Food banks

[Ludwig]

I see that 120,000 people in the UK supposedly have to rely on food banks to survive. Have any of you had to go to a food bank and do you have to prove that you are poor. I cannot believe that so may people are so hard up in this country that they have to go to these things and when I have see it on TV they just seem to hand out bags of tins and boxes of cereals. The thing is that you can go to a supermarket and buy big bags of carrots, potatoes, onions, oats and rice for one or two pounds and they are full of protein and nutition. It is a bit like the soup runs where a lot of people use them because they are too lazy cook and buy something for themselves. What about the food producers. If people are giving away food for free doesn't it skew the whole food industry. Every tin of beans that is given away is a tin somebody won't go out and buy and contribute to the economy. Its food for thought.

 

[The Jogger]

I see that 120,000 people in the UK supposedly have to rely on food banks to survive. Have any of you had to go to a food bank and do you have to prove that you are poor. I cannot believe that so may people are so hard up in this country that they have to go to these things and when I have see it on TV they just seem to hand out bags of tins and boxes of cereals. The thing is that you can go to a supermarket and buy big bags of carrots, potatoes, onions, oats and rice for one or two pounds and they are full of protein and nutition. It is a bit like the soup runs where a lot of people use them because they are too lazy cook and buy something for themselves. What about the food producers. If people are giving away food for free doesn't it skew the whole food industry. Every tin of beans that is given away is a tin somebody won't go out and buy and contribute to the economy. Its food for thought.

When I read this post, I don't know why but pompous just seemed to jump into my head.

 

[compo]

Thankfully I have never had to use one but I think it absolutely disgusting that it takes so long to sort out benefit claims that people are left literally with no money for weeks. These benefit claimants are a big percentage of food bank clients and they have to have a card from their Job Centre to confirm their status. The Government is using food banks to subsidise the total incompetence of the DWP. It is a pity they can't offer a card to landlords to stop claimants being evicted because the DWP and the Council benefit people cannot get their acts together.

 

[Arch]

I think Ludwig has some points. Not about the effect on the food producers and sellers I don't think - the supermarkets can look after themselves, and anyway, the food donated has to have been bought in the first place.

But I think too many people don't know how to produce cheap filling food, a problem that's happened over the last couple of generations. Fresh veg, even staples like dried pasta, are outside some people's experience (or beyond their level of confidence).

I saw a report on food banks on Breakfast News, and the chap putting the bags together was showing average contents - including a bag of sugar. No one needs a bag of sugar. I haven't bought sugar for years. I don't bake, admittedly, but I just don't need it. If I was given a food parcel with sugar in, it would be utterly wasted.

Perhaps alongside the parcels, there should be given useful advice on making the best of a limited budget, so that people can be more self reliant. Although I gather that some of the parcels are given out to people in acute crisis, rather than long term need - the report featured a lad who was laid off, and it would take 2 weeks to get his benefits sorted. I might manage to live off the contents of my fridge and cupboards for a fortnight, but I'm old and sensible...

 

[Edge705]

The Dillema for me is that most of these family's are genuinly hard up yet its a kick in the teeth for me to give and watch them abuse your charity by smoking and drinking.

My wife works in a school and often visits homes its hard to feel sorry for them but these people will put drinks and fags before putting food in their kids mouths and sometimes you have to look past this to realise it really is necessary to give if you have it to give.

 

[Arch]

I heard someone on the radio earlier (a politician) saying that he'd heard of mothers going without meals to feed their kids, and that it would take a heart of stone not to be moved by this. I'm afraid my heart must be a bit gravelly, because I was wondering what those mothers were feeding their children, and imagining that they may well be able to produce a meal for everyone for the same cost...

Of course, they have to know how to, no one is born knowing how to cook, and it seems some sections of society have stopped learning. What went wrong there? Is it schools, advertising, food companies?

 

[on the road]

The thing is that you can go to a supermarket and buy big bags of carrots, potatoes, onions, oats and rice for one or two pounds and they are full of protein and nutition.

When was last time you went to a supermarket? You'll struggle to get all that for under 2 pounds.

 

[Arch]

When was last time you went to a supermarket? You'll struggle to get all that for under 2 pounds.

He might have meant 'each' not all of them....

I make three portions of pasta sauce for about £2, using Basics tinned tomatoes, fresh onion, pepper, courgette and either cheap mince or Basics tuna. Three portions of spaghetti to go with it, less than 50p. (basics range again). Intial batch of sauce takes half an hour or so to put together, subsequent reheating takes as long as the pasta takes to cook.

I could spend £2.50 on a ready meal, which would be an inadequate portion, and probably over salted.

 

[The Jogger]

The OP almost makes it sound like the money banks before the crash, throwing money/food at people.

 

[biggs682]

for me i always think how many of these people are smokers ,drinkers or what ever and have no money left over for food , or are genuine claims or users of them .

i read an article how a big Australian company had sponsored 3 vans to help such a charity , how many other big company's help in the uk .

healthy food should be cheaper than non healthier food imo

 

[vernon]

healthy food should be cheaper than non healthier food imo

It already is cheaper

 

[accountantpete]

You can live very well on £2 per day for food - I manage it.

 

[vernon]

You can live very well on £2 per day for food - I manage it.

Enlighten us all and post your week's menus.

I am genuinely interested.

 

[Arch]

You can live very well on £2 per day for food - I manage it.

I'm probably not far off that...

I have the advantage that I'm happy to eat pretty similar stuff (or the same stuff) days in a row - spaghetti with some sort of tomato based sauce. As mentioned above, 3 day's worth of that cost about £2.50, so one day's worth is,say, 85p. I might turn more or less the same ingredients into a curry, or chilli. I make a point of not generally letting the meat/fish part of a meal come to more than 50p - either by buying cheap versions or reduced stuff.

For lunch I have a sandwich (two slices of a Basics loaf, total loaf cost 50p, 2 slices work out at about 7p, plus a slice or two of basic ham, 6p worth, total say 15p with marg), and a pack of basics instant noodles, 11p. And a 2 finger kitkat, or own brand penguin type bar, 11p. Lunch total 37p.

Breakfast, 2 slices of toast, plus marg and honey, probably 12p worth.

Total, £1.34. That's without treats and snacks - I might splash out a quid on an extra pasty at lunchtime if it's a cold, wet or hard day, but not always. I tend to have another choccy biscuit and a bit of cheese for supper, 20 or 30p worth. Add in teabags (I get two cups from each bag), and there are often days when I come in under £2, and I doubt I often exceed £3.

My boss at work sometimes asks if I get bored with the same lunch everyday, but I don't, and eating so cheaply means I can splash 6 or 7 quid on a couple of fancy coffees and cake at the weekend.

 

[on the road]

You can live very well on £2 per day for food - I manage it.

That depends whether you live on your own or have a family to feed. If you live on your own then yes, but 2 pounds won't go very far if you have a family to feed.