PSA: If you donate food...

[joannqn]

Please check the expiration dates and consider if the intended recipients can use the item(s).

 

Our church just had their annual food drive to collect food for the school's Backpacks for Homeless Students program (we meet at a high school and support the school in various ways). We leafleted two neighborhoods served by the school one weekend and collected donations the next weekend. We also collected donations from shoppers at two grocery stores.

 

We had a great response, getting the food shown in the attached photo, $500 in cash donations, and $300 in gift cards. What the school can't use will go to a larger Backpacks for Homeless Students serving a wide area.

 

Today my older kids and I volunteered at the school sorting through donations. We found expired food that can't be used. At least two people donated entire bags of nothing but expired foods.

 

We also found food that won't be very useful to the students. (We provided a list of the types of foods needed.) When you are couch surfing or using a shelter's microwave, you just don't have the means to prepare things like dried beans or prepared foods that require a bunch of extra ingredients they don't have access to (think butter, oil, ground beef, etc.)

 

As much as many of us hate to think of prepared prepacked foods, these kids need exactly that. They need Easy Mac, Banquet Homestyle Meals (they include everything needed including canned meat), Ramen, canned spaghettios or chili, and snack foods.

 

Overall, the response from the community was awesome, but some donations left me :glare: or :001_huh: or :confused:.

[Paige]

When I started volunteering for a food bank, I set aside a bunch of expired food that I was sorting to show the person in charge. He told me they frequently give out expired foods- it's the bulk of what they have- and as long as it is packaged and intact, then it is safe. You might want to call your food bank and check on what is accepted and safe before tossing it all. I was told some stores would pull all the expired packaged food and donate it to the food bank so that's why they had a ton of it.

[joannqn]

When I started volunteering for a food bank, I set aside a bunch of expired food that I was sorting to show the person in charge. He told me they frequently give out expired foods- it's the bulk of what they have- and as long as it is packaged and intact, then it is safe. You might want to call your food bank and check on what is accepted and safe before tossing it all. I was told some stores would pull all the expired packaged food and donate it to the food bank so that's why they had a ton of it.

 

The school's health aid, who runs the program, will be going through the expired food to determine which she can use. She was most concerned with items containing meat. But some of the expired items were from 2008 and 2009.

[Pink Fairy]

Yes, I think it depends on exactly how expired it is. But in this litigious society, maybe food banks can't afford the risk of handing out expired food?

 

Anyway, my mom works at our parish food locker, and you would. not. believe. some of the stuff they get. For example, someone dropped off (as in they left in in the vestibule) raw sausage meat, and since there is no refrigeration available it sat out for a day or so. The elderly food locker ladies were all for handing it out anyway, but my mom convinced them otherwise. :blink:

[Jean in Newcastle]

There was a time when food bank food was my only source of food. You would not believe some of the stale stuff that I ate. I mentioned it to the food bank but was basically told that beggars shouldn't be choosers. This was over 20 years ago though and I think that food banks etc. have gotten more careful about that sort of thing.

[happi duck]

Thanks for posting the great reminders!

 

We volunteer at a food bank and some people donate trash...items that are many years expired, opened packages, half empty bottles of shampoo etc. We can't use any of it.

 

I can imagine that a large food bank could use items from a grocery store that pulls expired items right away. There's such a big difference between expired last week and expired in 2005!

[joannqn]

In this case, we were clear that the food was going to a high school, not a food bank, and the kinds of food we needed. I'm sure their needs are a bit different.

 

These kids get breakfast and lunch at school but often have nothing for dinner or over the weekend. They may be sleeping on a different friend's couch every few days or even staying in a shelter. If at a friend's house, they may or may not be fed by the family they are staying with. If not, they usually aren't comfortable enough to ask their friend's parents for the extra ingredients they need to complete a meal (ie. butter and milk for Mac and cheese or hamburger for Hamburger Helper) so they really need stuff that is complete by itself. Sometimes, the students use the food to contribute to the family that is providing the couch.

 

The health aid told me that one of the student's she provides food for uses a teen shelter's microwave as his only means of preparing food. He can only use items that are 100% microwavable and she makes sure he has a container to microwave it with. He returns the container on Monday, and she washes it. I'm trying to get her some of Tupperware's microwave containers.

 

She told me about another student who had eaten nothing but rice for dinner and rice for breakfast because he figured if he didn't eat much, he might be allowed to stay longer at the house where he was, at that time, sleeping.

 

She's currently worried about one student, a 19 year old girl, who is having trouble finding places to stay. She had to drop out of school last year because of her situation. This year, she is trying to graduate, but she's facing having to stay in a shelter in a nearby town (ours has no shelters). The aid is worried about this petite girl handling the rougher kinds of people she'd encounter in an adult shelter. Plus there's the fact that living in the shelter would probably mean she'd be dropping out of school again.

Edited March 6, 2012 by joannqn

[frugalmama]

When I started volunteering for a food bank, I set aside a bunch of expired food that I was sorting to show the person in charge. He told me they frequently give out expired foods- it's the bulk of what they have- and as long as it is packaged and intact, then it is safe. You might want to call your food bank and check on what is accepted and safe before tossing it all. I was told some stores would pull all the expired packaged food and donate it to the food bank so that's why they had a ton of it.

 

This. Our food bank used to give out food up to 1 year expired. Personally myself I'm eating things that expired in 2009, but they are hit or miss for quality.

[Desert Rat]

According to Three Square, canned food can be distributed 6 months to 1 year after the expiration date on the stamp. (I also work for a food pantry.)

I agree about the weird food choices. I always give what I think people will eat.

[Elizabeth in MN]

My general rule for donating food - if I wouldn't eat it then why would I expect someone else to eat it.

[swellmomma]

When I started volunteering for a food bank, I set aside a bunch of expired food that I was sorting to show the person in charge. He told me they frequently give out expired foods- it's the bulk of what they have- and as long as it is packaged and intact, then it is safe. You might want to call your food bank and check on what is accepted and safe before tossing it all. I was told some stores would pull all the expired packaged food and donate it to the food bank so that's why they had a ton of it.

 

 

Sadly this is true. We have used the food bank before, generally we get expired canned and dried foods and wilted veggies and occasionally bread with mold spots. Yum yum give me some. And seriously canned coconut milk, sardines and oysters are not the kind of food a family needing the food bank can actually put to use.

[Pink Fairy]

My general rule for donating food - if I wouldn't eat it then why would I expect someone else to eat it.

 

:iagree:

[Meriwether]

When the Boy Scouts were collecting at our local grocery store, I spent almost an hour looking for things to get. It was hard to think of things that people could eat with little preparation and still get some nutritional benefit. If you try to take possible allergies and tastes into account it is impossible. I don't even remember what all I decided to get. Canned soup. Canned fruit. Canned chicken:ack2: with some prepackaged chicken stuff. Nuts. Juice. Crackers. Cereal bars. Peanut butter. It was nobody's dream menu, but even that took a lot of time for me to decide on. People are probably trying to give good things. Maybe the store could have displays set up on days when you do food drives there. If people had a table of appropriate choices, you might be happier with what comes in.

[nono]

Sadly this is true. We have used the food bank before, generally we get expired canned and dried foods and wilted veggies and occasionally bread with mold spots. Yum yum give me some. And seriously canned coconut milk, sardines and oysters are not the kind of food a family needing the food bank can actually put to use.

 

 

See you are ****ed if you do and ****ed if you don't! Another poster wrote, "If I wouldn't eat it..." Well, I might be one of those folks who donates coconut milk, because well, it makes a lot of prepackaged food taste better than if if is prepared with, say water, or powdered milk. Sardines are packed with flavor, meaning, a little bit goes a long way. And yes, both are foods I eat. They are also foods that certain ethnicities like more than others. So, only "white bread" food should be donated? :confused:

 

Maybe it's because my dh is unemployed, we're not sure we'll be able to keep our present home, and I'm still donating to the food bank that this post simply rubs me the WRONG way. It's quite possible those items were given out of thought and care, or simply to provide variety, and not to tick off any possible recipient.

 

Next week, I guess I'll just give Rice Krispies. I'm sure there's something wrong with that donation too.

[mom2scouts]

Thanks for posting the great reminders!

 

We volunteer at a food bank and some people donate trash...items that are many years expired, opened packages, half empty bottles of shampoo etc. We can't use any of it.

 

I can imagine that a large food bank could use items from a grocery store that pulls expired items right away. There's such a big difference between expired last week and expired in 2005!

 

Our local shelter asks people to donate bottles of half used shampoo or lotion. Many times people will try a brand and not like it and it's still fine for someone else to use.

[stripe]

I think people often use this as an excuse to clean out their cupboard.

[BatmansWife]

A month or so ago when I was at our food pantry there was 1 jar of pickles on the shelf. It was dated "best if used by 2008". :glare: I also notice that lately they've been giving out ziploc bags of sugar (they take a 5 pound bag of sugar and split it up into ziploc bags). I'm not sure if that should be allowed (I have no idea if there are regulations).

[MomatHWTK]

:grouphug:

I think it's probably best to just assume that people are doing the best that they can, those in need and those who give. None of us are always going to get it right.

[ssavings]

Maybe it depends on who you are donating to... here, organizations will take and use anything - expired cans, foods requiring prep, as well as microwavable foods.

[GoVanGogh]

See you are ****ed if you do and ****ed if you don't! Another poster wrote, "If I wouldn't eat it..." Well, I might be one of those folks who donates coconut milk, because well, it makes a lot of prepackaged food taste better than if if is prepared with, say water, or powdered milk. Sardines are packed with flavor, meaning, a little bit goes a long way. And yes, both are foods I eat. They are also foods that certain ethnicities like more than others. So, only "white bread" food should be donated? :confused:

 

Maybe it's because my dh is unemployed, we're not sure we'll be able to keep our present home, and I'm still donating to the food bank that this post simply rubs me the WRONG way. It's quite possible those items were given out of thought and care, or simply to provide variety, and not to tick off any possible recipient.

 

:grouphug:

 

The ladies that receive benefits from the food pantry I volunteer at love searching out the shelves for unusual/different items. They always comment about how many "treasures" they find after the holidays when people have donated pre-made food baskets - you know the type that higher end stores put together and businesses pass out to clients? Those often end up at our food pantry and we break them apart into individual items.

I wouldn't think twice about donating something like coconut milk as it is a good sub for people with dairy allergies and we have a high immigrant population in this area that might know what to do with it.

 

The donated item that always drives me nuts is... Eggs.

At this food pantry - your donated bag of goods goes into a crate on a pallet along with other bags of donated items, then it gets sorted - maybe that day, maybe next week. But always, always those eggs end up at the very bottom of the crate and are crushed. :glare:

[momofkhm]

The donated item that always drives me nuts is... Eggs.

At this food pantry - your donated bag of goods goes into a crate on a pallet along with other bags of donated items, then it gets sorted - maybe that day, maybe next week. But always, always those eggs end up at the very bottom of the crate and are crushed. :glare:

 

But our church works with a ministry that in part does have a food pantry. We are asked to bring in our empty egg cartons. I asked about it once. The pantry sometimes get HUGE cases of eggs, like 3 ft by 5 ft carton with loads and loads of eggs. Then someone sits there and puts the eggs into the cartons we bring in for distribution. The people who come in love it when there are eggs! If we didn't bring in our cartons, they wouldn't have a way of taking them home.

 

I do understand what you are saying though. Putting a single carton of eggs on a pallet isn't very bright.

[stripe]

Here was a story I heard around Thanksgiving about the problems with food donations, according to Katherina Rosqueta of the University of Pennsylvania's Center For High Impact Philanthropy:

http://www.npr.org/2011/11/22/142661882/a-case-for-cash-donations-instead-of-cans

[klmama]

And seriously canned coconut milk, sardines and oysters are not the kind of food a family needing the food bank can actually put to use.

 

I think it depends on the family. Where I live there are a lot of immigrants from Southeast Asia using the food pantry, and they like the coconut milk, water chestnuts, and other items that aren't typical American fare. Of course, our food pantry is set up like a grocery store, so people can pick out what they will actually eat. If you didn't want coconut milk, you wouldn't have to take any.

[ocelotmom]

And seriously canned coconut milk, sardines and oysters are not the kind of food a family needing the food bank can actually put to use.

No, those are foods that many families utilizing food banks are not going to want to put to use, but are wonderful for those who will use them.

 

Sardines are a great source of calcium and good fats. Coconut milk is way more useful than the ubiquitous near/past-expiration dairy products for those who can't eat dairy (that's us - we go through a ton of coconut milk), or for people whose cooking heritage is from somewhere where coconut milk is commonly used. Both can be used without any special equipment or heat - sardines generally don't even need a can opener.

 

There isn't just one type of person who utilizes food banks.

Edited March 6, 2012 by ocelotmom

[Trish]

There's also a difference between "expired" food and a "best by" date. Although I'm not sure how you would sort out between the two.

[swellmomma]

See you are ****ed if you do and ****ed if you don't! Another poster wrote, "If I wouldn't eat it..." Well, I might be one of those folks who donates coconut milk, because well, it makes a lot of prepackaged food taste better than if if is prepared with, say water, or powdered milk. Sardines are packed with flavor, meaning, a little bit goes a long way. And yes, both are foods I eat. They are also foods that certain ethnicities like more than others. So, only "white bread" food should be donated? :confused:

 

Maybe it's because my dh is unemployed, we're not sure we'll be able to keep our present home, and I'm still donating to the food bank that this post simply rubs me the WRONG way. It's quite possible those items were given out of thought and care, or simply to provide variety, and not to tick off any possible recipient.

 

Next week, I guess I'll just give Rice Krispies. I'm sure there's something wrong with that donation too.

 

I am not trying to say anything like that. We tried to use one of the coconut milk, it was rancid. I was referring specifically to the rotten food, the expired food, sardines and oysters are not practical for the vast majority of people using the food bank. expired cans of coconut milk are useless. peanut butter, pasta, sauces, canned soup, etc are more practical. I can not feed my children a dinner of sardines but I can feed them a pot of spaghetti. I am in no way saying it should only be "white bread" type stuff but seriously when the donations being received are little better than the trash out back with a can of sardines to top it off how exactly is a family supposed to fed itself?

[katilac]

:grouphug:

I think it's probably best to just assume that people are doing the best that they can, those in need and those who give. None of us are always going to get it right.

 

:iagree:

 

I am not trying to say anything like that. We tried to use one of the coconut milk, it was rancid. I was referring specifically to the rotten food, the expired food, sardines and oysters are not practical for the vast majority of people using the food bank. expired cans of coconut milk are useless. peanut butter, pasta, sauces, canned soup, etc are more practical. I can not feed my children a dinner of sardines but I can feed them a pot of spaghetti. I am in no way saying it should only be "white bread" type stuff but seriously when the donations being received are little better than the trash out back with a can of sardines to top it off how exactly is a family supposed to fed itself?

 

But, see, here's the problem: in the comments on the linked story, another food bank user stated that canned vegetables and sauces were never going to be used at her house. And many, many people do eat sardines and oysters - oysters are a pretty expensive luxury item! - and both can be used in a variety of ways. Everyone has a different idea of what is useful. I certainly think the best idea is to have it set up for users to choose from the shelf, but I don't know how hard that is to set up.

[Brilliant]

... I also notice that lately they've been giving out ziploc bags of sugar (they take a 5 pound bag of sugar and split it up into ziploc bags). I'm not sure if that should be allowed (I have no idea if there are regulations).

 

Our food bank repackages beans, rice, and baking mix. We have participated in the packaging process. It doesn't seem 100% sanitary to me, but, I'm sure they are meeting all regulations.

 

I'm surprised that so many get their knickers in a knot over the donation of expired foods. Our food bank hands out "expired" food. For perishable foods, they have very strict guidelines. For example, milk can only be 2 days past the "sell by" date. I don't know what the date guidelines are for canned & packaged goods. I know we toss any opened packages. For example, if a box of crackers is crushed, we keep it if the interior bag is OK, but toss it if the bag has a hole.

 

FWIW, when we worked weekly in the sorting of perishable foods, I finally asked if I could take home the 3 & 4- day old milk. It drove me nuts to toss it. I brought home dozens of little cartons of milk during that time. We just sniffed them after opening to make sure they were OK. I only had to throw away 1 or 2 out of the dozens!

 

For anybody who's interested in the topic of food waste & distribution, and a discussion of the dates used on food packages, I highly recommend American Wasteland.

[TravelingChris]

I never give food we wouldn't eat because it is unsafe. Right now, I am giving away food because it contains citric acid or sodium citrate or potassium citrate or actual citrus. Nothing wrong with that for others, just not something I want in my house while I have an allergic daughter. Other times, I have donated food that we didn't want to move, some extras that we bought on sale, or mistakes that we bought- which are edible and safe, just things we don't like. An example may be creamed corn. We never eat that but others do.

 

This past fall, our church listed items that were particularly needed at the food pantry. I took the list and went shopping for them.

 

I guess in a few years, I may need to start looking at expiration dates. As of right now, the oldest food in our house was bought about six months ago:) since we don't move food.

[Renthead Mommy]

 

I guess in a few years, I may need to start looking at expiration dates. As of right now, the oldest food in our house was bought about six months ago:) since we don't move food.

 

Why don't you move your food? If you are going overseas I get that, but we have always moved the unopened/still in the cupboard food.

[swellmomma]

Our food bank repackages beans, rice, and baking mix. We have participated in the packaging process. It doesn't seem 100% sanitary to me, but, I'm sure they are meeting all regulations.

 

I'm surprised that so many get their knickers in a knot over the donation of expired foods. Our food bank hands out "expired" food. For perishable foods, they have very strict guidelines. For example, milk can only be 2 days past the "sell by" date. I don't know what the date guidelines are for canned & packaged goods. I know we toss any opened packages. For example, if a box of crackers is crushed, we keep it if the interior bag is OK, but toss it if the bag has a hole.

 

FWIW, when we worked weekly in the sorting of perishable foods, I finally asked if I could take home the 3 & 4- day old milk. It drove me nuts to toss it. I brought home dozens of little cartons of milk during that time. We just sniffed them after opening to make sure they were OK. I only had to throw away 1 or 2 out of the dozens!

 

For anybody who's interested in the topic of food waste & distribution, and a discussion of the dates used on food packages, I highly recommend American Wasteland.

 

The food banks out here do not give milk etc, the only "fresh" items you get is the wilty veggies and the occasional bread. My knickers are in a knot about it because I am not talking about items that are a few days or even a week expired. I am talking about items that are 1-4 YEARS expired. Those foods are not safe to consume imo, many have completely spoiled (did you know graham cracker crumbs turn rancid and stink very badly).

 

I am one that follows the thoughts of if I wouldn't eat it I wouldn't donate it. I do not take that in terms of food preferences but in food safety. If I feel I will not serve an item to my own family because it is passed the expiration date than I certainly would not donate that item kwim Perfectly good food that I would not serve my family due to preferences or allergies I would have no problem donating.

[A.Balaban]

In my area, there is a scratch and dent store that sells expired food. We eat it when we have to. The only things I have had that I don't eat are snack foods (they are usually stale) but we have eaten just about everything else expired... I think expired is not always the best measure. I mean, prescriptions expire after a year but they are usually good for much longer. All in how you look at it...

[akmommy]

Maybe the store could have displays set up on days when you do food drives there. If people had a table of appropriate choices, you might be happier with what comes in.

 

:iagree: last Thanksgiving and Christmas one of the local stores had prepared bags priced at varying amounts that people could choose to purchase and donate. You might see if you could arrange something sinilar for a future drive and see how it works.

 

Also the local organization that prepares care packages for soldiers gives out specific lists of items that are wanted.

 

Seems silly to have to tell people exactly what to donate, but sometimes it can be really hard to put yourself in someone else's shoes if you yourself have never worn a similar pair.

[gingersmom]

I think its sad people have to be told not to donate expired food.

[Crimson Wife]

OTOH, it's possible that the child told the parent about the canned food drive at the last minute and the parent just grabbed something off the shelf without checking the expiration date. The Boy Scouts rang my doorbell a few weekends back collecting for a canned food drive. I just grabbed some stuff and I sure hope that none of them were expired. If they were, it wasn't at all deliberate.

[Mergath]

Back when dh was unemployed, we had to go to the food shelf twice, and you wouldn't believe the things they gave out. Milk that was a week expired and actually had chunks in it, bread that was so stale you couldn't cut it with a knife, vegetables covered in mold. Both times we went, we had to throw out half of what we received because it just wasn't safe to eat. We were lucky if we got a canned good that was only a little expired. :glare:

 

I agree with the article someone linked to that people should just donate cash.

[chepyl]

See you are ****ed if you do and ****ed if you don't! Another poster wrote, "If I wouldn't eat it..." Well, I might be one of those folks who donates coconut milk, because well, it makes a lot of prepackaged food taste better than if if is prepared with, say water, or powdered milk. Sardines are packed with flavor, meaning, a little bit goes a long way. And yes, both are foods I eat. They are also foods that certain ethnicities like more than others. So, only "white bread" food should be donated? :confused:

 

Maybe it's because my dh is unemployed, we're not sure we'll be able to keep our present home, and I'm still donating to the food bank that this post simply rubs me the WRONG way. It's quite possible those items were given out of thought and care, or simply to provide variety, and not to tick off any possible recipient.

 

Next week, I guess I'll just give Rice Krispies. I'm sure there's something wrong with that donation too.

 

I am not trying to say anything like that. We tried to use one of the coconut milk, it was rancid. I was referring specifically to the rotten food, the expired food, sardines and oysters are not practical for the vast majority of people using the food bank. expired cans of coconut milk are useless. peanut butter, pasta, sauces, canned soup, etc are more practical. I can not feed my children a dinner of sardines but I can feed them a pot of spaghetti. I am in no way saying it should only be "white bread" type stuff but seriously when the donations being received are little better than the trash out back with a can of sardines to top it off how exactly is a family supposed to fed itself?

 

DH and DD often share a can of Sardines on crackers for lunch. She has loved them since she was two. They are very very good for you. I have also used coconut milk in stir fry, that is great way to use some wilty veggies.

[lcelmer]

I've been at both ends of the process, and when we were at the bottom end, I was super grateful for the dried beans, old bread, sardines, etc. WE NEEDED FOOD!

 

I think part of the issue is the manner of distribution. I was blessed enough to join a LARGE gleaning operation that had a huge warehouse & great rules. You had to work there to keep getting benefits. They allowed you to choose 1 item from this section of the shelf, and 1 from the next etc. I didn't pick up things we were allergic to, etc.

They kept the food sorted, and the stale/broken things went to the pig box (local pig farmer used what he could) If you stayed in the program long term (2 years?) you had to go to a free budgeting seminar to keep coming. Their whole goal is to help you get to your financial goal and be able to stop gleaning.

 

I've also gone to a different city's gleaners, they say you have to work, but never enforce it, etc, and they have a line around the block. Their food is moldy, rotting, and scary (not enough people to sort it) . You wouldn't believe the smell. Still, I was very, very thankful for the bread supply, and 1 or 2 times there was used clothing...I agonized over choosing socks for hubby or a shirt for baby.

 

If you just get a prefilled box handout, allergies & expired food matter so much more... you can't eat them & there is nothing to substitute.

 

Oddly enough, there are people who had the option of joining the larger, well run, good food place, (enough to live off of) but chose instead the emergency box handout that required no work to get. (Only enough for a few days) Then they griped a ton about the contents of the box, while spending foolishly on things they didn't need instead of food.

Edited March 6, 2012 by lcelmer

[amey311]

Why can't your children eat sardines? Is there an allergy issue or a preparation issue? The nutrient difference between sardines and pasta is enormous. Perhaps some of the community members who do eat sardines could give you some recipes.

 

I was actually thinking that one box of pasta would feed more people (and possibly leave them feeling more full) than a can of sardines. Yes, the sardines are a good source of protein and fats. The sardines PLUS the pasta would be a much better choice, but sometimes it's about making the belly feel full so that the brain can concentrate.

[Brilliant]

...

I am one that follows the thoughts of if I wouldn't eat it I wouldn't donate it. I do not take that in terms of food preferences but in food safety. If I feel I will not serve an item to my own family because it is passed the expiration date than I certainly would not donate that item kwim...

 

We are in agreement on this. I guess where we differ is on what's edible & what's not. ;)

 

The bulk of the food our food bank distributes comes directly from grocers. I think it's great that the grocers can pull food that has reached its sell-by date but is perfectly safe to eat, and the food bank can get it to the people who need it. At our food bank at least, individual donations are a drop in the bucket. So I've never seen anything donated that expired in 2008. I guess I would have to also agree that anybody who did that is at best, clueless.

[swellmomma]

Why can't your children eat sardines? Is there an allergy issue or a preparation issue? The nutrient difference between sardines and pasta is enormous. Perhaps some of the community members who do eat sardines could give you some recipes.

 

A. because of food issues, generally they are not overly picky, but certain foods you can not get near them with a 10-foot pole, most fish products fit into that category. They have actually opted to go hungry instead, given the the smell of sardines alone makes me vomit I am not surprised.

 

B. We are a family of 5. 1 tin of sardines will not fill the bellies of 5 people. 1 child in particular, if he does not eat every couple hours he is a bear to deal with (well he is a bear anyway but hunger makes it worse).

 

Sardines might have more nutrients than pasta but pasta will fill their bellies enough to let them function through the day or sleep at night without hunger pains.

 

Now that I am working again we do not need the food bank but when I needed the help I was greatful for the usable food but it was hard to stretch.

 

Even those saying sardines on crackers are good, well that is fine if you received crackers or could afford to buy them. Crackers are a luxury in my home that we seldom have even now with me working.

 

Here in Canada there is no food stamps, couponing etc, in the last 2 places I have lived you could only access the food bank once per month, and they are prepackaged hampers based on weight not content, when almost all you get is expired or moldy etc it makes it very hard to actually feed your family. So my perspective is much different than many of those here, even the ones that have . I have spent many days going hungry living off of only water in order to make the little bit we got stretch enough to fill the bellies of the kids.

 

I am greatful that we no longer need the food bank, but many items are still unattainable for us. Crackers (even just regular soda crackers) is a treat, they are over priced for what they are and now that ds is on a dairy free diet I have to spend more on his alternative food items.

[joannqn]

See you are ****ed if you do and ****ed if you don't! Another poster wrote, "If I wouldn't eat it..." Well, I might be one of those folks who donates coconut milk, because well, it makes a lot of prepackaged food taste better than if if is prepared with, say water, or powdered milk. Sardines are packed with flavor, meaning, a little bit goes a long way. And yes, both are foods I eat. They are also foods that certain ethnicities like more than others. So, only "white bread" food should be donated? :confused:

 

Maybe it's because my dh is unemployed, we're not sure we'll be able to keep our present home, and I'm still donating to the food bank that this post simply rubs me the WRONG way. It's quite possible those items were given out of thought and care, or simply to provide variety, and not to tick off any possible recipient.

 

Next week, I guess I'll just give Rice Krispies. I'm sure there's something wrong with that donation too.

 

 

My intent was not to offend. I simply asked that the intended recipient be considered. We handed out flyers explaining that the food drive was for homeless teenagers that included a fairly long list of foods that could be used.

 

You can't use dried beans if you have no way to cook them.

 

I'm sure larger food banks can use a greater variety of food than the program we were serving.

[TravelingChris]

Renthead asked "Why don't you move your food?"

 

Because we are a military family and aren't moving ourselves in the local area. We have weight limits and food is very heavy and certainly not as valuable to us as my dh's tools or our books. What we do is stop buying anything except immediate use groceries about six weeks before pack out and then try to use up items. However, we always have some things that someone bought on sale and we have a lot of and can't use up- last time it was cans of vegetables, lemonade mix and various specialty cans like water chestnuts, jalapeno peppers, jams, etc. I don't think anything would be expired since we only buy food in normal stores - not warehouse type stores where they sell nearly expired food- and we only lived in that area for two and a half years. The oldest item would be that old and I think most canned items have expirations in the years, not months.

 

As to cash versus donations- our church supports a local food ministry that actually wants you to buy certain items for their food bank= not random items and not cash. Why? For one thing, I am not sure that the food bank volunteers are military retirees. If not, I can get the food cheaper and donate it to them then they can go and buy. Second of all, the food bank is run as a service of another church and I don't even think they have a full roster of volunteers running it. I think it is more like someone at the church office- staff or volunteer- goes into the holding area and gathers up a bag of donations based on particular circumstances. That way the homeless guy doesn't get only food that needs an oven and infant formula and the family that is in need gets enough food for their size family. It isn't a big enough operation to have people spend their time buying food. The people who give out the food are normally doing other tasks and only give the food when a need is present. Our church supports this food bank as do other local churches since that church is larger and has the space to keep the food and supplies. Our church also gives monetary donations to some other food and shelter charities where that form of assistance makes sense.

 

In other cities, there was a local food warehouse for local charities. That agency collected donations, mostly from stores, restaurants, and agricultural concerns, and then packaged them in ways that would be useful for various charities that used food- homeless shelters, domestic violence shelters, emergency aid stations, etc, etc. These agencies were basically a collection point and then they would send out food to the various charities throughout a large area. It worked very well. I have seen this type of system in two different metropolitan areas. The food donated here was not bad quality at all. Things I saw were like potatoes that were too large for processing machines so the french fry or potato chip manufacturer donated all of those. The potatoes were in great condition, just large. Other things were stuff like manufacturing mistakes that didn't involve food safety- M and Ms where too many candies were of one color or where the logo was smeared= things like that.

 

I have never received food donations but moldy, stale food wouldn't be something I would ever give anyone. Bread products I saw were day old products or again some slight manufacturing flaw that prevented sale but not edibility.

[Teachin'Mine]

In this case, we were clear that the food was going to a high school, not a food bank, and the kinds of food we needed. I'm sure their needs are a bit different.

 

These kids get breakfast and lunch at school but often have nothing for dinner or over the weekend. They may be sleeping on a different friend's couch every few days or even staying in a shelter. If at a friend's house, they may or may not be fed by the family they are staying with. If not, they usually aren't comfortable enough to ask their friend's parents for the extra ingredients they need to complete a meal (ie. butter and milk for Mac and cheese or hamburger for Hamburger Helper) so they really need stuff that is complete by itself. Sometimes, the students use the food to contribute to the family that is providing the couch.

 

The health aid told me that one of the student's she provides food for uses a teen shelter's microwave as his only means of preparing food. He can only use items that are 100% microwavable and she makes sure he has a container to microwave it with. He returns the container on Monday, and she washes it. I'm trying to get her some of Tupperware's microwave containers.

 

She told me about another student who had eaten nothing but rice for dinner and rice for breakfast because he figured if he didn't eat much, he might be allowed to stay longer at the house where he was, at that time, sleeping.

 

She's currently worried about one student, a 19 year old girl, who is having trouble finding places to stay. She had to drop out of school last year because of her situation. This year, she is trying to graduate, but she's facing having to stay in a shelter in a nearby town (ours has no shelters). The aid is worried about this petite girl handling the rougher kinds of people she'd encounter in an adult shelter. Plus there's the fact that living in the shelter would probably mean she'd be dropping out of school again.

 

Would any families take that 19 yo in? She could help with housekeeping and/or childcare in exchange for her room and board. It's so sad what so many are going through.

[frugalmama]

Would any families take that 19 yo in? She could help with housekeeping and/or childcare in exchange for her room and board. It's so sad what so many are going through.

 

:iagree: I wish she were here - I'd gladly take in someone decent in exchange for a little help around the house and someone to drive me to the grocery store.

 

Have you tried contacting Catholic Charities to find her a place? Catholic Worker House? Your local Boystown chapter?

 

At 19 she should be able to qualify for Food Stamps on her own since she's in school, which would cover groceries if she is careful.

[joannqn]

Would any families take that 19 yo in? She could help with housekeeping and/or childcare in exchange for her room and board. It's so sad what so many are going through.

 

We already have. The health aid is going to broach the subject with her today, and if she's agreeable to the idea, set up a meeting in a neutral location.

 

Our rental agreement only allows us to have guests for 3 weeks. But if she stays with us and it seems to be working well that first week, we'll ask the property manager permission to let her stay at least through graduation and maybe a little after. If they don't grant permission, that will give us three weeks to find a longer term solution. We only have a couch for her to sleep on right now, but we figure a place to sleep and do homework and home cooked food will be better than the shelter. If she ends up staying with us longer term, we'll put out requests for a bed...we'd have to get a bunk bed, loft bed, or bed with trundle for lack of space though.

[happypamama]

He returns the container on Monday, and she washes it. I'm trying to get her some of Tupperware's microwave containers.

Glad, IIRC, makes a line of microwaveable containers that are BPA-free, and they wash up nicely and are pretty inexpensive (I want to say I bought them on sale for $3ish for a 3-pack of pretty large ones). I wouldn't worry about BPA for the occasional use, but DH takes and microwaves leftovers almost every day, so I wanted BPA-free ones for him.

 

She told me about another student who had eaten nothing but rice for dinner and rice for breakfast because he figured if he didn't eat much, he might be allowed to stay longer at the house where he was, at that time, sleeping.

That is heartbreaking. :( God bless you and your church.

[lcelmer]

(We provided a list of the types of foods needed.)

Overall, the response from the community was awesome, but some donations left me :glare: or :001_huh: or :confused:.

 

I'm glad the response was good. :001_smile:

 

Wen I see those types of flyers, I wouldn't realize that the list of things needed were all easy to prepare. For me, a list of what won't work and why would help me personally.

 

Maybe something like:

 

Since these items will be going to people who have no means of cooking from scratch, please do not include foods that cannot be cooked in a microwave, or require many other ingredients to become a part of a meal (Dried beans, bread crumbs, spices,)

[Renthead Mommy]

Renthead asked "Why don't you move your food?"

 

Because we are a military family and aren't moving ourselves in the local area.

 

 

I know you are military. So are we. That was why I asked the quesiton.

 

It doesn't make sense to get rid of perfectly good food when the military is paying to move it and anything else you have. We didn't take things overseas, but if there are cans of soup or veggies, unopened pasta, things like that. The movers always just pack it. I always dump the opened things and refridgerator stuff on the neighbors, but everything else usually goes with us.

 

I'll buy things anytime there is a food drive, but I'm not going to just give them my olives just because I'm moving. I'll probably want the olives when we move. (Martinis post PCS!!) If I bought it, I wanted it for a reason.

 

 

On another note, my son's cub scouts held their food drive last Saturday. They collected over 1200 pounds of food in a few hours and filled both food pantries of the two churches they work through.

 

One thing that really helped was they were at the grocery store. They told people why they were there as they went in. People would then buy a can or two and give it on the way out. They were also given donations. About halfway through they started taking the boys in with money collected and let them shop for the drive as well. That I think was the best learning experience of the whole thing. What would you want? What would be a good choice, both nutriously and based on how food pantries work. I think they got a lot out of that.

Edited March 6, 2012 by Renthead Mommy

[ElizaG]

A. because of food issues, generally they are not overly picky, but certain foods you can not get near them with a 10-foot pole, most fish products fit into that category. They have actually opted to go hungry instead, given the the smell of sardines alone makes me vomit I am not surprised.

 

B. We are a family of 5. 1 tin of sardines will not fill the bellies of 5 people. 1 child in particular, if he does not eat every couple hours he is a bear to deal with (well he is a bear anyway but hunger makes it worse).

 

Sardines might have more nutrients than pasta but pasta will fill their bellies enough to let them function through the day or sleep at night without hunger pains.

So should the sardine donors stop donating them? Or should they donate 5x as many? :confused:

 

This seems like more of a distribution issue than a donation issue.

 

(FWIW, Italians eat them tossed with a pot of spaghetti. Sardines, I mean -- not donors. :))