When I got to Foodbank I was given the task of preparing a 5 person crate for 2 adults and 3 children.

The tricky bit was taking out all the tins and other foodstuff to check if they were dairy free and ensure they didn’t contain sugar. This meant swapping creamy mushroom and tomato soup for vegetable soups, replacing baked beans with healthy red beans, and swapping white pasta and rice for brown. Barley, chick peas, and spaghetti were added to complement the diet. Quinoa milk was added as a breakfast substitute with oats, and a box of coco pops for the teenage children.

The crisps weren’t suitable either for those with a milk allergy, and the fruit and nut bars were removed too. Struggling to find a snack alternative I added some cheese crackers.

Then the box was added to those already prepared by other volunteers for tomorrow’s collection. The remaining stray tins of soup, beans, tomatoes, rice, pasta and other food were tidied away in storage.

See you soon.