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.

Which bit of my reasoning do you disagree with? Or do you not believe that some people sometimes actually need those yellow sticker discounts to get by? You want to dismiss them as a myth??

But they are not restricted in that you have to prove your income to buy them. Anyone can pitch up at my local Asda around 7pm (which is when the reductions are done for stuff going out of date the following day) and fill their trolley. Me NOT buying a tray of chicken thighs or pack of sausages does not guarantee that the next person to come along will be on a low income. It just doesn't work like that, does it?

Of course I am going to buy half price food when I see it because the money is better in my pocket than in the supermarket's. We are not struggling for money by any stretch of the imagination but who ever wants to spend more than they have to?

He isn't taking from people "in need".

I have no idea how they get it in but from my pov it can sit on the shelf there until someone needs it, and that person isn't me. I've known times in the past when I've had single digits of £ left in my account before payday and had to eat a random meal like baked beans on pasta. I'm not in that situation any more, not rolling in it but comfortable, and so I'll leave that community washing powder/tin of beans etc for someone else.

On the back of this thread, I have decided I will check out my local community fridge next week. I have never been.

This thread is hilarious. IT’S NOT A FOOD BANK FOLKS!!

YABU OP. Your husband is doing exactly what a community pantry is designed for. He is taking food that would otherwise go to waste.

I think it’s great he’s using it. I hate food waste and clothing waste, it’s great that communities are taking the initiative and trying to reduce it.

So basically the same as the Olio app where local volunteers collect supermarket food and give out? Nothing wrong with that - if you feel bad make a small donation to the local food bank as they’ll need it more than the waste hero’s.

I think your DHs attitude to it is weird and he's taking the piss tbh

There is a community pantry attached to a church I often visit for playgroups, and occasionally my DD will take a piece of fruit from it after playgroup. But I only allow her to because I 1. Know that half the food gets discarded anyway 2. It's one single pear/apple/whatever. 3. I explain to her the pantry is there to stop food waste and to help people who aren't as lucky as us, so we should only take something small and leave everything else for someone who needs it more than us. 4. I also donate back to the pantry or other similar community support networks particularly around helping underprivileged new parents

I still expect most of it ends up in the bin though based on what the volunteers tell me... they do sometimes tell people at the playgroup to pleeeeeease take some of the brown manky bananas which I do oblige and make banana bread 😂

Based on passive aggressive FB posts there are some people in my area who take the p* though

Tell him every time he comes back with his "free food" you'll be donating double it's worth to the food pantry from the joint account so it will no longer be free.

Christ people calm down.
It is NOT a food bank.
Its to stop.food waste. Meaning ANYONE can get food there, its not based on how much money you have in your bank

Our town has one and they dont care who goes there. All the stuff is todays date so all needs eating today

I havent been there, because it doesnt seem right although i am actually on benefits, ill and over drawn but anyome can get food from there rich or otherwise

So you would rather most of the food end up in the bin than people take it and use it?

@GoAwayNaughtyPigeon so some of the food still goes in the bin so they need more people to take it

Where my mum lives the local food pantry frequently gets left over boxes from the nearby Hello Fresh distribution centre.
Big piles of them that need to be gone asap because the food is fresh. An actual food bank won't want them because they don't take fresh food.
A message is put on local Facebook and literally anyone can go grab one.
I do believe they restrict to one or two boxes per person but that's it.

If it's there to cut food waste, I'd be there too. Everyone - regardless of salary - should be trying to reduce waste.

It’s true that a community pantry is different to a food bank. But both are still aimed at those who need a bit of a helping hand. If people who’ve got plenty of money get stuff from community pantry that’s denying those who would truly genuinely appreciate it.
I used to massive.y benefit from a community pantry. I was unemploat the time. Not desperate enough to be eligible for a food bank but definitely needing to save money. I don’t need that help now so I bypass it and leave it for those whose need is greater than mine.
If you’ve got plenty of funds available you dh’s happy finds are denying others who are in need and would appreciate the goodies so much more.

@MumoftwoNCYellow sticker food is not food reduced for people on low incomes. It’s to try and get rid of it to reduce waste. YABU to deliberately not buy it and buy full price stuff if you could have used the reduced stuff. We have a massive problem with food waste in this country. You are directly contributing to that by not using the older but perfectly useable produce first. If it going to be no good by the time you needed it for sure by the newer.

It is irrelevant if someone on a lower income comes later and misses out. It is luck of the draw with yellow sticker stuff. Most of it still gets thrown out anyway.

Your DH isn't doing anything wrong.
He wouldn't be seen as a CF here.

A friend volunteers at one and while I've never been to one myself we have various 'community fridges' in our area where surplus foods/drink that is on/past it's sell by date gets taken/delivered to.

Some charge a small fee, others don't.

They are ran totally separate from food banks in the area where only those that are given vouchers can go, still plenty of surplus food to go round.

Each and every member of the local communities are welcome to go to these 'community fridges', infact it's encouraged and advertised weekly on local FB groups as the surplus of food is quite extent in these areas and no one wants it to go into land fill.

Yeah I thought it was a food bank. It’s not as bad as I thought, still not sexy obvs

You actually like food waste, to the point where others should spend money on it?
How very weird.

It’s true that a community pantry is different to a food bank. But both are still aimed at those who need a bit of a helping hand

No.

It's about using up stuff which would otherwise go in the bin.

So the pantry is there to stop food waste and you know half of it is usually wasted and yet you leave it? And you think you’re doing a good thing?

We quite often get messages on community Facebook pages asking people to come and get the food as they have surplus and need it to be taken otherwise it will end up in the bin.

And it also shows him to be in my mind someone who would never think of another and always assume he was high handedly right. Not really thoughtful or aware is he?
But as long as he's happy doing what he's doing in his little world........

no, our community pantry is definitely there to avoid food waste and anyone can go and help themselves. its all perishables.

That’s a bit like turning up to a soup kitchen that’s meant to be for the homeless / truly impoverished.
He sounds all out for himself and sod anyone else. Reminds me of that CEO who was caught on camera snatching a cap from a kid at the US open. Me me me.
He should be ashamed of himself.