Food Bank Must Haves

Most food banks decide how much food you will receive by the number of people in your household. Building a menu from the items you receive is a little hard, but through these suggestions, you might find some ideas you didn't think of. When you have a choice of food pantry items, these are must haves.

* Get plenty of canned vegetables - these are great as a side dish or for making a vegetable soup
* Any type of soups - these can be used for lunch or dinner, and most kids don't mind soups
* Peanut Butter and 'Jelly if they have it' - a great item for lunches and snacks in between meals
* Flour, biscuit mix, muffin mix, and/or pancake mix - you can make bread out of the flour, use the muffins for a sweet snack, and pancake mix for breakfast.
* Tomato Paste and or sauce - these you can either make your own spaghetti sauce with or put in a homemade vegetable soup
* Pasta, any style available - try making homemade mac and cheese, buttered noodles or homemade pasta soups
* Cereal - you can always add sugar and is great for breakfast or a snack between meals

If they don't offer any meats or breads, ask if there is any available, you might get fortunate to receive some. Some area stores get rid of their meats, because they can't store it any more. Most meats are and have been frozen. Breads get let go, because the store gets a regular shipment, and what's left over can go out the door. City residents and fresh farm markets donate fruits and vegetables, especially when there is too much, no one is buying, and they have only a couple days left until they need pitched.

Although Food Banks are not meant to furnish food for more than a few days, if you must use more than one a week, this is a great list to go by when requesting a food order. Do not be afraid to ask for any thing you are in need of. Some Pantries also offer household supplies, such as toilet paper, tooth paste, and laundry soap. Others may offer children entertainment supplies, such as glue, markers, and crayons.