When I start seeing pickled cocktail onions on the list of most needed items mentioned by @MichiganGeorgia, that’s when I’ll start feeling generous for donating them. Otherwise, I’m just going to view it as a pantry cleanup, which gets to a takeaway from the article. Don’t go patting yourself on the back for doing something that is really benefitting you. Sure, your old sweater can be useful and sure you can add those onions to some tuna pasta salad. Sure it can be win/win but you’re not making some huge philanthropic gesture. Can anyone seriously tell me that the first or even 50th food item that comes to mind when thinking what a family needing food from a food bank would want or need is pickled cocktail onions?!?
Seems to me I recall reading these words a few posts back:
We all have a different idea of what is a treat. Some of us prefer savory treats to sweet ones. But if you disagree, feel free to disagree.
I guess you have point there, @CTmom2018, if you view them as treats. My bias is showing because I obviously don’t view them that way unless plopped in a martini which I don’t drink. 
I’ll still lean towards giving items most needed and treat my pantry clean out as just that, though.
When my H wants to buy me a treat, he brings home Roquefort! That man knows me…
@Demosthenes49 It’s not “misuse” to buy soda or potato chips if the program allows it, but many of us believe that such purchases should not be allowed. The purpose of the Food Stamp program is to provide a basic, nutritious, economical diet. There is no law prohibiting people from supplementing this diet with beer, Cokes, potato chips, etc., but they should do so with their own money. It’s is certainly a legitimate restriction that government aid not be used for luxury goods or junk food.
Now I do consider blue cheese a real treat but too perishable to donate! Maybe a jar of those blue cheesed stuffed olives, though… The pickled onions in one’s cocktail can get so repetitious.
@nottelling I’m not sure it’s always cheaper for the food bank to buy in bulk. I frequently stock up on items when they are on sale, and sometimes I will give some of these items away. For example, last week I bought a dozen bags of sugar for a 99 cents a bag. Today I bought a dozen 48-oz. bottles of cooking oil for 99 cents each. Also this week and last about 20 to 30 eight-ounce packages of cheese for 99 cents each. Also four two-pound bags of rice for $1.19 each. Anyway, you get the idea. I suspect these prices are less than I would have to pay if I were buying wholesale.
In the olden days, before they computerized the checkout process, it was possible at stores offering double coupons to be paid for taking groceries out of the store. This was always a very special feeling. My Kroger doesn’t offer double coupons anymore, sadly, but they do still have some very good specials that I stock up on.
Oh, olives! Say no more. I cannot imagine a world without olives.
@EarlVanDorn – Honestly, I highly recommend that you ask the management at the food bank whether they prefer cash or food items. I think you’ll find that they almost always prefer cash. It’s not just about bulk discounts or wholesale prices; food banks have access to surplus goods and subsidized products that are simply not available at retail. Believe me, whatever you are paying at retail – no matter how deep the discount – the food bank can buy it more cheaply. And more important, your cash donation to the food bank allows them to buy precisely the goods needed for their population.
Here’s a good article that explains all this in more detail.
Here’s what a prominent network of food banks says:
http://www.feedingamerica.org/ways-to-give/give-food/food-drives/
For some reason, I can’t cut and paste the quote from the article on my phone, but basically it says, in more polite terms, “Food banks prefer cash.”
Why the umbrage about soda and potato chips? Aren’t opponents of this stuff the same lot that opposes more government intrusion? Make useful laws and guidance. Don’t be petty. Foxnews segments on slackers who buy lobster with their food stamps does not make good policy guidance – that’s clickbait/ratings sweeps week stuff, folks. People who actually serve the poor and engage them on their real needs don’t need/want your cheap sneer about carbonated beverages.
Per my post upstream, using this same logic shouldn’t those who claim IRS homeowner’s interest be allowed to only buy large screen TVs under 45"?
Restricting food items purchased with SNAP must be a state to state decision? In NY anything goes. I don’t care what people choose to eat or buy with their benefits, but I do see some strange things. Like $20 worth of benefits on Snickers and Gatorades at the grossly overpriced gas station…or a conveyor belt full of cookies, soda, and 5 bags of Jolly Ranchers at the Dollar Tree. That’s fine if you can make those purchases and still feed your family for the month, but can you?
Thankful and humble? This isn’t a Dickens novel.
I think we should provide people with a living wage, affordable healthcare, adequate food, and safe housing. If we did away with all tax deductions for families who earn $100k/year or more, I bet we could fund a lot of programs. It turns my stomach that children in this country are homeless, and that they go hungry when school’s not in session.
Given that advertisers sent us many unhealthy food messages promoting their products, a few guidelines in the direction of healthy seems not out of place for users of SNAP. I spend my work life talking to people with diabetes and heart failure about what to eat and not eat. The level of food knowledge can be abysmal. Yes, this week I was trying to impress upon a diabetic that regular soda raises blood sugar. This was the mother of a teen.
Regarding food banks, yes, cash, of course. However, googling a bit made me realize there are many kinds of food banks. Some allow folks to come in and shop the shelves. Others give pre made bags of essentials. Some don’t allow high sodium canned soups. The assumption that food banks give out only a certain range of foods does not allow for ethic preferences. Many of the lists include condiments as desirable donations.
Ok, as this discussion has been troubling me, I called the granddaddy clearing house of the food pantries in my area to ask the question. Yes, cash preferred rather than buying items to donate. However, they will take all unopened food items if within 2 years of expiration date, aside from expired baby food. They have volunteers to sort items, and group for various area food pantries. They are happy to receive the odd condiments and pickled onions. Don’t throw food away!
Of course the food banks are happy to receive any food items, including odd condiments and pickled onions. The recipients however, not so much. I’m sure they would rather get the canned potatoes, which somebody upthread thought wasn’t a good thing to donate.
Edited to fix darn auto correct.
I don’t think canned potatoes are a good thing to donate when the donor can clearly afford to donate more. I work at a law firm and we compete in a food drive against other firms in the state. You can give cash and it counts for a certain amount of food or you can of course donate actual food items. My firm matches any personal cash donations, so that’s a big part of why I give cash (and I give cash throughout the year). There’s a large firm in the area that literally figured out canned potatoes would give them a “bigger bang” at a cheaper price than cash so they literally went to the cut rate warehouse in our area and bought a huge amount of canned potatoes and had them delivered to the food bank because they wanted to win that badly. We still beat them. I’m glad I work where I do. The attorneys in our office donate an incredible amount of pro bono time to our area’s legal clinic as well.
The other thing many of us may not realize is how difficult shopping and food preparation can be for the poor. I take for granted the ability to get in my car and drive to a preferred grocery store (or several) to get the best deals. Buying as much as I need. Having space to store it. There was a time in my life I was pushing a stroller to the overpriced grocery in my neighborhood to buy what I could push home. Several times a week. Thankfully that was temporary.
If all you have to give are canned potatoes, picked onions, a jar of mustard, then by all means give those items. But if you have the time and/or inclination, go buy some peanut butter - the same kind you’d buy for your home.
I am surprised, because it looks like anything goes anywhere in the U.S.!
There is a certain amount of cultural imperialism in assuming what a recipient does and does not want. Peanut butter is fine for some, and will kill others. That odd can of chipotles may make some Mexican family happy. The fish sauce bottle will look like home to the struggling Hmong family.
sarabay, what a great competition!
Why do canned potatoes even exist in the year 2016? Does anyone use them? What are they used for?
as a result of this thread i am now curious about the taste of canned potatoes and picked cocktail onions. I may even buy some, throw some ketchup on top (Heinz only) and give it a try…not kidding people it sounds like an adventure!
at a scouting event, I asked what the food bank wanted, but did not usually get enough of…they said diapers. Off i went to buy diapers, smiles all around as i threw them in the collection box and then (because that’s how i roll) i got some pursed lips as i followed the diapers up with a donation of the MMs big bag…