# Canned food drives are bullshit **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 21, 2019, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canned-food-drives-are-bullshit/843783 "2019-11-21T17:15:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canned-food-drives-are-bullshit/843783/61 "2019-11-22T10:51:23Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > I actually prefer unsalted nuts. > > And if you prefer them salted… well, you can actually _add_ salt to them. Adding salt doesn’t help at all. It’s not the same as manufacturer professionally salted nuts. Likewise adding salt to a low sodium soup doesn’t work as well as getting plain canned soup. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canned-food-drives-are-bullshit/843783/62 "2019-11-22T12:01:29Z")
they soak the nuts in a salt solution before there roasted is why you cant recreate the taste… Now as for the op :if I remember correctly wasn’t some of if in one of those “adam ruins everything” episodes a while back? I remeber the local place put a piece in the paper refuting a lot of w hat he said , saying that 90 percent of what he said was bull … ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canned-food-drives-are-bullshit/843783/63 "2019-11-22T12:15:12Z")
In Spain and France, all the preserved food drives I’ve seen have been at supermarkets; sometimes the supermarket will have a “we double it up” promotion or give you a reduced price on the items that you indicate are for the food bank. Some supermarkets also have these tags at the tills that you can pick and pay some money toward a local charity, the food banks are a popular one. My current client (this is in England) has a food bank bin in the cantina: when I move back home, any unopened pasta, dry beans, preserves or cans will go there. It will be things I’ve already bought but which it would be silly to fly down to Spain. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canned-food-drives-are-bullshit/843783/64 "2019-11-22T12:20:46Z")
Interesting thread and my apartment building is doing their annual food drive. I’m single and live by myself so I often end up with extra food in the pantry. I stocked up on tuna during Lent this year and haven’t had tuna in months so that’s getting donated, it’s only a few months old so it’s not like it’s been sitting around since Bill Clinton was President. I also ended up stocking up on canned beans and refried beans during the Cinco de Mayo sale which covered all of May. So, a lot of that will be donated as well. I live within walking distance of several Mexican restaurants and thus rarely make Mexican at home. As far as the canned chilli comments, I learned during college orientation that chilli along with other beans/refried beans is an excellent and inexpensive way for students to get some fiber into their diet. A student diet of pizza, burgers, fries, Mac and Cheese, and Ramen can leave a student constipated. I also learned the trick of substituting beans for the hamburger meat in Hamburger Helper! It’s pretty decent, at least by student standards and I’ll sometimes make it even as an adult. ---
**Author:** ![TheCuse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thecuse/32/2854_2.png) [@TheCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheCuse)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canned-food-drives-are-bullshit/843783/65 "2019-11-22T12:24:23Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > I actually prefer unsalted nuts. > > And if you prefer them salted… well, you can actually _add_ salt to them. And they don’t taste the same. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canned-food-drives-are-bullshit/843783/66 "2019-11-22T14:25:53Z")
> [@slash2k](#): > > Cheap canned veggies are notoriously high in salt. I take it you have no experience with people who would rather eat salty food than go hungry. Figures. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canned-food-drives-are-bullshit/843783/67 "2019-11-22T14:27:59Z")
> [@slash2k](#): > > People picking up food at the food pantry tend to want familiar food that they know how to cook and that they know their families will eat, while soup kitchens and other communal food service activities want large quantities of the same food so that they can prepare it in bulk, and preferably food for which they have tried-and-true bulk recipes. Not to be too bitchy, but the old saw “beggars can’t be choosers” literally applies in this situation. If someone donates sardines, then hand out sardines, and if someone doesn’t like it, they can suck it up, or do without. It seems amazingly arrogant to me for people patronizing food pantries and soup kitchens to turn their noses up at donated food. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canned-food-drives-are-bullshit/843783/68 "2019-11-22T15:54:08Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Not to be too bitchy, but the old saw “beggars can’t be choosers” literally applies in this situation. If someone donates sardines, then hand out sardines, and if someone doesn’t like it, they can suck it up, or do without. > > It seems amazingly arrogant to me for people patronizing food pantries and soup kitchens to turn their noses up at donated food. The homeless have the same food allergies/tolerances as those who are more fortunate. They require the same nutrients, and they most assuredly deserve the same respect. ---
**Author:** ![ZPG\_Zealot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e47c2d/32.png) [@ZPG\_Zealot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZPG_Zealot)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canned-food-drives-are-bullshit/843783/69 "2019-11-22T15:58:57Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > We have one of these food donation drives going on at work. There’s a list of stuff that’s acceptable to donate. It lists dutifully healthy stuff like low sodium soups and whole wheat pastas. > > One item caught my eye; unsalted nuts. > > Good god! Do these people know how vile unsalted nuts are? You can’t tell me that they aren’t trying to punish the poor. > > I’m contributing cans of tuna in water, but still. Unsalted nuts? That’s a call to Amnesty International, not a heathy snack. Speak for yourself only. Some of us love unsalted nuts and consider them a delicious healthy snack. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canned-food-drives-are-bullshit/843783/70 "2019-11-22T16:05:11Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > The homeless have the same food allergies/tolerances as those who are more fortunate. They require the same nutrients, and they most assuredly deserve the same respect. We can still donate muffin stumps though, right? ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canned-food-drives-are-bullshit/843783/71 "2019-11-22T16:09:54Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > The homeless have the same food allergies/tolerances as those who are more fortunate. They require the same nutrients, and they most assuredly deserve the same respect. There’s a world of difference between an honest-to-God food allergy or intolerance, and someone (or a food bank/pantry/soup kitchen) deciding that they’re going to turn their nose up at food because it’s not their personal preference. That’s what I’m getting at- if you’re in a position to be begging for food, you aren’t really in a position to bitch if they give you wheat bread instead of white, or sardines instead of tuna fish, or peanut butter instead of ham. You should be grateful,not picky. ---
**Author:** ![slash2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@slash2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slash2k)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canned-food-drives-are-bullshit/843783/72 "2019-11-22T16:12:19Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > I take it you have no experience with people who would rather eat salty food than go hungry. Figures. I do, however, have experience with people for whom consuming large quantities of salt is dangerous to their health, both long-term and immediate. Excessive salt, for example, can essentially negate the effects of certain prescription medications; if you are on diuretics for congestive heart failure, would you rather go hungry or risk landing in the hospital? If you are a charity handing out food to people with health problems, would you knowingly feed them something that increases the risk they’ll land in the hospital? (I’ll also point out that being poor enough to need charity food and landing in the hospital is its own special brand of hell.) > [@bump](#): > > Not to be too bitchy, but the old saw “beggars can’t be choosers” literally applies in this situation. If someone donates sardines, then hand out sardines, and if someone doesn’t like it, they can suck it up, or do without. > > It seems amazingly arrogant to me for people patronizing food pantries and soup kitchens to turn their noses up at donated food. It seems amazingly arrogant to me that you expect people to gobble whatever scraps get tossed out, even if they don’t like, can’t eat, or have no idea what to do with the food. What’s a recipe that uses sardines, for example? If you’ve never had sardines, can you make sardine casserole the way you make tuna casserole? Will your kids eat it, or will they cry and whimper because they’re hungry and gag on the taste? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canned-food-drives-are-bullshit/843783/73 "2019-11-22T16:18:49Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > We can still donate muffin stumps though, right? Why the fuck not-the local “healthy alternate” store donates broken cookies, unsealed juice bottles, bread heels and stale bagels. To keep our Oregon Food Bank certification we have to accept these “donations” to show that we are actively seeking outside sources. Those rat bastards donate Valentines Day cards way after Valentines Day just to clear their shelves. Do you want to hear how they “donate” bread? They dump all their stale and broken bread into large leaf bags and toss it into a large bin all week. At the end of the week we are required to take the entire contents of that bin(if we don’t take everything donated they tell the food bank that we aren’t cooperating and we lose accreditation), take it back to the pantry, see what is salvageable and bag it. The rest goes into the recycle bin with all the other donated garbage. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canned-food-drives-are-bullshit/843783/74 "2019-11-22T16:30:16Z")
Apparently food banks have two separate models of operation: standardized boxes (where the individual might get the sardines–which he then throws away) or client choice where the individual selects what he wants (often subject to limitations so he can only pick out two items from a particular category). [https://www.endhungerinamerica.org/publications/charity-food-programs-that-can-end-hunger-in-america/chapter-nine-reduce-waste-and-humiliation-let-clients-assemble-their-own-food-boxes/](https://www.endhungerinamerica.org/publications/charity-food-programs-that-can-end-hunger-in-america/chapter-nine-reduce-waste-and-humiliation-let-clients-assemble-their-own-food-boxes/) > **[Implementing a client choice food pantry model](https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/implementing_a_client_choice_food_pantry_model)** > > The Bread of Life Pantry in Baldwin, Michigan will be opening as a client choice pantry with support from MSU Extension and a USDA Voices for food grant. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canned-food-drives-are-bullshit/843783/75 "2019-11-22T16:33:07Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > Apparently food banks have two separate models of operation: standardized boxes (where the individual might get the sardines–which he then throws away) or client choice where the individual selects what he wants (often subject to limitations so he can only pick out two items from a particular category). > [Chapter Nine: Reduce Waste and Humiliation—Let Clients Assemble Their Own Food Boxes | End Hunger in America](https://www.endhungerinamerica.org/publications/charity-food-programs-that-can-end-hunger-in-america/chapter-nine-reduce-waste-and-humiliation-let-clients-assemble-their-own-food-boxes/) > [Implementing a client choice food pantry model - MSU Extension](https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/implementing_a_client_choice_food_pantry_model) My food pantry lets their clients go shopping. How much from each shelf depends on the number of people they are shopping for, designated by a colored clothes pin clipped to their shopping cart. ---
**Author:** ![Mallard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Mallard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mallard)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canned-food-drives-are-bullshit/843783/76 "2019-11-22T16:36:58Z")
We’re in the middle of gathering food at my workplace for the food bank. We have simply advertised to the workers what items the bank feels they need. They have not asked for cash. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canned-food-drives-are-bullshit/843783/77 "2019-11-22T16:48:25Z")
Having participated in a few drives for relief efforts, I can say that you would be amazed at what some people consider ‘donations’. For some people, it is an excuse to get rid of expired products (or outright trash) and make them feel good about themselves. The OP is correct. Money donations are better. _Always._ Can donations means someone has to sort out the expired products and the items that are not going to much good. (like cans of pumpkin puree and artichoke hearts), transport and store. All of which takes more time, effort and money Check out this from [Adam Ruins Everything](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbYInILDj6Q) ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canned-food-drives-are-bullshit/843783/78 "2019-11-22T17:02:19Z")
What I want to know is what I’m supposed to do with all the canned pumpkin my wife bought five years ago if I can’t donate it to a food drive? Same with all the leftover cranberry sauce next Spring? I’m not going.to eat that shit. And I found some stale taco shells–these people are supposed to be poor, right? It’s good enough for poor people, and if they want fresh food they should get a GD job! 😉 On a more humane note, my church figures SNAP will cover people’s food needs but it doesn’t cover toiletries or cleaning stuff so we collect them and open our pantry once a month, but if you have a job interview or whatevs they’ll open it for you. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canned-food-drives-are-bullshit/843783/79 "2019-11-22T17:13:12Z")
> [@slash2k](#): > > It seems amazingly arrogant to me that you expect people to gobble whatever scraps get tossed out, even if they don’t like, can’t eat, or have no idea what to do with the food. What’s a recipe that uses sardines, for example? If you’ve never had sardines, can you make sardine casserole the way you make tuna casserole? Will your kids eat it, or will they cry and whimper because they’re hungry and gag on the taste? I’m not saying that it’s ok to give expired, out of date, stale, spoiled, etc… food, just to be clear. But if someone donates a shitload of canned green beans or some other staple food like spaghetti or beans or something, it’s damned arrogant of a food pantry or hungry person to turn their nose up at them because they don’t fit into their cute little idea of what they want to eat or serve today. It’s not incumbent on me to donate food according to what tastes good to them, or at all. They’re the ones hat-in-hand here. This is just like homeless beggars griping that you didn’t give them ENOUGH change. If you tell people that they donated the wrong thing or that their donations are unwelcome too many times, they’re just not going to donate anything at all, which I suspect is not what you’re looking to have happen. It’s counterproductive and leads to the idea that if someone’s choosy enough to refuse sardines, then they’re not really hungry in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canned-food-drives-are-bullshit/843783/80 "2019-11-22T17:20:28Z")
> [@bump](#): > > I’m not saying that it’s ok to give expired, out of date, stale, spoiled, etc… food, just to be clear. But if someone donates a shitload of canned green beans or some other staple food like spaghetti or beans or something, it’s damned arrogant of a food pantry or hungry person to turn their nose up at them because they don’t fit into their cute little idea of what they want to eat or serve today. No food pantry does this that I know of, but I guess it is easier to address imaginary problems instead of the very real ones being discussed in this thread. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canned-food-drives-are-bullshit/843783.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canned-food-drives-are-bullshit/843783.md?page=5)