What do you donate to the food drive?

[A.H.Black]

This week was the USPS food drive here in the US. As usual, I always give the normal stuff but sometimes I try to find something needed but not thought of very often. I ran into a list a while ago that gave some ideas. I can't remember all of them. Here's some of the ideas I have used.

• Everyone gives peanut butter. Give some jelly, jam or honey to go with it.
• Many people give tuna. Give some mayonnaise to go with it.
• Many people give cereal. Give some shelf-stable long life milk to go with it.
• Give a cake mix, with oil, and frosting. For birthdays.

The other thing I have been giving recently is the sealed packets of plastic utensils I get with carry-out. I never use them and I hate to just throw them away. I hope they can be given to those who need them.

What do you give. I love original, but needed, ideas.

 

[Theatregirl1122]

Powdered milk is very good. It's shelf stable and can help with recipes and other packaged items that need milk. That's my usual donation. Basic spices can be good. It's hard to eat bland food all the time. Also, our foodbank also takes personal care items so I often donate menstrual supplies (pads and tampons).

 

[my little pony]

wow I was today years old when I heard of the USPS food drive!

 

[manhn]

I am boring with my pasta and tomatoe sauce. I donate money every year to my local food bank. I am not particularly creative with the food I eat.

 

[MacMadame]

The other thing I have been giving recently is the sealed packets of plastic utensils I get with carry-out. I never use them and I hate to just throw them away. I hope they can be given to those who need them.

What do you give. I love original, but needed, ideas.

There's a My Little Pantry near me and I put the plastic utensil packs there. They always disappear pretty fast.

I also collect those single-serving condiment packets and put them in the My Little Pantry as well.

I'm not sure if these would work for a food pantry though.

 

[sk8pics]

I just gave some canned black beans and kidney beans.

 

[moebius]

nuts
seeds
dried or canned fruit, beans/legumes, veggies, protein
meat jerky
grains
shelf stable milk
instant potatoes
pasta
healthy (low added sugar) trail mix/granola/protein bars
olive oil
popcorn kernels
shelf stable sausages, salami, cheese
healthy (low sodium/fat) crackers

 

[Garden Kitty]

wow I was today years old when I heard of the USPS food drive!

Sarah Hughes (through her Campbell's endorsement) was the spokesperson for the campaign one year. I recall her on a post card I got from my local post office.

Depending on whether the food bank accepts it or not, I'll also donate ancillary supplies like tissues, toilet paper, towels etc.

For food, I tend to stick with long lasting basics that don't require special care such as:

cereal/milk boxed
juice boxes
crackers
peanut butter
tea bags
canned vegetables
pasta/pasta sauce
applesauce
canned fruit

But I also try to find some fun things for kids that maybe don't have the best nutritional value, but can be more of a treat

fruit wraps, pop tarts, kids cereals, lemonade or other drink powders, granola/snack bars etc.

 

[Cachoo]

Today: Soup, black beans, oatmeal, tuna (surprise, surprise), corn and a brownie mix

 

[once_upon]

Depending on the food bank's clientele be sure to consider if they need a can opener or not. Many do not. Pop top lids or screw on lids canned goods are greatly appreciated

I know people do a lot of boxed good, tuna helper. Mac and Cheese, etc. Remember they may require milk or butter or both.

I know we all want to help - but often the food banks will tell you, money is better contributed to them. They can get a lot more in bulk


Things I've done: jars of applesauce, peanut butter, jelly, boxes of spaghetti or other pasta (I can get 5 or 10 pounds, individually packaged for 1 pound quantities for cheap at Sam's). I donate to a non food pantry - tampons, kleenex, dish soap, body soap, disinfectant.

Remember no outdated cans.

 

[Rhumba d’Amour]

I volunteer for my local food pantry.

First, let me assure you that anything and everything you donate is much appreciated, and that we will find a use for it. If you want suggestions for things we can never get enough of, though, I always suggest these:

Cooking oil
Shelf-stable Milk
Canned proteins other than tuna (canned chicken, salmon, etc)
Canned fruit
Cleaning supplies
Personal care items like shampoo, toothpaste, etc
Gluten free and low salt foods, for those on restricted diets

Thank you on behalf of food pantries everywhere!

 

[myhoneyhoney]

Hubby and I hit up Costco and buy canned fruit, tuna, and shelf stable juices/milk.

Some places (not necessarily USPS) will accept bags of fresh fruits and veggies.

 

[Cachoo]

wow I was today years old when I heard of the USPS food drive!

I don’t know how it is done in each state but we get a blue plastic bag in the mail midweek and are instructed to have it at the mailbox on Saturday.

 

[Aceon6]

We figured out that if we updated our emergency food each spring, the goods still have plenty of shelf life when donation time comes around the next year. I just keep those things on one shelf and know that everything can go.

I’m kicking myself that I forgot to buy the Duncan Hines “just add water” cake mix this time. I’ll make a special trip to get it as our food bank advises that it’s the 2nd most requested thing just behind shelf stable milk.

 

[once_upon]

I know one of our food banks associated with my church has asked for "birthday cake packages" to be bundled for a child's birthday - often something that is a luxury and not available.

They suggest: a cake mix (like @Aceon6 described), a can of frosting, and candles. Of course, they are a small food bank and interact with families on a personal basis.

People donate tuna a lot - but chicken is often the more preferred protein. I believe I've seen canned beef, similar to chicken breast meat only beef, but not often.

A local grocery store used to donate fresh vegetables as they reached an "expiration", but they stopped doing that about 12 years ago. Which is a travesty. We throw away so much food in this country.

 

[Aceon6]

People donate tuna a lot - but chicken is often the more preferred protein. I believe I've seen canned beef, similar to chicken breast meat only beef, but not often.

Ours has stopped accepting canned tuna. Pouches, yes, but not canned. Our area has many Latino families and tuna just isn’t in the wheelhouse for many recipes. Add in that shelters and many hotels don’t want people microwaving smelly food.

Dried beans are also an issue. Although many folks know how to prepare them, it takes way too long if you’re relying on a small portable burner. The pantry wants donations of canned Goya brand and they provide bulk beans and rice for people who do have access to a full kitchen.

 

[Cachoo]

I know one of our food banks associated with my church has asked for "birthday cake packages" to be bundled for a child's birthday - often something that is a luxury and not available.

They suggest: a cake mix (like @Aceon6 described), a can of frosting, and candles. Of course, they are a small food bank and interact with families on a personal basis.

People donate tuna a lot - but chicken is often the more preferred protein. I believe I've seen canned beef, similar to chicken breast meat only beef, but not often.

A local grocery store used to donate fresh vegetables as they reached an "expiration", but they stopped doing that about 12 years ago. Which is a travesty. We throw away so much food in this country.

I work for United Way and one of the churches in town is supplied by “Whole Foods.” It is not technically a pantry but a fresh produce giveaway each Thursday. There are a few churches with similar set-ups but it is not weekly.

 

[kwanfan1818]

For me it depends on the food drive. USPS asked for healthy food, so I aimed for healthy food, mostly canned foods with ring tops, although some of the soup was high in sodium.

If they say what they need the most, which many local food drives do, and/or give a list, I try to stick to that list, because they know what’s in demand for their people. If they include diapers and/or hygiene products, I’ll use my accumulated coupons, points, discounts, etc. and get some.

In Seattle there have been drives for settling in refugees or newly housed people, and they often ask for cleaning supplies, so I follow their lead.

Canned tuna is often on the lists; I’m surprised it’s not that wanted.

 

[ChelleC]

My church when I lived in Lexington had a backpack program with several of the elementary schools. I remember a story being told of a child who saved the pudding cup to take to school with her on Monday, so she could have a pudding cup at lunch like the other kids. Since then I've always bought pudding cups.

 

[sk8pics]

I don’t know how it is done in each state but we get a blue plastic bag in the mail midweek and are instructed to have it at the mailbox on Saturday.

That’s how it is here too. And we were specifically told nothing in glass.

 

[Jenny]

The community we live in is very multicultural, so we try to include popular pan-ethnic foods like bags of rice and lentils, cans of chickpeas, canned tomatoes, pasta, beans, jarred sauces, etc. We also have a lot of seniors on their own, so easy meals like canned soups.

Bravo to those including treats as well - I'm going to start doing that too. Pudding cups are a good one!

 

[once_upon]

Boxes of cereal, with dry milk packages. During the school year, there are children in our school systems getting a backpack with food for weekends

During the summer, it's a problem. Free breakfast and lunches are no longer available

We should not have a widespread issue with food insecurity

 

[Cachoo]

Boxes of cereal, with dry milk packages. During the school year, there are children in our school systems getting a backpack with food for weekends

During the summer, it's a problem. Free breakfast and lunches are no longer available

We should not have a widespread issue with food insecurity

I do wonder if you have a sack lunch program affiliated with the schools. The parent will visit a site once a week and get five days of lunches per child.

 

[kalamalka]

I've rarely given food to a program - did go to a meeting once in the Canadian north where everyone attending was asked to bring food for the food bank, and so my luggage was full of cans (fruit, beans, and veggies). We also don't have the equivalent of the USPS food drive in Canada.
We have a local "good food box" program run by a community centre/neighbourhood house that provides a supply of fresh fruit and vegetables, as much as possible locally sourced - available for purchase, but there is an annual fundraiser so I donate enough to provide a "box" of produce to a family every two weeks for a year. I know food banks are essential, but to me fresh fruits and veggies are really important, so I'm glad there's an option to help specifically with that.

 

[Cachoo]

There are blessing boxes all over town and one happens to be at the church around the corner. Here the number of pantries open on the weekends are minuscule so the boxes are essential. They look small but are deep. You can have pack a lot of food inside one of them.

 

[Aceon6]

I just got an update from our biggest food distribution site. With the warmer weather, they desperately need canned beans, microwave rice, canned fruit or portion pack fruit cups, shelf stable milk, and cereal. Two 90° days wiped them out. The p.s. said “hold the soup and pasta.”