Monday 21 October 2013

Food Banks

I took some things to Church yesterday to contribute to the food bank. I said that I felt guilty every time I threw something out. And this is true.....I do throw things out when they are past their sell by date. You have to use some common sense but the risk of giving us food poisoning is not worth it....so I chuck out anything dubious. And thereby lies the guilt.

We have so much to be thankful for whilst others are struggling to feed their families day by day.

As I was putting my stuff in the box in the church someone came and said the same thing about guilt....and she added that much of her waste was the result of three for two offers....and I realised a bit belatedly that that accounts for much of mine too!

Offers designed to help the needy do not apply to those of us with two or one person shopping.

I have thrown away so many carrots from Tesco that I now write it on the order.....only one packet please. I still get two because they are joined together!

Living way out in the country means you tend to order more than you need in case you run out! So the guilt mounts as the dustbin fills!

I have argued with the girls in Marks and Spencers as they send off for things I don't want because they are on special offer. My saying firmly, "But I don't want two of those....just the one please! " brings on looks of disbelieving shakes of the head. I am challenging the system clearly!

In the meanwhile you obviously can't put food into the food bank that will go off, go stale,or go sour.

I don't shop much for dried or tinned stuff but from now on I shall....

I really can't live with the guilt or the smugness of being "good"

Life is unfair I know but somehow the unfairness gets worse as you get older! I am not sure whether being aware of it is a blessing or a curse!

4 comments:

UKViewer said...

I actually believe that the list of goods that food banks take is quite restrictive. Their preference for a narrow range of canned or dried goods and not perishables seems a little short sighted when many perishable goods have a shelf life long enough to be distributed, since I'm told that the turnover of stock is normally within three days in the foodbanks that I've heard off.

In addition, they are constraining the diet of their clients to one which is often high in salt and additives from the very food that they are distributing. Surely, it'd be better to give out fresh food where possible?

Revjeanrolt said...

That could be difficult to organise I think though I agree about the salt intake!
I checked the sell by date on some cheese I put it.....it's ok till November so I hope someone gets it!

jante said...

Our team of churches are involved in a local food bank and they have taken fresh produce to add to the weekly box of people. But as you say jean logistics may mean that its not possible for all food banks to organise - also its the low dated fresh food that Supermarkets pass on to such agencies so they probably have less need of fresh goods.

Health And Safety Consultant Peterborough said...

It is absolutely right. Food banks mainly focus on procuring canned and ready-to-eat sort of food. Such food easily run for days and months compared to fresh vegetables.