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.

Food waste pantries are supposed to be getting rid of food, not swapping it

Olio is a bit different though isn't it because it's individuals giving away their unwanted food.
Apologies if I am wrong about that.
But also how can you plan in advance what people are giving away?

No, Olio is supermarkets giving surplus food to others who distribute it (just like a food pantry). What’s available is unoredicrable (just like with a food waste pantry) If you were to pop to your local food pantry the morning after having a look on your local Olio network, you would find repeat items because it’s all come from local supermarket surpluses.

im not sure how you think that Olio is this nice predictable shopping experience similar to supermarkets.

But I do use the local food pantry too and the same rules apply for using what you find: well stocked non perishables pantry and google.

ive not once said you ‘plan in advance’ - the key is a well stocked non perishables pantry and access to google (for recipes). You plan once you know what you’ve got.

@Fiftyandme I'm confused. I DON'T think Olio is a "predictable shopping experience". That's my point. It will be completely random each day.

Ok, I don’t know what to say. I’ve explained several times how one plans, I can’t say it any differently.

Sorry but you have lost me completely.
When people generally say they "plan" their meals they mean that Monday will be spag bol, Tuesday fish cakes and rice and so on.
If you turn up at the community pantry and all that's available is donuts, crates of satsumas and some cheese all the recipes in the world won't make a "proper" meal out of that.

Ok.

Again, I’m not sure where you’ve missed ‘well stocked non perishables pantry’ and not sure how you can’t see that when one does this several times a week one ends up with things like carrots, squashed, swedes, sprouts, parsnips, peppers, hard cabbages, little gem lettuces, potatoes, onions, spring onions, mange tout, baby sweetcorn, green beans, cauliflower, spinach, curly kale, leeks, fresh chili, corriander - all of which will keep a minimum of several days to weeks when stored correctly in the fridge/freezer and all if which I’ve had in the past two weeks . And it’s quite entirely possible to plan.

Absolutely but its not going to be helpful to people who don't have a well stocked pantry and can't afford to pick up a bottle of wine. That's why its a community pantry and not a food bank. Food banks give out bags of food that will supply meals for x number of days without any addtions.

I've been a member for about a year now going twice a week and there's never only a few things available and nothing else.

The one I go to is like a proper shop with fridges, freezers, shelves and then crates for fruit, veggies etc and there's always plenty.

@Fiftyandme you are obviously lucky to live near one that has these things.
Some aren't like that though. Some are just leftovers from the nearby Greggs distribution centre or wherever.

They do vary obviously in what they have.
There's no specific rules and it depends where it is and who runs it.

But ok - challenge accepted.

If you gave me me those perishable ingredients right now, here’s what I would make using only those ingredients and items already inin my pantry:

Pea and mushroom risotto, cheesy garlic bread (peas from my freezer, dried mushrooms from my pantry, stock cube and risotto rice from my pantry, garlic powder, butter, dried taragon, chili flakes, part baked bread in my freezer.

Doughnut bread pudding - eggs from my vanilla and cinnamon from my pantry, milk from my fridge, doughnuts plus any leftover bits of bread I need to use up, brown sugar if needed from my pantry.

Breakfast - satsuma smoothie with satsumas, yogurt (already in my fridge), oats, ice.

No one’s talking about a food bank. Someone asked how picking up unpredictable food waste could possibly work to incorporate into meals - and I answered.

I did say I use a mixture of the local food waste pantry and Olio.

You can check with the organisers whether theres food left over or whether the demand is greater than supply. Unless there is a shortage, its the right thing to use it up. In my town we all started off feeling free to use the foodshare then some of us stopped when the cost of living went up and more families asked to join.

The whole argument on this thread is that the OP and others seem to think a community pantry is for the "poor" people and people like the OPs husband shouldn't be going there because it's taking food from starving children etc.
You sound like you are using the community one exactly how it's designed for.
Picking up the leftovers and coming up with a meal depending on what you have a home using your skills.
My argument was against those who are going on about "but think of the poor people" and "taking food from those that need it" etc.
Those that really "need" it are better to go to a food bank which will provide basics for meals (that sometimes need to be made with limited cooking facilities).
If you go to a food bank you will be guaranteed to get food for meals.
If you go to a community pantry you aren't guaranteed that.
It sounds like you are using your local one perfectly 🙂

I couldn’t agree with you more.

Im honestly struggling to see how people can’t understand the difference between ‘community pantry’ and ‘food bank’ - it’s like words have lost meaning and we’re in a Lewis Carroll novel

i think that the origin of the question was that people should leave community pantry stuff for the folk who needed it, someone responded that it wouldn't work because you can't meal plan from community pantry...ie can't make meals from it if that is all you have.

Specify how you "donated to such causes".
Surplus food orgs deal in surplus food from suprmarket distribution centres & similar source. They are not food banks, they exist to try to prevent tonne after tonne of packaged food & short-dated veg being ploughed into landlfill.

It may be that not enough people “in need” use the community pantry in OP’s area and without being used by a broad cross-section of the community, it would not be sustainable and would need to close.

Were it to close, those in need would undoubtedly miss out the most.

Which would explain the emphasis on the CP being a service for everyone.

Likely talking mince.

Yes you’re right.

I don’t know if food banks have changed much in the past ten years - but as a former recipient you couldn’t really make anything with what you got in your food bank bag either, unless you had a well stocked pantry or were prepared to easy cereal, baked beans on their own and tinned hot dogs.

I volunteer at a food bank and we also have a community pantry in town, run by a woman who lives on my street. She will sometimes leave things on her front garden wall for people to help themselves to, as it is about avoiding food waste, rather than food for people who cant afford it.

If you are worried, I would go down there and have a frank discussion with them about what their focus is. If they are there to support people who cant afford food, then yes, I would be uncomfortable - more than that, I would be horrified. But if it is a food waste thing, I dont see any problem with him going for it.

I beg your pardon? He’s a tightwad with no morals

Why, for not wanting food to go to waste? 😂