What foods are best for food banks?

[CoffeeCat]

I am wondering what foods are best to donate to food banks?

I remember seeing a DU poster discuss, how it was difficult to go to a food
bank, and that often times people didn't realize that Kraft macaroni & cheese is not
a good donation item--because it requires the recipient to have butter and milk
to make it.

I wonder if people could chime in and share your good ideas about what food banks
need and want--and what food people want the most.

As times get really tough for everyone--it's good to know how we can really help
those in need.

Given that we live in such uncertain times, it could be any of us visiting those
food banks in the not-so-distant future.

Thanks for any and all suggestions.

[daa]

1. When I worked in Atlanta

peanut butter was the big treat.

[Liberal_in_LA]

9. Our local food banks are focusing on peanut butter this week.

[tblue37]

35. I also try to include treats for the kids--healthy but enjoyable, like canned fruit, jello--

which has no nutritional value but is easy to make, and kid like it for a sweet treat after dinner--P&J, canned vegetables, canned soups, macaroni and tomato sauce in jars, & cash for the food bank to buy food items they feel they need to stock up on.

[peace13]

2. Money.

If the food band receives money they can buy in bulk and get more bang for your buck.

[Jeanette in FL]

5. That is a great idea

Thanks for posting a great and timely reminder, especially this time of year.

[liberalla]

41. $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ you are correct!

One of the food banks here said that for every $1 donated, they can turn it into $9 worth of food stuffs! That's pretty good!

[lazyriver]

3. A food bank here in Maine says they prefer money to food because

they buy the food from retailers and even wholesalers after a very hefty discount. So every dollar you donate to them buys three or four times as much food as you can get when you spend the same dollar at retail prices.

Just a thought and I don't know if it's true in all cases.

[CoffeeCat]

16. I can probably do as well as the food banks...

This week, I purchased 60 boxes of cereal, and six gallons of milk---and I got it
all for $30.

Our local Cub Foods had a deal...If you purchased 10 General Mills Cereals you got a $15 coupon
off your next order AND a FREE gallon of milk. I bought cereal, got the $15 coupons, and I just
kept getting more cereal and checking out (and getting those $15 coupons). I also used manufacturer
coupon (from the Sunday newspapers) which made it a better deal.

I did it six times.

[lazyriver]

33. That's a pretty amazing deal...good find!

[Critters2]

4. The brand name cereals that kids like--yeah, the sugary ones.

These kids see commercial after commercial for these things and never get to participate. An occasional box of whatever is the must-have cereal du jour is a nice treat.

[rucky]

6. You can make soup go a long way.

and if you can find it, Glory makes fantastic canned rice & bean combinations that can serve 2 as an entree, or 4 as a side dish.

You make a good point. We're all hurting, but if we're online talking about it, you can bet there are others hurting worse. We can't wait for the "let them eat cake" crowd to step up. We have to be the ones to "give til it hurts."

[girl gone mad]

7. I buy a lot of stuff for my local food bank when I go to Costco every month.

Things that come in unit packaging are good, I get cans of soup, macaroni and cheese, canned salmon, milk drink boxes, toaster pastries, oatmeal, pasta...

They prefer not to get bulk bags of rice or large containers of cereal, etc. Other food banks may be different.

ETA: my food bank also has a program where you can "adopt" a specific item (e.g. canned tomatoes) and replenish it whenever they are running low.

[Liberal_in_LA]

14. that's great. n/t

[ColbertWatcher]

30. "... 'adopt' a specific item"

Wow! That's a brilliant idea!

[1776Forever]

8. Food Pantry Wish List - Link

http://www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/htmpubs/4304.htm

Fats, Oils and Sweets

* syrup
* jelly and jam
* honey
* sugar
* mayonnaise
* vegetable oil
* salad dressing

Milk, Yogurt and Cheese

* infant formula
* powdered milk
* evaporated milk
* instant breakfast drinks
* small boxes of sterile milk
* canned and boxed pudding

Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs and Nuts

* canned tuna
* canned chicken
* canned beef stews
* canned salmon
* bean soups
* canned or dried beans
* baked beans
* canned chili
* peanut butter

Vegetables

* canned vegetables
* vegetable soup
* canned tomato products
* spaghetti sauce
* baby food vegetables
* V-8 juice


Fruits

* canned fruit
* raisins
* applesauce
* dried fruits
* baby food fruit
* fruit leather (100% fruit)
* canned and boxed 100% juice

Bread, Cereal, Rice & Pasta

* rice and rice mixes
* canned pastas
* noodle mixes
* dry noodles and pastas
* macaroni and cheese mix
* cold cereals
* bran cereal
* shredded wheat
* infant cereal
* hot cereal mixes
* oatmeal
* bread and muffin mixes
* pancake mix
* whole-grain crackers
* granola bars
* graham crackers
* flour

Non-Food Items

These may also be welcome at your local food pantry.
For more information, call your local food pantry.
Paper Products:

* toilet paper
* paper towels
* napkins
* tissues

Soap Products:

* hand soap
* laundry and dish detergent
* cleaning products

Personal Care:

* shampoo
* toothpaste
* toothbrush
* shaving cream
* razors
* deodorant
* feminine hygiene products

Extras:

* tea
* coffee
* spices

[CoffeeCat]

17. Thank you, that's very helpful...

I appreciate that list!

:)

[GardeningGal]

37. Good list - I'm going to keep it for reference.

I had a fraternity a couple of weeks ago collecting food for the food banks. I'm glad most of the things I gave were on that list.

[blogslut]

44. Infant formula

That's what I buy for the food bank drop @ the grocery store.

A couple of years ago, I saw the current price of a can of powdered formula and literally broke down and cried.

21 years ago, I had a child prematurely and when she came home from the hospital, breastfeeding was not an option. Back then, a can of powdered formula cost $6.95. Today one costs anywhere from $12.00-$18.00.

There are many working-poor women who simply can't breast feed. Most entry-level jobs won't let a mother take time out to pump, much less provide a place for her to store her milk.

[Cleita]

10. Powdered milk can be used to mix in foods that require milk.

There used to be canned butter available, however, I have substituted canola oil for butter in many casserole style dishes.

[Rabrrrrrr]

11. Don't give them food - give them money. They can buy food at 10 cents a pound or so.

Any food you bring in, they could have bought ten times as much with the money you spent on it.

[Warpy]

15. I do a bit of both

cash at the end of year giving.

I donate the stuff I'd have killed for when I was poor.

[TechBear_Seattle]

12. Money is always good

Money allows foodbanks to fill in with stuff that has not been donated that week, not to mention it helps to pay rent, payrolls, etc. Money can also be used to get foodstuffs that don't store well, such as fresh milk or fruits and vegetables.

Otherwise.... Peanut butter, pasta, jars of pasta sauce, boxes of cereal, cans of fruit. Ideally, packaged stuff that does not require a lot of additional materials to prepare. For example, boxes of mac and cheese are less desireable, as those typically need milk and butter to make.

[Warpy]

13. Anything non perishable would be extremely welcome

especially expensive things like oil, peanut butter, and tomato sauce. You can also consider powdered milk. Even if kids hate drinking it, it can be used in all sorts of cooking and baking. Packaged pasta, bags of flour, canned goods, and cereals are always welcome.

When I was poor and living on a very dull diet, there were times I'd have killed for a piece of fruit. I usually tuck in cans of canned fruit and fruit salad, especially the ones fortified with a little extra vitamin C, because I know they'll go a long way with poor kids.

[tblue]

18. I wonder if you'd ever find a post like this in Freeperville.......?

[Rabrrrrrr]

20. "Let the lazy fuckers eat rice and beans - why should they eat better than our soldiers?

Might inspire them to get off their asses and get a job, or serve in the military. Why can't they do that? Fucking parasites."

[Rabrrrrrr]

19. Also, instead of food, flood 'em with HABA stuff.

The poor not only have a hard time getting food, but, in their quest for food, they often skip the HABA stuff.

Our local food pantry is often desperate for shampoo, soap, toothpaste, toilet paper, and diapers.

Whenever you stay in a hotel, grab the soaps and stuff, and take them to the food pantry.

[Cleita]

Good idea. n/t

[Gormy Cuss]

21. Some ideas

Canned fish and meats,and peanut butter are good.

Bags or boxes of dried fruit (raisins, apples, apricots, etc.)

Canned baked beans, Spaghetti-os, canned chicken broth, soups and other foods that are basically a
meal-in-a-can, especially low sodium varieties.

Baby food (cereal, formula, jars of fruit and vegetables if you're bringing the donation to the food bank directly)


Most of all what food banks need is money so that they can buy large quantities at discount.

[riqster]

22. Greens...5's, 10's, 20's, etc.

That allows them to react to demands on the ground at the time.

Thanks so much for posting this! The holidays put an extra strain on people's cupboards, and by extension those of our under-stocked food pantries.

[Bethesda Home]

23. I gave a case of Spam in my home town.

When I delivered it they asked me to donate money because they could get it for 1/3 what I paid.
So I gave them enough to buy 15 cases.

The next time I visited they told me it was their 'hottest' item.

Now I have my kids asking what they wat and how much it costs. Then they give enough to buy 9 to 12 cases.

[Rabrrrrrr]

24. Little "kits" are helpful, too - e.g., make bags that have enough stuff for a kid's birthday party

Put in a box cake, frosting, birthday candles, a few toys, plates and streamers and party hats, etc.

Or Christmas bags, or Hanukkah bags, whatever.

While it's a waste of your money normally to give food to a food bank, the kit bags will often have stuff that the food pantry won't have (such as cans of frosting and party supplies), so that's an okay use of money.

[ColbertWatcher]

25. Here's a checklist you can print out, and ...

... a link to last week's Food Bank Friday thread (http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=4459633&mesg_id=4459633)

[The Straight Story]

27. Thank you for that list

Very helpful indeed.

-TSS

[ColbertWatcher]

31. You're welcome.

I post it every Friday.

[IdClaire]

26. depends on the food bank but...

some items on our local food bank's wish list that I see less of include: breakfast bars, bigger size diapers like 4 and 5 (most folks donate the smaller sizes), jelly, coffee. Some food banks can break down items to hand out to so ziploc bags are a good thing to donate.

[Peacetrain]

28. Canned vegetables and fruit (in natural juice) are wonderful

dried products that have thin packaging that rodents can get into, is a bit of a headache.. well a big one for some banks, and those boxes of mac and cheese are chewables..

Money is a good gift.. and so are food items themselves. We buy for ourselves and some for the food bank.

But if you know which food bank you are planning to donate to.. give them a call, and they will let you know what items they really need or are short of.

[Breeze54]

29. Fresh fruit and veggies, canned tuna, pasta, sauce, soups, rice, whole grain cereals, breads,

Tampax, diapers, toilet paper, feminine pads, baby wipes, laundry soap, paper towels, baby formula, dried beans, baby food, stuff for the little one's ie. cookies/crackers (they need a treat in these hard times), that drink in the can for the elderly (Ensure), meat, butter, eggs, frozen orange juice, bottles of juice, baked goods (my local grocery store donates them to the food pantry, including B-Day cakes), coffee and tea and coffee creamer, substitute sugar for diabetics, low fat foods, etc.

:kick: & recommended

[MadinMo]

32. K & R --- great reminder for all of us.

[ogneopasno]

34. Baby formula and baby food, diapers, wipes, other toiletries.

Also, I always like to buy some birthday cakes and candles and frostings -- the just-add-water kind -- because dayum, who doesn't like cake?

[Liberal_in_LA]

42. good idea!

[On the Road]

36. Something to Complement

all the canned plums and sauerkraut they end up with.

[Hatchling]

38. Nothing weird!

Last time I went I got a can of pickled quail eggs. I'm scared to open it up. I love it when there's fruit or tuna or chili. They always seem to have plenty of canned veggies, but fruit is rare.

[GreenPartyVoter]

39. The weird stuff is usually whatever didn't sell at some market. We see stuff like that

come in once in a while in our FP. (According to hubby who volunteers once a week to help with unloading the trucks.)

[cpamomfromtexas]

40. I run the Annual Cub Scout Food drive and we're gearing up now

Here are some suggestions that the lady running the food pantry tells us they need (that food stamps won't cover)

personal care items
laundry detergent (she's even suggested that our scouts break down big boxes and bag up laundry load amounts)
baby diapers
shampoo & soap
disposable razors

We're going to try some new things because our goal this year is 9000 cans (last year we doubled from prior year and brought in nearly 6000 cans). If anyone does this in their communities, pm me and I'll let you know what has worked for us.

[biermeister]

43. cash is king

Instead of buying gifts for my family at Christmas, I have donated $$ to our local food bank the past couple of years. Everyone in my family has enough stuff & can afford to buy themselves what they want. I remind them that people (usually single women & their kids) got to eat. Isn't that what is all about?