The Grocery List Project: Week 5

To learn about this project, click here. This post is organized this way – the grocery lists, information & facts on food insecurity, resources, and anonymous general information about the people who submitted the lists published. Looking for ways to help out? Check with you local school district or houses of worship to see if they sponsor backpack or grocery bag programs. Check online for organizations such as food pantries, food banks, and soup kitchens that collect food in your area. A list of such organization is being compiled below and will be added to each week.

Shopper A is above, Shopper B below showing front and back of list

Helpful Hints when Donating to a Food Program:

*Remember that hamburger helper does not help if there is no meat. When donating peanut butter, also consider crackers or bread to go with it.

*Consider donating some pantry staples such as cooking oil, which is needed for a great deal of food preparation, as well as items like sugar, flour, spices, coffee & tea.

*In addition to food, items such as personal grooming products are also needed as well as things like dishwashing detergent. Make sure to donate full size items unless there is a particular reason the organization is looking for “hotel” or “sample” size items. It you are not sure, it is always ok to ask exactly what is needed.

*Food Banks are able to buy in bulk for very good prices so donations of money are always very useful, maybe even more useful than actual food. However, Food Pantries benefit from both actual food items and money. The difference between Food Banks and Food Pantries are as follows: Food Banks feed lots of people from a wide area, either directly or by supplying to soup kitchens and other community food programs. Food Pantries are locally based and address individuals’ needs in the immediate surrounding community. They are often located in churches, or social service agencies as part of larger missions. It is a good idea to check with your local Food Bank/Pantry to see what is most useful to them.

*When donating to backpack programs, choose canned items with pop off or peel off lids in case the recipient does not have or cannot use a can opener.

*When donating macaroni & cheese try to get the kind that is premixed so that no additional ingredients like milk, which may not be available, are needed.

Food Relief Programs:

Feeding America (National program)

National council on Aging Food Assistance Programs (National program)

Friends of Forgotten Children (New Hampshire)

Brookings County Food Pantry & other resources ( Eastern South Dakota)

Virginia Peninsula Food Bank (S.E. Virginia)

Cherry Hill Food Pantry (Camden County, New Jersey)

Jenkintown Food Cupboard (Montgomery County, Pennsylvania)

Beach Haven Food Pantries (Mid New Jersey Shore Area)

Harry Chapin Food Bank (Southwest Florida)

New Life Food Cupboard (Montgomery County, Pennsylvania)

Media Food Bank (Delaware County, Pennsylvania)

Cape May Community Food Closet (Cape May, New Jersey)

Northern Illinois Food Bank (Northern Illinois)

Hearts and Hands Food Pantry (Huntersville/Charlotte, North Carolina)

**Dialing 2-1-1 will connect a person with information on local services that provide assistance.

Info from this week’s shoppers:

About this week’s shoppers: One list represents a family of two semi-retired adults and the other, a family of three with one school age child. One family has one member that is a vegetarian. Both families enjoy experimenting with flavors from other cultures and fresh vegetables. One family sources many of its fresh foods from local markets, CSAs, and businesses that deliver “ugly” produce that might otherwise go to waste. Both families have changed the way they shop during the Pandemic. One participant was regularly participating in local cooking demonstrations at their local library which changed their taste and the way they shopped.