Sharing our experience of going to the food bank for the first time, although it was by accident (read on to find out what happened). I’m not sure if I have a point to this, other than to share this experience and my thoughts – especially helpful if you plan to visit a food bank for the first time.
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Food Bank Experience
A few years ago, my husband was parked on the side of the street waiting for my daughter and me at the eye doctor when a man with a clipboard walked up to the van. My husband rolled down his window, and the man asked, “Are you here for food?”
My husband was surprised, “No, I’m waiting for my wife and daughter.”
The man didn’t give up, “Would you like some food? We are a food bank.” He pointed to the building beside the doctor’s office.
“Well, I guess we could use it”, my husband says.
“Okay, what’s your name, and how many members are in your household?” My husband told him there were eight of us (Abigail had already passed away). The man went back inside to soon reappear with a cart containing a few cardboard boxes of food.
Although we were not “hungry”, this was a huge blessing for our family!
You see, our weekly budget had been slashed in half due to my husband’s work being slow at that time (resulting in a decrease in income), and it was also during the time of some of the highest inflation on groceries in our area. We needed to double our budget, not cut it in half! $100/week at the local grocery store didn’t get us much for a family of eight, but we were making do with that, along with our huge garden/homegrown food, and the bulk beans/rice/local beef we had spent our tax refund on. So, we were thankful they gave us those boxes.
When my daughter and I jumped back in the van, we were surprised to find the food waiting for us. He shared what happened, and I took a picture. It was like Christmas at our house because this was “extra” food we hadn’t expected and added to our regular, repetitive, simple meals.
That experience was humbling, but eye-opening. Here’s what I learned:
- They told my husband that each family could only come to that particular food bank once a month, yet the food was barely enough for one week of average meals for a family our size (so, maybe enough for two weeks if you are a family of four). This is truly meant to be an emergency need, a way to feed your family the last week before your next paycheck.
- There was plenty of fresh produce, a dozen eggs, some fresh/frozen meat, a bag of rice, a bag of beans, along with bakery, canned, and packaged foods – so it seemed well-rounded and allowed for several meals.
- Many (probably half) of the items were single ingredients, so knowing how to cook from scratch to make the most of them would be helpful.
- They included two non-food items. They gave my husband several options, and he chose toilet paper and dog food. I think soap, cat food, and other toiletries were available.
- Some items were expired or nearly expired, so checking the dates and using them accordingly is important.
- Because of food allergies, some of the packaged items were not usable by my family. My husband said they gave him the option to mark food allergies, but he hadn’t done so because he felt like he was being too picky. Obviously, they exist to provide food for people in need and want to know how to best serve you.
- The food pantry receives donations of food to distribute evenly to each family. They told us they added one extra package of chicken because we had a large family.
- The people working (volunteering) at the food pantry were super kind.
All of this to say…
- I’m thankful to God for providing food when needed – through the government, church, and family.
- I understand when there is a need.
- I am sad when people take advantage of all of the help available for those in need, making it harder for those who truly need help getting on their feet.
- Freedom and independence are really better than being dependent on the government.
- Churches (consisting of the body of Christ) should be the ones giving food to the poor regularly.
- The government should be very strict about who receives benefits.
- Beans and rice are basic food requirements that should be enough in an emergency… anything more than that (meat, eggs, dairy, etc.) is a bonus, so receiving junk food should never be expected from the government.
If you need food (if you lost EBT), go to the local food bank (search “food pantry near me” to find it). Look in your own pantry at what you already have.
Make a simple meal plan. Make a big pot of rice and beans for supper and eat leftovers for the next day’s breakfast and lunch, if needed.
It really can be that simple. Boring food? Yes. Enough food? Also, yes.
Cheap foods in my region:
Oatmeal
Brown Rice
Lentils
Potatoes
Ground Turkey
Cabbage
Bananas
Canned veggies
Frozen veggies
Eggs used to be very affordable, but not so much now unless you have your own chickens. I noticed the prices dropped recently, so they may be affordable again.
You’ll notice these are single-ingredient items, requiring made-from-scratch meals, which makes them more nutritious and plentiful. Your effort will go a long way in keeping your family eating.
Simple meals using ingredients from the list:
Lentil and turkey chili.
Baked potato topped with lentil chili.
Lentils over rice.
Oatmeal with bananas.
Oatmeal with a side of eggs.
Hard-boiled eggs on chopped cabbage salad/coleslaw.
More Affordable Meal Ideas:
- Spaghetti with meat sauce.
- Rice and beans.
- Stir-fry with rice or noodles.
- Grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup.
- Egg fried rice.
- Bean or lentil burritos.
- Baked potato with toppings.
Frugal Tip: Buying real food in bulk is cheaper in the long term than packaged foods, so plan accordingly for future emergencies (use your tax return as we’ve always done). Amazon often has better prices than the local grocery store, so always keeping a list of prices for your main items (whether in your mind or on paper) and check between amazon and local stores to get the best deal.
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