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.

Why?
He is using it in the way it's designed for.

People calling OP's husband 'vile' need to chill out, it's not a food bank and he's as entitled as anyone else to use it.

I wouldn't do it personally - I'm not a bargain hunter - but it's hardly crime of the century.

I'd feel a little differently if it was a high food poverty area and the pantry was struggling to provide for everyone, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

OP, why not suggest your husband makes a regular donation to a nearby food bank to balance the moral books? Or just do it yourself. Or even better, volunteer.

I think most people are missing the point of a community pantry. They aren't food banks. They provide free or affordable food to everyone, so that people genuinely access a diverse community and don't need to feel any shame or judgement in using them. You don't need to be referred. You don't need to be in need. There won't be any questions.

So, yes they do help people in economic hardship. But they wouldn't be anything like a community pantry if people like your partner didn't use them.

He's not doing anything wrong.

Sorry but pride doesnt fill your belly and refusing to eat free food is ridiculous unless there is a real diagnosed issue. You said "refuse" so I am going to take that to mean that he is picky and fussy.

What I woulld like to know is why you are acting like a mum of a student at uni, to a grown man perfectly able to sort himself out.

ETA....you didnt say he refused, you said he "wouldnt" not that he "couldnt" which me still sounds like picky.

I disagree, I volunteer for both food banks and community larder type things. Very different!

In my early 20's I lived in Cambridge, and at one point had a flat just around the corner from Waitrose. My boyfriend at the time was friends with a guy who worked security there, and he used to text us when they were putting the reduced label stuff out. He wasn't allowed to buy anything while he was on duty so we'd grab whatever he wanted as well and he'd pick it up after work.

I remember getting 70 quids' worth of stuff for £11 once, including a jar of Heston's vanilla mayo. Best day of my life!

Really depends on supply and demand, if there is enough food for everyone then he is reducing waste, if he's not taking food from someone else who needs it, I don't see the issue.

You are responding to things I havent said!

The next town along to me has several pantries that regularly run out, great. But there is one that is always on FB posting about how much they have left, please just come and help yourself. We are talking less than a mile between that one (v well off area) and the ones that run out. But they are run by different parishes/community groups. If the one that has too much closed, those donations could be diverted and more food waste would be prevented.

@JaceLancs he didn't have to take the random foods he wouldn't eat.
He should have said something and they would have tried to swap a few things (obviously depending on what they had).

That's a great idea in theory, but for banks and community fridges are usually completely separate organising run by different people, giving away completely different things, for different purposes.

One is to help those in need, and they give away specific things usually to those who have been referred. They will give away items that can easily make up meals (sometimes they do special packs for folk living in temporary accommodation without a fridge or cooker, so lots of dried rehydratable things).

I'm contrast the community fridge places are too get rid of random food surplus that would otherwise go to landfill. Its usually fresh, short date things. I popped into our local one for a look and they practically begged me to to take a tray of yogurts that 'go off at midnight'.

There's not a lot of overlap in the kind of things they give away. The community fridge/pantry want any people to take the stuff or it ends up in landfill.

But in that theory wouldn't the "well off" people just go to one in the less well off area?
In fact they'd be likely to be more able too because they probably have cars.
Edit: sorry. I might have misunderstood.
Do you mean they should just move where the pantry is to somewhere else?

Well yes they could and I am sure some would, but the reality is that if it isnt something that is on the way home, or just around corner then most wouldnt.

But it would go some way to equalise the balance.

The random stuff comment reminds me when I was service user at a local MH charity. Our local M&S donated a load of "food" for us "poor ill folks".
We were actually excited to see what it was.
It was about 30 cartons of fresh oat milk, due to expire that day. And about £200 worth of sliced prosciutto ham.

To be honest though wherever a pantry is based will be easier or harder for different people to access depending on where they live.
Either people can get to it or they can't.
If it moved premises then it will still be that some people can get there and others can't.

If the aim of the pantry is to cut food waste though, surely the more people that turn up to collect food the better? If everyone stayed away because they thought they weren't deserving enough and didn't need it, it'd end up in the bin.

There’s one near us for food waste. I use it all the time. Often they can’t get rid of all the bread and it has to go to the farm for the pigs, or worse, go in the bin. They want it gone and have specifically said it is not a good bank. On paper my family is doing great but the treats we get from the food stall (stuff from Gail’s or Lidl that would otherwise go in the bin) has really saved my budget and helped me use the money on better, healthier things for my family. I think it’s fine.

There should be a limit on how much people take especially if there are large numbers to cater for.

There is. My local one limits you to 5 items.

I fully support any effort to cut food waste. If the pantry is genuinely open to all and marketed as a kind of eco shop then it's fine for your husband to pick up stuff from there. HOWEVER, in my opinion, morally he should be donating a significant chunk of savings he's making to a foodbank or other charity to support people who are struggling to feed themselves. That way, everyone benefits: food waste is cut, a foodbank/other charity that helps people struggling with paying for food gets extra cash/donations, and your husband can save a few quid here and there.

My partner also gets free food most weeks from community food hall which is open to everyone and is for the sole purpose of cutting food waste. However he also volunteers for them driving to the supermarkets, collecting and delivering the food to the halls. Maybe your partner can help out and volunteer to do this once a week?

We have a local surplus food club, it's a totally different set-up from the food banks, its sole purpose is to try to reduce food waste & there are no restrictions on who uses it other than you sign up for just one visit per week.
I've lived way out in the boondocks & know that rural poverty is real so understand why you may be getting the ick, but if the scheme is about preventing food waste, it's not restricted to eg; people on benefits, he isn't going in there & clearing the shelves of the good stuff, & doesn't waste his purchases, it seems OK.

I have never heard of a community food waste pantry but it sounds like a good idea.

Again, answering questions no one asked.

The facts you state are not in question. Obviously its easier with a car and harder without one. Obviously if they moved that might exclude some but then extend it to others. I didnt say anything about cars or indeed moving premises.

So what is your point?

My point was that a pantry that regularly throws food away because no one locally needs it is a waste of time money and food (rent will usually have to be paid). But closing that one and diverting the donations to another pantry further away but still in the same town, that has a lot of users would mean that more people who can access it and need help would therefore mean a) far less food waste and b) more people who need it can get help.

They are. Is worth seeing if there is one local to you. There probably will be.

Community pantries/community fridges are NOT food banks. They are eco projects to avoid food surplus ( generally fruit, veg, bread and 'use by' chilled products going to waste.

I volunteer at one and it's open to all. We are aware of some families in particular need, and do keep some of the food back for them so that the early birds don't end up with all the good stuff. We also have a maximum weight allowance, so no-one can go off with a big bag load.

There is nothing vile about anyone coming along to our community fridge to help prevent this food ending up in landfill.