The Grocery List Project: Week 6

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.

Some of the crossed out items on this week’s lists include: (TOP LIST) brown rice, honey, ground beef, taco seasoning, sliced turkey, coffee creamer, milk, liquid hand soap refill, vegetables, sausage, pickles, mayo, corn chips, flour, sugar, cornmeal, canola oil, lettuce, tomato, eggs, bread, salsa, black beans, green onion, red onion, tomato paste, limes. (BOTTOM LIST) Milk, sticky buns, soap for office and soap for bathroom.

Helpful Hints when Donating to a Food Program:

*If you garden at home or with a group, consider sharing some of your crops with the local food pantry or soup kitchen.

*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)

Feeding NC (Serving parts of Mecklenburg, Rowan, and Iredell Counties, NC)

Food Pantries in the Coastville, PA area (Chester County, PA)

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

Info from this week’s shoppers:

Each list this week represents a household of two adults. One participant learned to cook from her mother who was a trained home economist. Both households tend to eat at home, especially since the Pandemic. One participant cooks large meals and freezes smaller portions. One participant is from the Philippines where food insecurity is widespread. One participant grew up in the age of “frozen food and Jello”. One participant shops for bargains, particularly of meat and then breaks down the package to smaller servings. Both participants have access to farmer’s markets.