There’s enough sugar and acid to keep safely at room temp for quite a while.
Some of the items that we put in weekend “backpack” bags at one of the food pantries where I volunteer are individually sized canned spaghetti/beefaroni/ravioli, single serving boxes of cereal, shelf stable packaged milk, oatmeal packets, fruit and pudding cups, sandwich crackers (aka “nabs”) and juice boxes.
Most of this is fairly high calorie food, while not necessarily the optimum in nutrition, it will provide fuel for work or play.
My work does this. Fresh fruit every week at the staff meeting, always with lots left over. There was a concern that some of the casual staff, with low pay and minimal resources, might have had scurvy.
In calorie/dollar terms, peanut butter is right up near the top of the list. Oats (which can be cooked in the microwave) are even better.
Chef Boyardee cans with the pop top are less than $1 each. Get a stack of disposable paper bowls and plastic spoons.
There are also a number of different things like the Hormel Completes - I keep a number of things like that in my bottom desk drawer in case I forget to bring my lunch and don’t feel like going out. The brand escapes me, but there are plastic pouches containing rice based dishes. Finally there are a number of pasta meals (including kraft mac and cheese) that are “just add water and microwave”
I think what you’re doing is great, but what about partnering with local churches and charities - give the new employees info on local food pantries where they can get free food. It might actually help more as some may not want to be seen using the “free food cabinet” out of pride, but a food pantry gives more anonymity.
People at my office sometimes leave baked surplus goods, Girl Scout Cookies without ever getting hauled into court. Sometimes there are organized potlucks and whatnot with tons of leftover food (Super Bowl week, ugh) and we have some spare clamshell containers if people want to take it home.
I’m not suggesting feeding people leftover Halloween candy, but if you & your welcome wagon decided to hold a frivolous potluck meal coincidentally whenever new hires come on board, who would criticize that?
[QUOTE=Casey1505]
I guess none of them have friends or family so it somehow becomes the strangers at work’s responsibility to provide for these people?
[/quote]
Yes, in this world, there are people who don’t have friends or family. Or worse, they do have family who depend on them to put food on the table.
Just wanted to drop back in here and say thanks to everyone who offered some suggestions.
I’ve only been able to shop locally so far, but some rice crispies treats have gone over well (all individually wrapped), as have the cup ramen soups. Tomorrow, I should be able to get to a real grocery store, so I should be able to pick up some of the better stuff that was mentioned here.