Sushi's Mom Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 My daughter has $30 to spend on items to donate to a food pantry. What are generally the most needed items? I figured: peanut butter, pasta & sauce, tuna, canned veggies (which kind, I don't liked canned so don't know what is popular.) (oh, we'll be shopping at Aldi, if you know of good items there.) Thanks so much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 Baby items. Formula, diapers, baby food. Tolietries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2_girls_mommy Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 Ours always, always, very consistantly :) asks for canned meats and beans and soups that contain meat. They need protein. Peanut butter, tuna, chilis, stews, beans, that kind of thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 (edited) The last food pantry I volunteered for typically gave out: Oatmeal Cereal (you can find coupons for these and get them for around $1 or $1.50/box) Pasta Spaghetti sauce (canned is cheap) Juice Beans (dried or canned, but we worried about people not being able to cook dried beans) Canned fruit (generally, whatever was cheapest) Canned veggies (mostly peas, green beans, carrots and potatoes) Canned meats (this was Hawaii so a lot of spam, but also tuna and chicken) Dry powdered milk (refrigeration is often a problem for people who use food pantries) Rice (we bought this in 25 lb bags and split it up into ziplocs) Eta: rice and beans together make up a complete protein, that is why those are good. Edited again to add: we had a separate ministry that did household items like baby stuff and diapers Edited August 13, 2011 by Mrs Mungo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatmansWife Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 We actually use the food pantry in our town; twice a month. All the items the other posters listed are the kinds of foods that are always there already. We get two bags of food with those items and then we can pick 10 items of our choice off the shelf. It's always a nice surprise to find something new and different on the shelf to pick from; like a jar of pickles, a bag of chocolate chips, Hershey's syrup, really nice soup (canned or the dry soup mixes in bags), Betty Crocker or Pillsbury cake mix, name-brand toothpaste, shampoo/conditioner, laundry soap... When I went this week we were the first in line (my goal each time :001_smile: ). I was excited to get Kraft Parmesan Cheese, Lawry's Seasoned Salt, McCormick Turkey Gravy packets, Ortega Taco Seasoning... (it's nice to get name-brand items!!). A few months ago our family was chosen to get the one and only ham that someone had donated. It was huge and super good (we had ham all week!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enough Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 Ours always, always, very consistantly :) asks for canned meats and beans and soups that contain meat. They need protein. Ditto this. We recently surveyed our food pantry customers about the bags we pack and canned/shelf-stable meat was overwhelmingly needed. Anything from canned cooked chicken and ham to Spam, Vienna sausages, oysters etc. Are you packing bags/giving out food yourself, or is this to donate to a food bank, church, food drive? If it's the latter, I would suggest donating some of the money directly to the organization- because we can shop at the regional food bank (where all those canned food drive donations go), our church can buy $5 worth of food with every $1 that is donated to us. Your money goes a LOT farther if it's donated to an organization that can shop at a food bank vs. paying grocery store prices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 Ours constantly asks for baby items, toiletries (including feminine hygiene items) and canned meats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RahRah Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 I try to get things that are protein - canned tuna, chicken, turkey, meat & bean chili, salmon, etc. - that's always on the food pantry's wish list here. Other items I'll also try to get are baby items - baby foods, wipes, diapers, lotions, diaper cream, orajel, gas drops, etc. When the drug stores have great sales on items I also get lots of toothpaste, razors, toothbrushes, shampoo, conditioner, toilet paper, and other HBA items that are needed (on the wish list for our food pantry) regularly. When we have canned sales here, I'll get cases of green beans, corn, peas, carrots, mixed vegetables, assorted fruits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emzhengjiu Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 (edited) Your daughter is a lovely young girl to do this for others! Since you are shopping at ALDI's, she should be able to get a lot for her money. ALDI's canned chicken is really good. Also for women, consider some tampons and napkins. We had to use a food pantry last winter after I lost my job. I was thrilled to be given some hot chocolate mix. It was definitely not a need, but it made my daughters happy during a rough time. I was happy to have some tea bags. Ann Edited August 13, 2011 by emzhengjiu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myra Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 I always try to get some sort of treat for the kids esp when school starts....things like one serving peaches or apple sauce, granola bars, vitamin water drinks, individual packages of chips or cookies. I look for things that might put a smile on a child's or teen's face - the little extras that their family can't afford right now. Myra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sushi's Mom Posted August 13, 2011 Author Share Posted August 13, 2011 Thanks, everyone! We just got back from the store. Turns out she had $36 in her donation jar, so daddy & I chipped in enough to make $50. Grandpa was going shopping at Price Rite, so we tagged along. They had a lot of good prices on large items. I let my daughter read the responses that had posted before we left, so she could have an idea of things to choose. She got pasta, sauce, fruit, pancake mix & syrup, powdered milk, tuna, soups, pastas w/ meat in a can, dinosaur pasta in a can for kids :) , apple juice, tomato juice, corn flakes, a colorful sweet cereal for kids :) , and a few other things I don't remember. There was a lot. Grandma was also with us and really liked the idea, so she bought some stuff too (parm cheese, gravy mixes, and veggies), then gave it to my daughter to donate. My daughter was so happy. She bought double of each item and packed them in separate bags so she could donate to two different food panties. Drop off locations are at our church and the other at the library ( they are in different towns, 30 minutes apart.) Are you packing bags/giving out food yourself, or is this to donate to a food bank, church, food drive? If it's the latter, I would suggest donating some of the money directly to the organization- because we can shop at the regional food bank (where all those canned food drive donations go), our church can buy $5 worth of food with every $1 that is donated to us. Your money goes a LOT farther if it's donated to an organization that can shop at a food bank vs. paying grocery store prices. Thanks for the info, Enough! I'll keep that in mind for the future. My husband & I usually donate money, this was something for my daughter to do. I think it is still tough for kids at this age to just give money; it doesn't mean as much because they don't see where it is going. It hits home more for her to be able to count out her money, then go to the store. She can see how much things cost and understand how difficult it is for people to be able to afford enough to eat. It keeps her motivated to want to put her money in her donation jar. Our girl's group used to do a donation activity every year that the girls really enjoyed participating in. The girls would do odd jobs to earn money, then they would buy rice, diapers, and sometimes laundry soap. We would all get together, dump all the rice in big bowls, then the girls would scoop one or two cups of rice into a ziplock baggie. Then they would put 5 diapers into paper lunch bags, and if we were doing laundry soap, they would put a cup into a zip bag. The next day they would bring it all to an inner city convent that had a food pantry. The girls would carry the items into the pantry and the nun would give them a tour and explained how the pantry was run. Most of the time the shelves were pretty empty, so the girls felt good about helping out. If you are wondering why the items were separated out, this is what the nun told us. Because the convent was in such a terrible neighborhood, they had to give out small quantities of items, so they could stretch it. If they gave too much, some of the people would use a bit and sell the rest to get drug money. Unfortunately, because it was in such a bad neighborhood, the church had very few people going to it and had to be closed down, so we cannot donate there anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UnsinkableKristen Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 Oh what a WONDERFUL idea. I know our local food pantries are really low right now and need donations. The kids would LOVE to help pick stuff out!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denise in Florida Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 Nutrious and Gluten Free When I specifically pick up food for the food pantry I try to get gluten free items. Rice, good quality oatmeal (cheap stuff is over cross contaminated), good quality broth (again cheap ones use seasoning and coloring additives than may contain gluten), tuna, quinoa, lentils, etc. Since I can not use tems with gluten or possible cross contamination when my older dd is home I have come to realize how much of the cheap shelf stable stuff is non-gf. I also try to add as much nutrition value as possible: whole grain rice, buckwheat (does not contain gluten), lentils, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 My MIL is the director of a food pantry, and says that all the above are great items. If they take fresh foods (not all pantries do), she thinks that's a treat. Another highly sought after treat item is coffee. Even instant. It's not a necessity, but a treat. Toiletries are great, too. Your daughter has inspired me, I think we're overdo for a shopping trip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen in PA Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 Your daughter sounds so wonderful and generous! I just wanted to add that ALDI tends to have amazing prices on canned salmon, evaporated milk, spices, mandarin oranges, and pepperoni, in addition to the non-perishables already mentioned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sushi's Mom Posted August 14, 2011 Author Share Posted August 14, 2011 Yes, the food pantries are low right now. More people in need than usual, plus it is not near the holidays, which is when the big food drives occur. My husband reminded me that it is the summer and parents have to provide more food right now. When the kids are in school, they will get breakfast & lunch free at school. School doesn't start for a few more weeks. I think I will start a project with my daughter. I'll have her make up a list, organizing items into categories, things that are nutritious, but inexpensive, treats, toiletries, etc. When we were in the store, she wanted to make sure she got items for every meal, starting with breakfast. Interestingly, the aisles were sort of set up that way. We talked about prices & value, nutrition (she likes to read nutrition labels), etc. We didn't have a lot of time, so couldn't go into it as in depth as we would have liked. She already knows a lot about nutrition. She kept wanting to buy fresh veggies and refrigerated items. I don't know where the food pantries are that give out these types of items. Anyway, the food pantries around here can get free produce from the grocery. My friend worked in the produce department of the local grocery two years ago. They are more high-end than the others. She said it would make you sick the amount of perfectly good produce they throw away every day. She said they build it into their prices to have to throw out a certain amount. Pretty much they only keep the perfect stuff out for sale. She told me that every day she would pack up the less-than-perfect produce and put it in the back area. The food pantries and soup kitchens are welcome to come and get it for free, but if nobody comes for it, it gets thrown away in a day or two. She said it was amazing that nobody would come to pick it up. She wanted to take some home for her family but would get fired for stealing. She said if you didn't mind dumpster diving, you could get some awesome stuff. They also threw away perfectly good items that didn't sell, one item from a pack was broken but the rest still good, display pieces such as nice platters, etc. My husband & I were talking about that yesterday, wondering why the food isn't being picked up. Do the people that go to the food pantries not want the produce, is there nobody to pick it up, or does the pantry not want to be bothered with storing and keeping it up? We decided that I would contact a some of the food pantries and find out. If it is a transportation issue, picking it up and delivering it to the food pantry is something my daughter and I can do once a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sushi's Mom Posted August 14, 2011 Author Share Posted August 14, 2011 Oh, another quick question. Do you think the food panties will accept items that are not in their original box, but are individually wrapped? I am talking about granola bars. They have the expiration date on each wrapper, as well as the nutrition info. I have seen them sold at convenience stores this way, so I'm thinking it is ok? (we have some bars that my daughter won't eat. She is picky and I keep trying to find things she will eat; she tries one and won't eat the rest. I used to eat them but I'm now diabetic and cannot. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TammyinTN Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 What a sweet thing for your daughter to do. Awesome job!:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 My husband & I were talking about that yesterday' date=' wondering why the food isn't being picked up. Do the people that go to the food pantries not want the produce, is there nobody to pick it up, or does the pantry not want to be bothered with storing and keeping it up? We decided that I would contact a some of the food pantries and find out. If it is a transportation issue, picking it up and delivering it to the food pantry is something my daughter and I can do once a week.[/quote'] The problem is smaller food banks is storage and refrigeration. The last food book where I worked only had a small amount of storage (it was in my church, which was a small church). I did a lot of the shopping and generally dropped the food off on the day it was to be packed and given away. We had no refrigeration. We definitely did not know about any programs like the one you mention, but it would have been tricky to arrange it all for just the right day in our case. The Hawaii food bank (much bigger) did things a lot differently, my neighbors helped with that food bank and constantly brought home extra produce that they didn't manage to give away on pickup day because they could not store it either. Oh' date=' another quick question. Do you think the food panties will accept items that are not in their original box, but are individually wrapped? I am talking about granola bars. They have the expiration date on each wrapper, as well as the nutrition info. I have seen them sold at convenience stores this way, so I'm thinking it is ok? (we have some bars that my daughter won't eat. She is picky and I keep trying to find things she will eat; she tries one and won't eat the rest. I used to eat them but I'm now diabetic and cannot. Thanks![/quote'] It is going to depend upon a particular organization's rules. For example, the poster who needs GF items? She needs the items to be labelled for individual sale with a full ingredient list. That is why some don't take things like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobela Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 Yes' date=' the food pantries are low right now. More people in need than usual, plus it is not near the holidays, which is when the big food drives occur. My husband reminded me that it is the summer and parents have to provide more food right now. When the kids are in school, they will get breakfast & lunch free at school. School doesn't start for a few more weeks. Some schools in our area are able to continue providing free and reduced meals thru the summer to the kids. Probably not enough though. I think I will start a project with my daughter. I'll have her make up a list, organizing items into categories, things that are nutritious, but inexpensive, treats, toiletries, etc. When we were in the store, she wanted to make sure she got items for every meal, starting with breakfast. Interestingly, the aisles were sort of set up that way. We talked about prices & value, nutrition (she likes to read nutrition labels), etc. We didn't have a lot of time, so couldn't go into it as in depth as we would have liked. She already knows a lot about nutrition. She kept wanting to buy fresh veggies and refrigerated items. I don't know where the food pantries are that give out these types of items. Anyway, the food pantries around here can get free produce from the grocery. My friend worked in the produce department of the local grocery two years ago. They are more high-end than the others. She said it would make you sick the amount of perfectly good produce they throw away every day. She said they build it into their prices to have to throw out a certain amount. Pretty much they only keep the perfect stuff out for sale. She told me that every day she would pack up the less-than-perfect produce and put it in the back area. The food pantries and soup kitchens are welcome to come and get it for free, but if nobody comes for it, it gets thrown away in a day or two. She said it was amazing that nobody would come to pick it up. She wanted to take some home for her family but would get fired for stealing. She said if you didn't mind dumpster diving, you could get some awesome stuff. They also threw away perfectly good items that didn't sell, one item from a pack was broken but the rest still good, display pieces such as nice platters, etc. Our local grocery stores donate that food to a local therapeutic program that has foster care children caring for animals. Most of the animals love the produce and it keeps the costs down for the program. Not to mention the kids love giving the animals 'treats'. My husband & I were talking about that yesterday, wondering why the food isn't being picked up. Do the people that go to the food pantries not want the produce, is there nobody to pick it up, or does the pantry not want to be bothered with storing and keeping it up? We decided that I would contact a some of the food pantries and find out. If it is a transportation issue, picking it up and delivering it to the food pantry is something my daughter and I can do once a week. What a great thing if you could pick up and deliver the food. One pantry here accepts produce, but only because someone donated large refrigerators. In an empty lot by a friend, some men grow a huge garden for another food pantry. They had to change what they grew this year though because no one wanted things like greens or okra. Some even refused fresh squash and beans. Apparently some don't know how to cook them so another group is trying to design cooking classes using those ingredients that are cheap to grow and provide lots of nutrition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sushi's Mom Posted August 14, 2011 Author Share Posted August 14, 2011 It's amazing how much stuff we throw away because we cannot figure out how to organize it all. It's too bad the soup kitchens cannot get that stuff. They are cooking daily, why not get this stuff and serve it up daily. The people who eat there would be receiving much more nutritious food. I guess I get easily disturbed by wastefulness. When people take stuff to GoodWill, they will sometimes throw away perfectly good items, items I know other organizations are looking for. Why can't all of these organizations in a geographical area work it it to get these items to each other. For instance, goodwill can give the household items they don't want to the group that helps refugees set up a home, and the clothing they don't want could go to the organizations that give away clothing. Instead they just put it all in a dumpster. It just seems we could have some central kinds of charities that get the resources and distribute them to the organizations that need them. My friend was telling me about her church doing a project with inner city school kids, and talking about needing funding. I got upset because there are other groups doing the exact same thing, in the same area. None of the groups have enough money on their own to make a decent program, but if they all worked together, they could have an awesome program. It's never going to happen though. Can you tell I like efficiency and good use of resources?! :) I guess I'll just keep dreaming and praying. Maybe in 2000 years people will figure it all out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 My husband & I were talking about that yesterday' date=' wondering why the food isn't being picked up. Do the people that go to the food pantries not want the produce, is there nobody to pick it up, or does the pantry not want to be bothered with storing and keeping it up? We decided that I would contact a some of the food pantries and find out. If it is a transportation issue, picking it up and delivering it to the food pantry is something my daughter and I can do once a week.[/quote'] Storage for their recipients might be an issue. Even if the food pantry can refrigerate the produce to make it last longer, the recipients might not be able to do so. But still, it seems so unfortunate that produce is being thrown away because there's nobody to pick it up and take it to the food pantries! That is a great idea for you to contact them and ask if you could pick it up once a week. Sounds like it could be a great project to organize people to do that so that every night, the store would have someone to take leftover produce to food pantries (you might see if non-profit groups could also pick it up; there is a place around here that allows non-profit groups to pick up the daily leftovers for their members to use -- I think that is such a wonderful blessing to the community and so ecologically responsible too). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.