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 think I would feel weird doing it even though it’s the intended purpose.

I have used a free orchard thing before and I donate each time. My goal is reducing food waste and I am fortunate enough not to need to save the money just now so my theory is that if I use the food ‘and’ donate I can cover both issues at the same time.

I volunteer at our local food bank and that’s an entirely different thing and you need a referral.

He goes once a week and presumably after work so other people have had a chance to take food first. We do this around Christmas when they are given more food than they can use and it would go to landfill otherwise, there is only so much bread and veg even the poor can eat.

We donate often to the food bank and also to cover the cost of electricity for the fridge. If you feel bad about your husband doing this then donate to the running costs. If you buy your eggs in half dozens then both food banks and community fridges appreciate donations of egg boxes. They may receive eggs in trays when they get any.

We are wealthy and use the community fridge in exactly the way for which it is intended. For everyone to use with the sole purpose of cutting food going to landfill.

I’m a bit on the fence with this one. The more support and use these places get the more likely they are to remain viable.

Our community pantry is both to alleviate food poverty and also eliminate food waste, it does say for everyone but in reality alleviating the food poverty is key,

I’d not take food from it, as I wouldn’t wish to deprive people in need and there are more people in need than there is food. And if he’s in there taking the good stuff, I find that shameful. So yes technically absolutely he can, but would I, no and I’d look dimly at anyone who could afford to buy their own food doing so, unless it was stuff that really was about to go to waste, anyone rushing in and grabbing like your husband I’d feel dimly about.

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

It's part being too proud, part this misguided nonsense about leaving it for the "needy".

You say "us taking the food" which suggests you're eating it. It's not about being "uncomfortable" - he shouldn't be taking food from those who actually need it & if youre eating it too - you should be ashamed if yourself too. Have a moral conscience.

This is on co-op website. It states that anyone can use community fridge. Assume OP’s food pantry is similar

https://www.coop.co.uk/communityfood

I'm assuming it's fresh food? So a bit like I use Olio sometimes - they quite regularly struggle to give the food away! If you use the food, keep going! If nobody takes it, it goes in the bin.

If the goal is to reduce food waste then I think it's fine for him to use it. Anyone who needs it is welcome to go and get it too.

I dont buy reduced items if I can afford full price. There have been times that reduced stuff has been the difference between a decent meal and not.

There was a guy who came in to the supermarket I worked in during Covid and would moan at the staff if the reductions hadnt been done at exactly the right time and then he would wait as we did it and buy it all. He is a very multi millionaire as he sold his large national business in 2000's, the sale made the national news. Another local told us that he gives it to his family if he doesnt eat it and a lot of it gets binned (think she was friends with his son or daughter or something) Got to the stage were we would put a little bit out and then when he had gone, put the rest out. Nothing got wasted but it was a small place (larger than a Tesco express but not by much) and we knew that a lot of our regulars were on low incomes. Yes he had as much right as anyone else to buy it, but fuck me he could buy my house in cash and not notice.

Hmm, I would not like this. Is he tight in other ways?

Tell him to voluntèer there. I volunteer at ours. It's a foodshare. It's for everyone. He is right to go, but wrong to brag. Is he normally this unpleasant?

There’s an app for this - TooGoodToGo. Works pretty much the same, to reduce waste.

Totally depends. There is a big difference between a food bank and a charity that aim is to reduce food waste -ours specifically says that they need people to use it who wouldn't need a food bank as they have so much stock from supermarkets etc. eg currently multiple pallets of squash etc..

You could check if they often have plenty to go around. If not then leave it for someone else.

I love that app, but what you get can be so random.
I once had a 3 trays of cake from a Costa bag. 12 pieces of Rocky Road cake was one lot. I did actually go round town and hand them out to people.
I had a Greggs bag... walked out with 2 massive bags.

lol at the people who don’t understand the difference between a community pantry and a food bank

But who is the "someone else"?
Seriously.... they are for ANYONE.

Its not about not understanding, its about being aware that especially right now there are a lot of people who need it more. Its the moral issue.

That said, if the OP is in a well heeled area where there aren't many on or below the poverty line, they probably aren't saving much from waste as I dont suppose many are using it so the DH isnt going to be hurting anyone. But if they live in a place similar to where I live, where there are extremes at both ends, then no I dont think that a family with two high earning parents should be using it.

@PyongyangKipperbang but the "moral" is that food that's perfectly fine for consumption doesn't get chucked in the bin.

It doesnt sound like it is a food bank. Why don't you go along one day with him and have a chat with the people there.
It sounds like more of the freegan movement than a food bank for low income families. You might find that there isnt any low income people using it, that it is a genuine green movement type thing. Equally, you might find out it is a lifeline for people on the breadline, in which case you can make a strong case for him to stop going there.
I think, unless you go along and see for yourself then you will just go round im circles.

It's not a food bank. It's a community pantry and the object is to reduce food waste. If your husband was clamouring over queues of starving and struggling people to get to that food, that would be different. But I also think you'd have mentioned it were this the case.

The pantry is open to the entire community. I would be careful not to take more than my fair share, but I don't see anything inherently unethical in your husband making use of a service marketed to the community.

Where you stand on higher tax payers taking advantage of yellow sticker food items, 3 for 1 offers or charity shops, OP?

The one in our village is to reduce food waste and raise funds for the community centre who do a fantastic job of supporting elderly in our community. So the supermarket donates the food that would otherwise go to landfill to the community centre. If you are struggling then help yourself but if you can afford it then pop a donation in the box towards the community centre. They are always posting on fb to come and use it so I assume there’s plenty to go round. It’s a win win situation. Provides food, raises money and stops waste but it will only work if people use it and support it otherwise it will go.

If its a community pantry like ours it's open to all but they ask for donations to help with running costs. In your position I'd either make him donate or I'd donate and let him keep going and getting his "bargains".