheese/meat/fish etc anyway.

Sorry OP you are being unreasonable. Families should not have to compromise their vegan principles.

Families should have a right to be vegan and request vegan food. Perhaps a child also has an allergy to an additive or something meaning Oatly is the only brand of milk they can drink. They should accept whatever food they are given within their dietary requirements though - nobody is allowed to request M&S ready meals or Aberdeen Angus steaks just because they like them. They won't necessarily get Brazil nuts or chia seeds, but if the food bank have decided this is the best way to provide them what they need YABU to question it.

I do sort of see where you are coming from though. If a family had a strong moral aversion to plastic packaging, or non-organic meat, I don't think they should be catered to by the food bank, but poor people are still allowed principles. Nobody should judge them for requesting 'no plastic over plastic where possible' or 'vegetarian food unless the meat is organic'. It's tricky because where do you draw the line?

Not really very sure why this has got so personal. No one knows what I do for others and nor would I ever talk about it. I don't look down on anyone. Being in favour of equal opportunities ( as I am ) tends not to be badly regarded but people can be against that principle I suppose.

I don't think have been a big NHS or private health care user actually. I have had 7 minutes of my GP's care in the last 15 years as I am very very very lucky and don't seem to get physically or mentally ill. I do support the NHS however although it could be improved. I don't support a private heathcare only model.

Being in favour of equal opportunities ( as I am ) tends not to be badly regarded but people can be against that principle I suppose. You've misunderstood the objection, I think. It isn't the principle that is objected to it is the reality of 'equality'.

This is the meme I was expecting (though Mango's is probably more accurate)

This is why the benefits system should never have been altered into one where huge numbers of people have to rely on food banks.

It means various people feel they can start judging others receiving ‘gifts’ as if the giver is Mrs Birling in An Inspector Calls.

I have had 7 minutes of my GP's care in the last 15 years

Yeah, you've mentioned that once or twice. Usually when complaining about how ungrateful the plebs are for the masses of taxes you claim to pay.

@Stripesgalore

This is why the benefits system should never have been altered into one where huge numbers of people have to rely on food banks.

It means various people feel they can start judging others receiving ‘gifts’ as if the giver is Mrs Birling in An Inspector Calls.

This

Not unreasonable to specify vegan food.

A bit unreasonable to specify exact brands (unless there's an allergy in question) as most people donating will be picking up the food alongside their normal shop, and may not have time to make a special trip to locate several different brands.

@LondonUnited did you knoe you've made the Mail Online? 😁

Oh yes! Not the most scintillating of articles, is it?

Umm yes being vegan is about morals!

As in ethically, someone doesn't want to have animals killed or mistreated to fill their gut.

Why are vegan people being singled out, as opposed to 'picky eaters' who want chips and chocolate all the time

@CuriousaboutSamphire

I am embarrassed to say that I found it whilst following the link from the Lauren Goodger thread

My excuse is I'm stuck on a breastfeeding marathon!

Just to stick my oar in, I'm a proud apex predator, but if vegans are having slim pickings at the food bank, I will happily chuck in some lentils next time I shop!

Please don't! Or at least not without checking their wanted list!

I've just looked at our spreadsheet and we must have had a vege/vegan drive when I wasn't looking. We have 102 cans of lentils and 23 bags of dried. That means I'll be buying the dried lentils again!

Thankfully the use by dates seem to be long! And we also have a lot of tinned tapioca... was there a covid rush on tinned rice pudding?

I can see I am going to be dragged in to a "what can we do with these" meeting. Some may remember a thread from a few years ago about a tin of prunes we had (3+ kilos of I remember rightly) it had a very short use by date and all we could think of was that it would make a great doorstop. Which it did until it rusted through - about 5 years!

@CuriousaboutSamphire - mmmmmmmm tapioca (misses the point).

Ok - maybe some aduki beans!

@LynnThese4reSEXPEOPLE I’m sure the OP will find a welcome audience in the comments section of the daily mail!