Travellers foodbank challenge.

[Devilesko]

Posting for traffic and suggestions.

We have started the fb challenge again this year as it's needed more than ever.
We challenge family members to buy an extra weeks worth of food and donate to food banks. Nobody is left out, we all have to rise to the challenge and want to, tbh.

I have posted on dozens of pages asking to remember to include san pro.
If anyone has suggestions that might be forgotten, I'd appreciate the heads up. Also, just to let the people in supermarkets and food banks aware, as this is usually done on such a big scale.

So far I have family in Leicester and Cheshire signing up. But will post other areas as I become aware.
Any suggestions will be very helpful.
Tia.

What a lovely kind thing to do! It was heart-warming reading this thread... For you OP

All I'd suggest is this - our local food Bank is usually really well stocked with lots of inexpensive items like baked beans and pasta, soup or tinned tomatoes. Because people like to put in a four pack of baked beans and feel they've donated lots.
Stuff I would donate:
What they're usually short on are the smaller, more expensive items like tinned fish or other meats in sauces etc.
Small jars of coffee, tea bags, sugar.
Treat stuff, especially near Christmas is always well received, eg advent calendars or a small selection box. Make sure any Christmas treats don't have booze in though, like brandy in mince pies etc.
Multipacks of crisps, chocolates etc which are on offer are a nice thing to put in as they can be split up as a little treat.
Tinned fruit, custard or rice pudding
Two in one shampoo and conditioner, deodorant, toothbrushes and toothpaste.
Nappies - different sizes.

Well done for doing this
Thank you to the Travellers' community for getting together and doing this.

"When you feed the hungry ... you fed me"

Great thread OP ignore the twats wilfully obtuse people. I've nothing to add to all the fab suggestions but yes to things like disposable razors/ antibacterial wipes / hand gel as well as baby and child focused stuff like nappy cream and vaseline. Microwave pouches of rice bean mixes etc are good as don't need to use gas to cook just minimal electricity for 2 mins in microwave.

Aughrim

Bless you, it's so wrong that we need food banks in the first place.
But I was so proud when this started up, not of myself or my near or distant family.
I was serious about it instilling my faith in human kindness, I think that someone mentioned upthread about Muslim faith being similar in the charity/ giving part, but I don't know.

Stupid question, but are foreign foods welcome?
I donate anything we would like to eat ourselves, taking into account limited time and cooking facilities. We would struggle if forced to turn to a foodbank and were only offered 'British' food as DS just isn't used to it.

Bumping for Kowari.
Very interesting question.

I wondered about that - you can buy Romanian white cheese in tins in our continental store which has a good long sell by date - we have quite a high Romanian population, a few of whom may end up needing the food bank.

@kowari

Stupid question, but are foreign foods welcome? I donate anything we would like to eat ourselves, taking into account limited time and cooking facilities. We would struggle if forced to turn to a foodbank and were only offered 'British' food as DS just isn't used to it.

If there are others living in your area that would appreciate these foods, I would say it’s a really kind thing to do.

Kowari - Yes I would imagine so, especially if you're in an area with lots of people with similar diets. Our local food bank won't waste anything that's given to them unless it's really out of date. Stuff they can't put in the parcels they will pass it on to other charities such as homeless hostels or refuges, who can make interesting shared meals for the residents out of the more obscure donations, same as when they sometimes they get catering sized tins of sauces for example. If there are very few people who eat a diet similar to yours locally, it might be difficult to distribute as they try to make food parcels as generic as possible without any 'strange' ingredients which people may not eat iyswim.

Your post also made me think - I bet people with dietary requirements aren't particularly well catered for - food intolerance's etc.

The Food Bank box in our S London supermarkets reflects the full diversity of cuisine of the area.

And as for ‘foreign food’ I’m not sure a tin of callaloo or a bag of Bombay Mix is any more foreign than a pack of spaghetti.

Hi OP I think it’s a lovely idea, I would donate foods that are easy to make a hot filling meal with so go for tins of curries, chicken in sauce, meatballs, sausage casserole. Micro rices and super noodles, pasta n sauces, also puddings - rice pudding, jam steamed puddings, custard.

Also - dried fruits, especially if you can get snack packs/mixed packs, and long life juices. And chocolate biscuits and crisps.

@SchrodingersImmigrant

Happens, *@Devilesko*

Very interesting thread overall. I lately often shop in "foreign foods" shops rather than supermarkets. Stupid question, but are foreign foods welcome?

If they have ingredients in English, yes. Our food bank can't give them out if we don't know the allergens (even if the receiving family say they can read the language).

@HPandTheNeverEndingBedtime

I like our local Morrisons option, a trolley full of prebagged up food at the entrance with the price on it anywhere from £2-£10, you pick a bag up at the door, pay for it with your normal shopping and put it in the food bank trolley at the other end. Works brilliantly.

That's a great idea.

I just tend to pick up a couple of itens which I then put in the box on the way out.

Fray Bentos tins are really popular in our foodbank. Single bars of soap are really good as are 40 teabag packs and the smaller granulated sugar packets. People tend to prefer cereal to porridge. Toiletries and cleaning products/washing powder are also great things to donate as well as hand gel and packs of face masks. Kids love ketchup and peanut butter in their bags!

@HPandTheNeverEndingBedtime this does not happen at our Morrisons! I wish it did, it's perfect.

Can I ask where your based and if it's. "Morrisons" doing it or a charity and Morrisons are letting them put the packs out ready?

[quote Bookworming]@HPandTheNeverEndingBedtime this does not happen at our Morrisons! I wish it did, it's perfect.

Can I ask where your based and if it's. "Morrisons" doing it or a charity and Morrisons are letting them put the packs out ready? [/quote]
Two of our local ones do it. It's Morrisons. In white paper Morrisons bags. Near the entrance. It's a good idea!

I'll double check tomorrow when I go @Todaywewilldobetter, but I'm sure my Morrisons don't do this!

Which is a shame.

I'm South London.

I haven't read every post so apologies if this has already been suggested but I wondered about Christmas cards and stamps. I know that's not essential stuff, but it just occurred to me that a lot of people probably aren't goung to be able to see loved ones this Christmas, and I guess that if you are in the position of needing to use a Foodbank there's also a good chance that you're going to have limited internet access, phone credit etc so may not be able to communicate easily with those that you care about right now. Being able to send a few cards might cheer someone up abit. Actually that's another thought - can you donate phone credit somehow? Vouchers or something? I don't know if that's allowed but I bet its its something many people would appreciate if its possible.
Well done to the OP and the traveller community. This sounds like a brilliant challenge and it has inspired me to give more.

Has anyone mentioned pet food?

Great idea @ Devilesko I'd suggest multipacks of loo roll and packs of tissues that can be divided up,

Hotel shampoo, mini showergel body lotions and individual one cup hot choc, herbal teas, coffees that you get in hotels (and pound stores!). Pot noodle, instant noodles, tinned stuffed vine leaves, coconut milk, chickpeas, sardines, pilchards good

www.trusselltrust.org/get-help/find-a-foodbank/

Here’s how to find your nearest foodbank and you can check what items they are in short supply of. There shortage space is limited so the more of their shortage items they can get the better for everyone.

Also I buy those packs of mini cereal boxes when they are on 'Special' as I remember how fun those were when I was a kid

Washing powder , small bags of sugar , tomato ketchup are always in short supply at the Foodbank I volunteer at .

Also baby and children toothpaste and tooth brushes please .

What about things like cleaning products, washing powder etc? They can be expensive and are necessary items.