aibu to buy instant latte for the foodbank

[painochocolate]

My DH says they'd prefer pasta and tinned goods but I like to buy three of whatever treat I'm getting for myself and put two in the foodbank. So this week it was instant latte. He thinks that's nuts. Aibu?

This is definitely not the case for the trussel trust.

Sugar goes in 'extras', no ban on 'unhealthy' things, definitely accept advent calendars etc

I save my boots points and buy nappies, san pro and toiletries for the boots toiletries donation point.

That's a great idea! I get quite a few from the parenting club

@painochocolate I think that the sachets are a good idea. I currently receive weekly food from a food bank (not Trussell Trust). I am very grateful for all of the food I receive but this week got very excited about a punnet of blueberries and a packet of bourbons! I always get a packet of crisps each week and look forward to those. My food bank is very generous - as well as pasta, tins etc they also include lovely fresh fruit and veg (mostly from Waitrose and M & S as they are nearby), as well as frozen food and fresh bread. A lot of the food is surplus food donated from local shops. Before I used a food bank I used to donate to them and will do so again in the future. I will definitely add treats as I know how much I appreciate them.

Ours says:

1. They almost always have far too much of baked beans, tinned chick peas, rice and pasta. They're everyone's go to for food banks.
2. Please don't stop giving treats. They want people to open the box and feel there's things in it which they can have as a treat, not strictly functional.
3. Tinned meat in any capacity is almost always needed.
4. UHT milk is very welcome, as is juice.
5. Breakfast cereal, including ones for children, are often in short supply.
6. Please avoid basics levels. The people receiving often feel they're at the bottom of the pile and only deserve the worst stuff, we want to avoid that.
7. Nothing with alcohol. So if you're buying chocolates avoid liqueurs as they can't give them out.
8. Please check death dates if you've got something out of the cupboard.
9. Sanitary products and nappies are very much needed. As are cleaning products.
10. Presents for children (and adults) at Christmas are definitely a good thing.
11. Money is useful because that allows them to buy what hasn't been donated.
12. If you have a large item you think someone might need (eg buggy) please ask before dropping it off, as they don't have a lot of space for storage. It's not that they're ungrateful, but if they haven't got anyone who currently needs one then they can't store it long.

I try and put things in that are a nice extra like hot chocolate sachets or some nice biscuits. Sometimes brands like Pampers will do a voucher for a free pack of nappies and I will use the voucher and donate the nappies as mine as past that stage now, I try and go for the ones that I think other people might not buy, like the bigger sizes.

Also I donate good sanitary towels for heavy periods because the cheap own brand ones don’t always cut it.

Also I donate good sanitary towels for heavy periods because the cheap own brand ones don’t always cut it
Ooh, good shout, would never have thought of this, it's only recently now late 40s and realising it has to only be the heavy duty, night time ones, doubled up! 😥 Wouldnt have thought to put in any collections

Instant Latte is rank. Yabu.

Off the back of this thread when I just went to the shops now for bread wine I made sure along with the pasta and tin of tuna there was a treat in there too , there were some new strawberry custard creams out so had to stick in as sounded yum 😍😁

Most of this seems fine but I don't get the "avoid basics" advice. I am happy with basics for most things that come that way myself. And most foods don't come in basics ranges. So nobody's going to be getting a package or basics only. Treats can come in other forms.

This feels as if we're endorsing the idea of looking down on people buying basics ranges, but surely if people get back on their feet it's going to be gradual and they'll likely end up buying basics themselves?

By all means test things you decide to donate, but the only basics I'd avoid from experience are some ranges of tinned potatoes - other staples taste fine and food is good, not a status symbol.

I agree, I buy basics, a lot of it is made in the same factories as the branded goods, same recipe, no branding means no advertising and the products are labeled to the supermarket chain, therefore represent better value.

When I was talking about buying basics v treats, I didn't mean branded v non-branded.

I meant it in the sense of sticking to what foodbank says it wants that week, and not departing from that one iota (ie providing the necessary basics for what is supplied to each client). Which I generally do.

But like to put in (as well, not instead of) items that aren't necessities, but that people seems to like. Which might be things like biscuits, sweets and items marketed for children's lunchboxes.

Oh, and marmite!

It's never on a list, and is no way a necessity. But some people just love it!!

This is going back a few years when I got out of a dangerous relationship, but I used food banks a few times and remember being utterly delighted to be given some really nice herbal tea. Yes it was bad times!

So small things like that can really lift the spirits but it's good to look at the overall picture.

Please avoid basics levels. The people receiving often feel they're at the bottom of the pile and only deserve the worst stuff, we want to avoid that.

This is cheeky as fuck imo.

Many people can only afford the basic range themselves, why should they buy a better range to donate than what they can afford for themselves? Or use more of their budget than they have available.

I agree @LoveThisUsername

Isn't it better if more people can have an item that's not necessarily needed to survive but good to receive eg hot chocolate powder?
If own brand or higher is expected then that would often be what non-users of food banks are struggling to buy because of CoL.

i think those instructions are for the packers, not the shoppers and basic levels means pasta
it doesnt say basic range

where did you get that information @MargaretThursday
talks about death dates,
too many chick peas
avoid basic levels,

doesnt seem very professional

When you read the whole paragraph, and take it in context, it clearly means the basic value ranges. Not staples.

I think it's better that 4 people have sauce on their pasta than one person get some expensive brand to put on theirs.

yes, but i am in that case not going on what @MargaretThursday quotes, i am going by my local food back which doesnt put such stipulations.

I think what’s interesting is that the peoole
posting on this thread who actually use or have used foodbanks - not the ones falling over themselves to be clear their exposure is purely as a volunteer/donor - have said they liked receiving treats.

I’d listen to them.

I'm with @LoveThisUsername . I eat basic food brands a lot and can rarely afford to donate to the food bank but when I do, I donate the same there. That's all I can afford to give. I wouldn't be able to justify giving expensive jars of marmite etc.

Exactly

I would imagine most people posting haven't had to use food banks. In the 7th richest country in the world none of us should have to. I've never yet had to use one, though it is likely as my income is reducing, I may have to soon. During covid I had food parcels delivered before I managed to get a supermarket delivery account. A couple of nice things would have really cheered me up. Getting coconut milk was a life saver as was the fresh veg, even though it wasn't my usual choice. I can't bear UHT milk but managed to make leek & potato soup with it. Some decent coffee would have been wonderful as a wee treat. I would have been stymied if I didn't have cooking facilities.