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Original poster

food banks collecting in supermarkets

225 replies

TotallySociallyInept · 30/11/2014 17:18

I popped into a supermarket on my way home. Not in the town I usually shop. This town is notorious for it very wealthy residents the whole area is. There was someone collecting for the food bank in the foyer. Lots of people took a list leaflet (they didn't have to, the fb person wasn't in the way or holding them out to people) I took one too. As I went round I tried to get as much as I could afford for the bank. In the past I have come very close to needing a fb. So my heart goes out to people and families that need them especially near Xmas. I'm not at all well off now. But I felt I could do this even if I may regret it later on in the month. I spent about £25-30. I take ages to shop. So when I came to hand over 3 bags to the bank, I was shocked to see the trolleys almost as empty as I went in and the fb person surprised I was giving him bags instead of 1 or 2 items. I wondered if this was normal? if they collect in less affluent areas, do they get more donations because people have more empathy? Or is just me?

OP posts:
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amidaiwish · 30/11/2014 20:14

i only ever buy what they specifically ask for
tomorrow the kids are bringing into school (for the food bank collection) a jar of coffee, carton of cranberry juice (will go for diluted squash next time though the list said long life juice) and a tin of rice pudding. glad to hear rice puddings are popular.

KnackeredMuchly · 30/11/2014 20:15

For the first time last week I went round and bought a lot for the local foodbank. They were so grateful I had tears in my eyes. I was also astonished at how cheap my shop came in as I bought a lot of basics.

However OP - it would be much better for the foodbanks if people gave a little every week, rather than a lot sporadically. They need to manage their stocks.

Funny as I went round with a bit of "pre-Christmas" thoughts in my head, I couldn't help but think back to my Mum who used to do a big spring clean just before Christmas, I threw some cleaning products into the shop. I hope they were wanted too.

Nomama · 30/11/2014 20:15

You can donate cash to many. Have a look at their website and see what they say about it. Our local church does not, a bigger church next town over does.

The big banks are all charities and, I think, have standing orders and gift aid arrangements on line.

OneDayWhenIGrowUp · 30/11/2014 20:16

I tend to do a specific foodbank shop every few months, but that's because I don't go to the supermarket often as I get most of my food delivered.

After reading on here (I think) that sometimes people who need to use the foodbank might have very limited cooking facilities/equiment/basic ingredients, and in those circumstances things like dried pasta might not be that useful. I try to think about the meals you could make with my donations. I get things like those tinned meals like curries, minces, meatballs etc, and microwaveable packets of rice/pasta to go with them. Also things like those pots of porridge you just have to add hot water to (might not have milk for cereal). Treat things like biscuits or snack bars. And things like sanpro, toothpaste, shampoo etc.

Actually this thread has reminded me I haven't done one for a few months, and I have time this week so thanks for the reminder to sort out a fb shop!

mymummademelistentoshitmusic · 30/11/2014 20:22

There seems to be a lot of smuggery on here 'I buy a couple of bags' affluent looking people 'rummaging through their bags for the one tin they've bought'.
If that's how you view people that don't buy more and live up to your standards then I'm not surprised people will ignore rather than be sneered at. Giving isn't competitive. Neither does it make you better than anyone else.
This thread has quite distasteful overtones.

mymummademelistentoshitmusic · 30/11/2014 20:23

Sorry I should have added - my previous post isn't aimed at everybody on here.

stubbornstains · 30/11/2014 20:28

The food bank lists always have me wringing my hands, because although I know that's what lots of people want to eat when they're on their uppers, it is so dissimilar to what I used to buy when I only had a fiver a week to spend on food! I do manage to stop myself buying potatoes, lentils, etc, because I know most people won't want it, so I try and compromise with the following:

Peanut butter (the thinking here is that if you're really stuck you can just eat it out of the jar, and it's filling and nutritious too), tinned sardines, oatcakes (again, nice to eat just on their own if you're stuck), toilet roll, toothpaste and/or bars of value chocolate.

^Are these all OK, food bank people?

Helenagrace · 30/11/2014 20:34

I gave a box of weetabix yesterday. I hoped you wouldn't have sneered at me OP as what you wouldn't have seen is the ten pound note I put in their collecting pot the day before - to pay for fuel for the food bank van.

CornChips · 30/11/2014 20:35

I make a point of buying an item- yes a single item- every time I shop. But I work from home, and shop every day for the day, on the way home from the morning school run, so it adds up to about £ 7 pounds or so a week of goods I donate. At my local co-op I was in quite late one day, and saw the full fb trolley being taken away and made a comment to the check out guy and he said 'Oh yes, we have to empty it at least once a day'. We are in an 'affluent' area I guess, according to postcode, but it is a total mix of affluent and non-affluent people- fancy detached houses with land mixed with very cramped LA housing. This week I also saw someone buy and donate about 15 advent calendars and celebrations chocolates and today when I donated the tub was full of little teddies and sticker books all for Christmas I guess.

Bunbaker · 30/11/2014 20:39

"I do manage to stop myself buying potatoes, lentils, etc, because I know most people won't want it,"

I imagine anyone on their uppers won't want foods that use a lot of gas/electricity to cook so things like tinned food and packets of instant mash will be appreciated more. You could buy tinned lentils and tinned potatoes or instant mash instead.

marne2 · 30/11/2014 20:40

I went to Asda today and the food bank thing was almost full, there was also a sign asking for 'no more beans, pasta or cereal' though people were still putting them in as they didn't see the sign until they had bought the items. Most are usually full here, I do think they should do more to remind people as they go into the supermarket to pick up something extra to go in the food bank, I often forget, I find shopping quite stressful so it's not something I'm thinking about whilst I'm shopping.

FullOfChoc · 30/11/2014 20:44

I have a direct debit to give £5 a month, as I know they can buy more with the money if they buy in bulk. Perhaps some people will do that and took the leaflet to remind them.

LegoAdventCalendar · 30/11/2014 20:46

'The food bank lists always have me wringing my hands, because although I know that's what lots of people want to eat when they're on their uppers, it is so dissimilar to what I used to buy when I only had a fiver a week to spend on food! I do manage to stop myself buying potatoes, lentils, etc, because I know most people won't want it, so I try and compromise '

Power and gas have shot up in price in the past few years, so although you see it as 'they should be eating like I did' the truth is that many people don't have the power or gas to cook dried pulses. Most foodbanks also cannot take perishable goods like potatoes.

But yeah, go for tinned ones as bun suggests. Tinned fruits are nice, too.

Nomama · 30/11/2014 20:48

Buy tins of potatoes, lentils in sauce maybe. You really do have to consider the microwave might be the only working/affordable appliance in the kitchen.

I did a class on noodles a while ago, and cheap pasta. Turns out you can cook some types in a cup of tea's worth of water and then finish of a meal in the micro for 2 minutes. Good for economy and appliances, most people have a kettle and microwave.

Maybe I should have a re-think and do some nights on tins of potatoes, lentils and other less usual but really cheap ingredients.

Oh, that doesn't make sense... I run cookery classes for dad's who use the foodbank. Dad's because there are a lot of them round here and no-one else seems to cater for them (sorry about the pun).

MrsDeVere · 30/11/2014 20:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Nerf · 30/11/2014 20:56

That video is ridiculous. The guys asking are well cared for and wearing OCK TV jumpers, and not in any way similar to genuinely homeless people. And then the guy asking the homeless guy is also wearing the same branded item. I suspect some kind of staging. Especially as the woman does a double take and turns to watch.

Becca19962014 · 30/11/2014 20:58

I donate a box of dried dog food when it is on offer (I noticed it goes more than half price every month or so and lasts ages) as I know our food bank really struggles to get things like that as people often forget food banks also help with assistance dogs/pets.

I get a lot of Confused looks!!

Original poster
TotallySociallyInept · 30/11/2014 21:07

Ok, I've just got back, I haven't had chance to read all the posts yet. But couple stood out so.
I don't think or its wasn't ment as a judgey post. I was wondering.....and many people here have answered my question. With the trolleys are kept half full and so on and by some post it is not a case of affluent/non affluent. It's quite random. Also I have admitted I wouldn't give 3 bags if it was weekly. I'm well aware that there are people in affluent areas who are struggling too but to the outside world look like they are sitting pretty.
The place were I went didn't have the fb last week, and it isn't just an affluent town it is a very wealthy town, every shop is a batique with dresses of upwards of £350.
There maybe some people struggling but on a whole there is a lot of money there. Which brings us back to my wondering.
I am sorry if some found it judgey. But this threat has answered my questions and also given me ideas as to how I can regularly help too.

OP posts:
tshirtsuntan · 30/11/2014 21:15

The supermarket I use has a yellow wheelie bin there permanently, everytime I have opened it to donate it's full of Sad rubbish. Puts me off because I assume it's not emptied. I'm not affluent by any stretch of the imagination but would happily donate 3for 2 and bogofs I got while shopping.

marsybum · 30/11/2014 21:19

I helped out our local food bankon Friday, asking for donations and handing leaflets to those on thier way in, I have a new admiration for those who do it all the time ( I did it for my companies donate a day) some people were lovely, like the couple who bought the full list or the lovely man who brought me a cup of tea, but some were downright horrible, like the woman who started shouting at me that she had 7 children and worked so I should work too rather than begging,or the one who practically screamed in my face she didn't believe in food banks and charity begins at home I should be donating to her!

AlwaysHoldingOnToStars · 30/11/2014 21:45

That's horrible marsybum

A couple of years ago we were on benefits and so close to having to use food banks (probably should have done but I didn't know there was one here.) I saw the trolleys at the front of Tesco yesterday and decided to fill a bag up for them. Not pasta though as they had 3 trollies and were mainly full of pasta!

I bought some tinned fruit, rice pudding, UHT milk, squash, soup, rice and tinned sauce, instant noodles (they were our saviour when we needed them) cornflakes, biscuits and some chocolates. Most of it was tesco value brand (which I still buy for us anyway, as most of it is decent) Cost me £6.30.

I would have no problem with doing that every week, though it's only the second time I've seen them collecting. I might look into dropping it off at our local one weekly.

Xmasbaby11 · 30/11/2014 21:54

People may not give to food banks because they already give to charity in other ways. They may feel they do their bit in other ways.

GarlicGiftsAndGlitter · 30/11/2014 22:09

Community centres, churches, council offices and libraries often collect. It's a bit mad that online supermarkets don't offer the facility but, if you can get the address & opening times of a collection point, you could order a delivery to them :)

Ragwort · 30/11/2014 22:13

To those who asked - yes, cash (donations) are very welcome.

Quite honestly, our local FB is currently fit to bursting with very generous donations at this time of year .......... but come February we will be nearly empty.

I know people like to think that lentils, pulses etc make good nutritious meals but these are just not the sort of things that are needed.

Comito · 30/11/2014 22:14

If no-one's mentioned it already, sanitary products are a good item to contribute.

I wish my local supermarkets would have donation points.