Food pantry donation debate: taste or nutrition?

[tlbwriter]

But, if you can afford to donate brand name food, and believe there is a difference in taste or quality, and you don't because you don't think the people using the pantry deserves it, that's mean.

Basically, there is an attitude I have seen where someone will say "well, I don't eat this junk, but I'll buy it for the poor people, because they should be happy with whatever I am willing to throw their way." I'm not saying anyone on this thread feels that way. Heck, I haven't even read most of the thread. I just know I've seen this attitude, and I think it's mean.

Okay, I can get on board with that. To me, it's not "I wouldn't eat this but it's good enough for the likes of you." It's "This may not be the absolute best, but it's not bad, and more people will benefit."

Example: I buy Prego spaghetti sauce. But for the food pantry, I buy sauce in a can (Hunts?). It's cheaper, it's not in glass, and it's perfectly fine. However, if I thought all canned/jarred sauce was fit only for livestock, it would be mean for me, personally, to donate it.

And the other way around, what if I personally used Rao's sauce, which costs twice as much as Prego? Would it be mean for me to donate two jars of Prego instead of one jar of Rao's? I don't think so. Even if I didn't personally care for Prego, it's good enough for millions of people, rich or poor. And more people would benefit.

 

[NotUrsula]

Okay, I can get on board with that. To me, it's not "I wouldn't eat this but it's good enough for the likes of you." It's "This may not be the absolute best, but it's not bad, and more people will benefit."

Example: I buy Prego spaghetti sauce. But for the food pantry, I buy sauce in a can (Hunts?). It's cheaper, it's not in glass, and it's perfectly fine. However, if I thought all canned/jarred sauce was fit only for livestock, it would be mean for me, personally, to donate it.

And the other way around, what if I personally used Rao's sauce, which costs twice as much as Prego? Would it be mean for me to donate two jars of Prego instead of one jar of Rao's? I don't think so. Even if I didn't personally care for Prego, it's good enough for millions of people, rich or poor. And more people would benefit.

See for me, I think that just about all pre-blended tomato sauces are substandard in terms of flavor and usually too salty, and we use them only as an emergency pantry staple. We are not scratch-sauce-makers, actually, but we prefer to buy cans of plain unseasoned puree and paste and build from there, adding our own veggies and seasonings. Yesterday I felt kind of rotten buying the pre-mixed canned stuff for the donation rather than a whole lot of the cheaper base puree/paste that we use, but it isn't realistic to think that would be a good idea under the circumstances: how many of these folks are likely to have a freezer full of veggies and an entire cabinet full of potent spices to add? (One nonperishable thing that I use a whole lot in my kitchen is dried mushrooms, but I don't think that giving those to a pantry would be a really great idea, either.)

What I find really interesting are the situations where someone does care enough to give the same expensive "special" variety that they eat, but the pantry's clients do not want it because it is unfamiliar or does not contain certain things that they prefer, such as someone who gives gourmet organic steel-cut oatmeal, when the clients would really prefer Cheerios. The donor probably thinks that Cheerios are only fit for livestock.

(One other note: having known what it is like to have to haul groceries on the bus, for a few years I donated tuna in foil pouches instead; it is much lighter to carry that way, though the pouches are more expensive per oz. Then I found out that in our area the BSA doesn't give out anything that isn't in an actual can; they have to use gasoline to distribute it to other charities that handle it. My good intention ended up costing someone additional money. (Though I think that the cans-only rule was ridiculous.)

 

[Sorsha]

See for me, I think that just about all pre-blended tomato sauces are substandard in terms of flavor and usually too salty, and we use them only as an emergency pantry staple. We are not scratch-sauce-makers, actually, but we prefer to buy cans of plain unseasoned puree and paste and build from there, adding our own veggies and seasonings. Yesterday I felt kind of rotten buying the pre-mixed canned stuff for the pantry rather than a whole lot of the cheaper base puree/paste that we use, but it isn't realistic to think that would be a good idea under the circumstances: how many of these folks are likely to have a freezer full of veggies and an entire cabinet full of potent spices to add? (One nonperishable thing that I use a whole lot in my kitchen is dried mushrooms, but I don't think that giving those to a pantry would be a really great idea, either.)

I have actually always struggled with this as well. I am a dedicated "make my own sauce" person. For me, making spaghetti sauce is a whole-afternoon adventure of mixing, simmering, taste-testing; and involves organic crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, organic beef broth, fresh herbs and garlic and veggies, pesto and/or fresh parmesan, etc. I can't make spaghetti sauce in under 4 hours LOL. My family is also extremely spoiled and will not eat the jarred stuff anymore - they say it tastes just nasty.

However, since many people may not have the time, desire, cooking experience or well-stocked pantry to do the same, I usually just donate a good quality jarred sauce.

 

[Disney Doll]

I buy what the food pantry list says they need. As far as brands, I buy the same brands that I would buy for myself...there are certain things that I buy for myself I that are store brands (ie-toilet paper), and there are certain things that I buy for myself that are name brands (ie-Helmanns mayonnaise). If the food pantry asks for mayo, they are getting Hellman's. If they ask for toilet paper, they are getting the store brand.

I do try to buy on sale so that I might be able to get them a little something more. For example, if they ask for spaghetti sauce and Ragu is on sale and Paul Newman's is not, then I'll get Ragu because maybe I can get 4 jars instead of 2. While I agree to a point with the salt/sugar/health standpoint of canned/jarred foods, I am also of the opinion that most folks who would need to use a food pantry would not have the ability to make a homemade sauce, fresh veggies, meats and spices costing what they do. I think being able to eat something, even if it's not totally healthy, is better than being hungry. Soup I try to get the lower sodium version because there is usually not a huge price difference and I feel that it is a little healthier. I also go low fat when I can.

Canned veggies...I go for the classics....peas, corn, carrots etc. Things like chick peas, while I like them, might be unfamiliar to a lot of folks, so I'd probably be hesitant to buy them for a food pantry. Canned beans are a big item around here in food pantries. We have a lot of Spanish folks in my area, and beans are a staple of Spanish cooking.

 

[SandrA9810]

It'd be nice to see community kitchens set up with these food banks. So people can learn to prepare foods that they might see on the shelf. Or be able to use the kitchen to cook the meals, then take home for freezing.

I can't imagine all these families have the right tools to cook and prepare foods. I find my kitchen gadgets pretty cheap, but there's usually one more I wish I had or think would be useful as I'm making something.

 

[tlbwriter]

It'd be nice to see community kitchens set up with these food banks. So people can learn to prepare foods that they might see on the shelf. Or be able to use the kitchen to cook the meals, then take home for freezing.

Yes, that would be nice, especially if you could include things like spices, etc. for people who don't have a complete kitchen.

 

[Becky2005]

(As a side note, something else that occurred to me was to wonder why we never seem to have kitchen goods drives along with the food drives. If nothing else, shouldn't we be tossing in a few can openers and saucepans among all that canned food?)

Actually, this was something that had never crossed my mind until we got slammed with DH's first very big lay-off. I was a stay at home mom, DH had a good job & then bam, he got laid off on the same day I found out I was pregnant with our youngest. Talk about panic.

Anyway -- we had food coming out of our ears from people BUT...no one thought of things such as toilet paper, laundry soap, toothpaste, shampoo, deoderant, soap....not that we would have asked for those things but honestly...running out of toilet paper can be a desperate situation.

I did learn our food pantry at the church does give some of those things but I tell you if I'm going to be Santa to personal family I know going through these things (we did have baskets of things show up on our doorstep...so basically as far as I know, Santa delivered them), you can bet I'm NOT going to give them food as that really is covered by everyone else as it's the first thing everyone thinks of. I will be giving them the other essentials people don't seem to think about.

 

[CPT Tripss]

I have actually always struggled with this as well. I am a dedicated "make my own sauce" person. For me, making spaghetti sauce is a whole-afternoon adventure of mixing, simmering, taste-testing; and involves organic crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, organic beef broth, fresh herbs and garlic and veggies, pesto and/or fresh parmesan, etc. I can't make spaghetti sauce in under 4 hours LOL. My family is also extremely spoiled and will not eat the jarred stuff anymore - they say it tastes just nasty.

However, since many people may not have the time, desire, cooking experience or well-stocked pantry to do the same, I usually just donate a good quality jarred sauce.

Heck, a lot of people coming to the food pantry are cooking with very limited appliances in inadequate kitchens too. One pot meals or items that just require heating or boiling water are about all that can be "cooked."

 

[MichelleinMaine]

Heck, a lot of people coming to the food pantry are cooking with very limited appliances in inadequate kitchens too. One pot meals or items that just require heating or boiling water are about all that can be "cooked."

We have several using our pantry that only have a dorm-sized refrigerator (eg little space to store things that must be cold and no freezer to speak of). One has no fridge at all.

 

[MichelleinMaine]

Here is a recipe for laundry soap Michelle, I don't know if this is exact, but it's similar:

http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/laundrysoap.htm

thank you! Going to talk to our pantry coordinator to see if she thinks we could get this going at our church.

 

[Planogirl]

This thread is an eye opener. It never occurred to me that certain types of food such as canned fruit might not be donated that much. Canned fruit in water or juice is tasty and might actually provide a little nutrition. I'll key on that and peanut butter. I always believe that peanut butter is good assuming no allergies.

 

[Pigeon]

Here is a recipe for laundry soap Michelle, I don't know if this is exact, but it's similar:

http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/laundrysoap.htm

I do not understand the point of making your own laundry detergent. I can almost always get a 50-68 oz bottle for about $2 or so. It's not Tide, but it works fine.

 

[Sorsha]

I do not understand the point of making your own laundry detergent. I can almost always get a 50-68 oz bottle for about $2 or so. It's not Tide, but it works fine.

I agree. I almost always just buy the Xtra brand sold at WalMart. Its $5-$6 for a great big jug of it, and my clothes get just as clean. By the time I spent the money on the ingredients to make it myself, it would cost WAY more.

I would imagine if someone in my family had dye or perfume allergies or sensitive skin, I might feel differently; but they don't, so it's all good!

 

[mrsklamc]

By the time I spent the money on the ingredients to make it myself, it would cost WAY more.

No....the ingredients cost far less than 5-6 dollars per jug. You could get about 6 jugs of laundry soap for that amount. Here's a detailed breakdown:

http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/04/09/making-your-own-laundry-detergent-a-detailed-visual-guide/

When the pantry doesn't get enough donations, we have to supplement by buying things with cash. $2 per jug may not seem like much to you, but when buying for 150 families, that's $300 that has to go elsewhere.

 

[GAGirlInVA]

I buy what I can within reason depending on what the group has asked for.

Usually, I lean heavily on non-food items, since food stamps cannot pay for them, and all the food pantries I've worked with are in desperate need.

Right now, we support a homeless ministry through our church, that makes the meals (like a soup kitchen) so I buy what they specifically ask for since they take more than one set of donations and combine them (in order to cook for 30 or whatever.) One can of chickpeas without other donations to combine it with... that wouldn't go far for 30.

They usually are in desperate need for tolietries. Shower gel (they don't have hygeine issues with people using the same bar of soap) is a hot commodity.

I was just speaking with one of the coordinators on Wednesday night and she shared that shower caps are another thing that they are thrilled to recieve. Many of their African American women don't want their hair to get wet (completely understand why!) and so they are quick to go. Now I will keep my eyes peeled for that.

She also shared that the mickey mouse bar soap and shampoo/conditioner we shared with them, was the first to go.

Feminine products are another item that is often overlooked on the lists. Both pads and tampons.

With a previous group I worked with that volunteered with back in Georgia, infant fever reducer was a greatly asked for item for after their immunizations. And diaper rash cream. Most of these folks were not homeless, so things like dishsoap, laundry soap, even toliet paper were on their critical need list.

 

[Pixie Dust for Me!]

Our local Sal Army just did a "Cans Film Festival" with a local movie theater chain (Wehrenberg). If you brought in 5 cans of food per person....you got to see a free movie (before 5 p.m.). If you brought in 15 cans of food per person....you got to see a free movie (before 5 pm) and got a ticket to come back and see another before March 31.

The three of us went today and took my niece and nephew. We took in 55 cans of food (mostly Progresso soups, chili, stews, chicken, tuna, etc), and then another box that was loaded with cookie mixes, cake mixes, hershey chocolate syrup, etc. All the "junk food" as my husband calls it. A good friend of mine works at Sal Army's food pantries here locally and was thrilled with the baking mixes and baking items...they don't get much of it and, when they do get it, they have "special" families that they know will use it who receive it.

In our community the Boy Scouts do "Scouting for Food" canned food drive just before Thanksgiving and the Girl Scouts do "April Showers" for personal care items in mid-April. All goes to the Food Bank who doles it out to hundreds of pantries (members and non-members) throughout the year. The Scouting for Food cans supplies our pantries for about 3 months! The personal care items...it's more like 2 months, but it does help!

I share this just in case anyone wants to try to do something similar in their community. I realize the Scouts (Boy and Girl) are likely nationwide....but just in case.... Personally, I think the "Cans Film Festival" is pretty clever. When we were there today at 1, the one side of the theater (it has 20 screens) had already reboxed more than 15,000 cans of food! My friend who I saw after the Muppets, said that between all of the theater locations (I guess there's about 10 in St. Louis) Sal Army will get enough food to stock their pantries for at least 3 to 4 months!

Thanks to all who donate to their local pantries throughout the year. It makes a big difference. Oh, and to the person who talked about the brand name kids cereal....yep! We do that throughout the year. We don't each much cereal in our house, but when it's on sale and I have coupons, I buy all the "bad for you" kids cereals and donate it. I remember when I was working in the pantry one day and saw two brother's faces light up because they got Apple Jacks!

K

 

[happygirl]

Our local Sal Army just did a "Cans Film Festival" with a local movie theater chain (Wehrenberg). If you brought in 5 cans of food per person....you got to see a free movie (before 5 p.m.). If you brought in 15 cans of food per person....you got to see a free movie (before 5 pm) and got a ticket to come back and see another before March 31.

The three of us went today and took my niece and nephew. We took in 55 cans of food (mostly Progresso soups, chili, stews, chicken, tuna, etc), and then another box that was loaded with cookie mixes, cake mixes, hershey chocolate syrup, etc. All the "junk food" as my husband calls it. A good friend of mine works at Sal Army's food pantries here locally and was thrilled with the baking mixes and baking items...they don't get much of it and, when they do get it, they have "special" families that they know will use it who receive it.

In our community the Boy Scouts do "Scouting for Food" canned food drive just before Thanksgiving and the Girl Scouts do "April Showers" for personal care items in mid-April. All goes to the Food Bank who doles it out to hundreds of pantries (members and non-members) throughout the year. The Scouting for Food cans supplies our pantries for about 3 months! The personal care items...it's more like 2 months, but it does help!

I share this just in case anyone wants to try to do something similar in their community. I realize the Scouts (Boy and Girl) are likely nationwide....but just in case.... Personally, I think the "Cans Film Festival" is pretty clever. When we were there today at 1, the one side of the theater (it has 20 screens) had already reboxed more than 15,000 cans of food! My friend who I saw after the Muppets, said that between all of the theater locations (I guess there's about 10 in St. Louis) Sal Army will get enough food to stock their pantries for at least 3 to 4 months!

Thanks to all who donate to their local pantries throughout the year. It makes a big difference. Oh, and to the person who talked about the brand name kids cereal....yep! We do that throughout the year. We don't each much cereal in our house, but when it's on sale and I have coupons, I buy all the "bad for you" kids cereals and donate it. I remember when I was working in the pantry one day and saw two brother's faces light up because they got Apple Jacks!

K

Our theatre did that as well. You must live close to where I live.