DH is using community pantry for free food

[cookingaroast]

There is a community pantry in our village, with the purpose being to cut food waste. I completely support cutting down on food waste, and the food provided is all from supermarkets who would otherwise throw the food out. My issue is more I'm a bit uncomfortable with us taking the food.
We are both in the tech industry and both fall into the higher tax bracket for our salaries, more than capable of paying for food ourselves.

I've said to DH I don't think we should be utilising this resource and leave the food for others who need it more than us but he loves the bargains (free food) he gets from it. He genuinely wants to show off the stuff he's picked up whenever he goes - which is usually once a week.

I guess I feel a bit uncomfortable that this free food could be a lifeline to people. I do like charity shopping and getting a bargain but I don't feel as bad, as I'm paying what they decide they feel it's worth and the money is going to charity. This is completely free and run by volunteers.

I have a large garden grow lots of veg and lots of fruit but I live in a town. I have a table at the front of my drive with a label on it that says please help yourself swaps welcome but not necessary. Your husband is correctly using excess. I've put out massive bowls of greengages and figs this year with paper bags and only once has someone taken the whole lot rather than just a bag full. I would confirm to your husband that he is only taking things you might need and not taking everything. I post on my local Facebook what I've put out with the hashtag #freetheveg. And tell people that I'd like to fight back against the big supermarkets and they're outrageous pricing and the waste that we have I'd be gutted if people who help themselves to the stuff I put out got abused as if they were stealing from a food bank this and what your husband is using is a totally different thing it's an eco drive. Not everything has to be about helping the needy some of it can be about using the world's resources wisely instead of carelessly. In four years of doing this only once has anyone left me anything mind you 😂. Ask your husband if he is Willing to start taking some of the excess odd things that you might not use or have overbought.

I think if it's for everyone to avoid waste and they are not running out each week so that needy people miss out, then he's not doing anything wrong. Often there is quite a short window for these kind of items to be distributed so they would get thrown away if not used. It's not the same as a food bank where they try to get in lots of non perishible foods.

They are a great idea to cut food waste, so if that’s the aim it’s fine and then put a donation (cash / DD) to Trussel Trust.

I don't think its on if your husband is taking non perishables or things that should definitely get picked up by needy families or struggling pensioners like meat and cheese And would make a difference to them. Quite frankly it's like dipping your hand in a charity box when you're both well off, and your husband should be ashamed if he's doing that.

However if a shop has dumped dozens of packs of unsold bread thats on its date or bagged salad that wouldn't last long and would need to be binned by the end of the day I think thats okay to take to reduce waste.

Whats he coming home with OP?

but the meat, yoghurt and so on will go off too!

It’s a community pantry - open to all. It’s is not a food bank

Equally, food waste apps such as Olio are open to everyone - again, it’s not a food bank.

Yello sticker offers in the supermarket - open to everyone.

I don't think he's technically wrong to use it as its not a food bank as such, but I would be really embarrassed if he was showing off his 'bargains'

On what grounds would an open to all a community party for tackling food waste ban someone?

Well it’s to avoid waste so I suggest he goes, takes perishable items and makes a donation towards the running costs roughly equiv to the value of the food. I have a friend who runs one. She has no issue getting dried food close to sell by dates to those who need but sometimes ends up with fresh produce that will just rot.

the one near us only takes perishables.

YABU - we have a very successful community pantry and a food bank. The pantry are constantly sending out msgs on fb asking for people to come and help them get rid of things like bread, fruit and veg about to be dumped - totally unrelated to the food bank which is more organised, carefully controlled and well monitored.

I like the idea of him going towards the end of the session so other who really need it get there first. But it a good he using though. Less stigma will attract to it.

😂
At least read the thread.

🙄

Me too
Its just not manly.

I don't have an issue with this, as long as there aren't any people who generally need this.

It's for food waste. I'm sure you are in an affulent area.

If it’s open to anyone then fair game.

Completely agree! He sounds like a parasite

Yes. My friend runs a charity providing food parcels to people in need. Supermarkets give her food. But some very perishable stuff she just can’t get to those in need, either she has no volunteer drivers or her freezers are full (she’ll freeze bread) etc or those who need can’t collect. At that point she’ll just ask anyone at all to take.

What is parasitic about preventing food waste?

Is the aim to support those in need or to reduce food waste?

Reduce food waste.
Depending on where you live it could consist of catering size trays of donuts and some of the local person's extra plums from their garden tree.
It's random stuff not "actual meal" stuff.

we have one here and I said to a volunteer once that I feel bad as I’m not in need. They said it’s for everyone, it’s not a food bank, and if I don’t take it it will go to landfill. I go at the end so let those more in need have first choice (there is often a queue). Also they accept donations towards the running of the project, so perhaps he could donate

Cancel the cheque.

It's actual meal stuff at ours but you pay for a yearly membership and pay towards the food as well.