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 pantry’s tend to not take ‘donations’ from individuals. It’s surplus’s foods from corporations and open to all

To be honest OP I was absolutely disgusted reading this. What is wrong with him and what is wrong with you for not challenging him. Leave the food for people who really need it and put your hands in your pocket. Shocking behaviour.

I would use the Community Pantry to cut waste and then contribute the value of the food I've had to a food bank either money or goods they are asking for.

Speaking as someone who used to work for an anti food waste project, we always preferred that the food was used rather than left to rot, by WHOEVER would use it. If you genuinely think he is leaving poorer people hungry, fair enough, but if the food would simply go off, unused, that's just foolish. I would talk to the people running the project and see what they think, they will know who is using the service, and whether he is taking stuff unfairly. If it makes you feel better, you could set up a standing order to the Trussell Trust, or an organisation like Crisis.

The whole point is. Your partner doesn't need to be using this service. There have been times over the last few years where I could have used food banks but I didn't. Because my view was that there were people poorer than me

I do use a community pantry but I'm living well below the line. This is a lifeline to some people. If you are in the higher tax bracket you don't need to be using community pantries

I will also say. There are greedy people everywhere. The pantry I go to had to limit the items they give to people because one person basically tipped the entire table into their bag and walked off leaving other people with zero

Im sorry but if he wants to be a food waste hero there are other ways to do this - because he's not in need and I really hope he's not taking a lot of food when he goes to this pantry

It is a lifeline for some people - if you don't need it - don't use it.

I volunteer for olio which is a food waste programme. I can keep 10% of what I collect and probably spend half an hour to an hour a day volunteering.

It is not for people in poverty- people in poverty use it I am sure but it is open to all and the pure aim is to prevent food from going in a bin

I don't care if the people picking up food from me are in need or not. I just want it to go to use

On that bases YABU

There's really no shortage of people who don't bother to read the whole thread (or at least more than just the OP) before giving us the benefit of their "wisdom", is there?

Combatting food waste is good, not taking too much and perhaps making a contribution to help running costs would be ideal

My food pantry does. It also takes donations of food

well I had a look at the website for my local pantry and it says nothing about food waste on its website. It very carefully talks about everyone having access to good food. It runs a membership scheme and you pay a small amount and you get to take £20 odd worth of food with you per visit. They are currently not taking any more members. They are part of a network so it’s not some random stand alone. Perhaps people are using pantry’s instead of Community fridges or perhaps everyone uses the term pantry differently.

I’m absoloutly disgusted at the people who cannot understand he difference between a food bank and a food pantry (that is open to all and is designed to reduce food waste)

If it's combating food waste, and the goal is to avoid wasting food, then no I don't see anything wrong with everyone using it. You say that they advertise it as being free to 'anyone' so the organisers must know this.

I would hope that if they saw an influx of people in need, that they would change these rules to allow those people to have priority.

I've seen disagreements about this sort of thing before. I like to use the Too Good to Go app for reduced price food on offer at the end of the day. Some people came to our FB group to say that the food should just be for people who 'need' it, however, there's reasons why that isn't always feasible: for example, often people in need don't have their own transport to the awkward locations where they would need to pick up the foods, for example. The cafes just want to avoid wasting food and hopefully recoup a bit of the cost of that rather than throw it out. Also the cafes/takeaways are often only offering it at like 10pm, which is unsociable for most and mostly impossible unless you live next door or own a car.

Food waste is its own challenge and I applaud anyone organised and trying to combat it.

People aren't going to rock up and read 20 pages

We have one of those too, where you pay a membership and you need a letter from a ‘professional’ - it’s a different thing.

No perhaps not but the first few posts, or even just the OP's posts.

Just makes them look a bit dim.

My community pantry takes food donations from people

Then it’s likely a ‘membership’ type that requires some sort of sponsorship or referral letter from a ‘professional’

This

No.

It's not a food bank, it's intended to stop perfectly good food being thrown away by supermarkets. But, and I think this is the point, because it is what it is those in desperate need can freely use it without feeling uncomfortable. OP's DH should take that idea on board. He should not stop using it, but perhaps take one thing a week (a small thing) because the participation of those who are not in need helps those who are to take part as well.

Maybe he could sign up for Olio or Too Good To Go?

We have two of these in my town.

One is 100% to reduce or eliminate food waste. They sell things get cheap and have free days. I use it now and then, and I'm not struggling at all.

The other is for people in need, and I don't use that one.

If it's for the former reason, he should definitely use it if you can use the items he gets.

I think some of it is to do with the weather and consumer habits. Supermarkets need to order in advance. If we have a wet August bank holiday weekend, I can guarantee by midweek we will be overrun by strawberries, hot dog buns and burger baps at our Community Fridge.

Another one who doesn't know what a "Community Pantry" actually is 🙄
Read the thread.

I help run a community fridge where I live. It's absolutely to reduce food waste and so YABU. That's not to say some folk don't use it becuase of poverty and that's also fine, but its not its sole purpose. As I live in a small community I can be pretty sure who needs the free food and who doesn't. We effectively self manage this by the folk who don't need the free food usually coming later in the session and so taking from what's left. I certainly don't need free food but if there is anything left as we are closing that can't be frozen or carried forward, and I fancy it, I'll.take some. We also do call outs on our social media page if there is obviously still going to be a surplus at the end of the session