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.

Agreed, I hate saving waste too, what gives me the horn is seeing good food go to landfill.

If it’s to stop food waste I assume it’s fresh food and had to be eaten that day. If no one takes it it goes in the bin,

Some of these reactions are unbelievable. This is not a food bank its to stop food going to waste.
I go to my local one, I'm not financially well off but am OK for grocery shopping. They make it clear it is for anyone who wishes to take some food and we have a coffee and a natter after.

There is no problem with your husband making use of the food pantry.

Only if the soup kitchen is advertised as being open to anyone to reduce food waste!

It’s nothing like turning up at a soup kitchen

I would also, but they have nothing like that, where I live, unfortunately.

no not all of them are aimed at people who are struggling.

That’s a bit like turning up to a soup kitchen that’s meant to be for the homeless / truly impoverished.

FFS, it is nothing like going to a soup kitchen. Why are people so hard of thinking? Is "reducing food waste" such a hard concept to grasp?

And another fact is that the yellow stickers are limited. So logically, if a wealthy person buys up the yellow sticker items, then someone else who needs it might miss out.

People on higher incomes should not buy yellow stickered food now?

We have one in a local small town, one of the most deprived towns in the U.K. The staff there emphasise it's for everyone, and were encouraging me to take things as people don't do that enough and then they end up with expired food.

However, I would also be dismayed at the glee your husband is showing as someone on the higher tax bracket. Yes, I appreciate that it's not a food back, but I think it's distasteful for him to be going there so often.

@Okiedokie123 is not just about giving those who need a "helping hand".
It's about not wasting food.
For example if a local cake shop had a power cut and couldn't open the shop they will be stuck with piles of donuts and cupcakes etc they didn't sell.
Community fridges are for situations like that.
A message will be send out on local social media that "Mary's Cake Shop has 300 cakes that need gone today. They will be available at Blah Community Pantry from 5pm. Come get your free cakes"
Anyone.... literally anyone can go get the free cake if they want it.

Again, it is a community pantry, not a food bank.
Community pantries exist to prevent food waste. I am going to check out my local one next week. On the front page of their website, it says at least 3 times that it is for everyone, and their aim is to prevent food going to landfill.

Food banks don't tend to have out of date/reduced stuff. People in poverty should have the dignity of getting food that is not out of date.

He’s thinking of the environment! Food pantry’s like this are there to reduce the amount of food clogging up land fill. There are no other reasons. They aren’t to help the poor people. They’re nothing to do with income. I know because my friend runs one - she’s passionate about food waste - and is forever cycling around town trying to offload stuff to us that are left over at the pantry at the end of the day. Household income over £250k. She doesn’t care. No one else will take it. We take it to make her happy and stick it in the freezer if we don’t need it immediately. It’s mainly M&S bakery produce and stuff from allotments / fruit trees.

Why are you fine with half the food getting discarded rather than taking it it to eat, we are a high income household so can afford food but I hate food waste so I would take the food and eat it rather than it go into the bin. I particularly hate meat waste an animal has died the least we can do is eat it not put it in the bin.

If he was running in every day to get stuff as soon as it was delivered I'd see it as an issue, but once a week to take some stuff that's going to be thrown out end of that day or maybe the following day is just what it's designed for.

"Food is there to stop it going to waste so we should leave as much as possible to go to waste" 🤔

Agree with this, I think those who don't do not understand the difference between a community pantry ( reducing waste) and a food bank (helping those who are in need). Anyone can help to save waste and should. So much food goes into landfill it's dreadful.

The whole point is that it's open to everyone.

It removes any stigma - as well as reducing food waste. That's important in helping to reach people.

He should make sure he only takes what he can use though.

Yes, this. My mum has a job that shares a car park with a local Tesco Express. The amount of food waste in their skip is unreal.

Sorry but that is really awful of him. There are plenty of people who need that pantry and taking from it when you don’t need to is depriving someone else less fortunate.

I’m all for looking at offers in the supermarket and buying bargains but taking free food from a community pantry is adjacent to dishonesty for me. Sorry but that would give me the permanent ick.

Food pantries are for everyone. They are about reducing food waste.

It's not a food bank. It's for anyone, to avoid waste. Why is he depriving the less fortunate but you're not when you buy reduced food from a shop?

I like getting Too Good To Go bags. Im
a high earner. Should I not get one then? What is the cut off for being ‘eligible’ to buy one?!

I do see that if it is against food waste that he can do it. But morally it stinks. I think I would be making a cash donation. Or at least insist he takes a donation of nappies and san pro to your nearest food bank.

Its not a food bank its an eco anti waste initiative as the OP describes it. We have several round here and they all clearly state they are NOT food banks. My sons best friend mam runs one.

They basically have to keep begging people to come get stuff, they set up tables on the high street with signs say 'FREE' and 'PLEASE TAKE' because unlike food banks everything is about to spoil and they are trying to get it used up before it does, its usually bread and milk on offer. Its nothing to do with income or 'poor people' its purely environmental and to cut down wastage.

Half ends up going to waste every time because people are 'too proud' to take it which defeats the whole point.