Food insecurity is a huge issue plaguing families across the country. With poorly equipped resource programs and institutional failingsmany families rely on food banks to feed their families. In fact, according to research from Feeding Americaone in six people received charitable food assistance in 2023.
Fully aware of the importance of these programs, one mom on Reddit always donates to her daughter’s annual school food drive. This year, however, she was criticized by fellow parents for her donation choices.
A mom was told it’s ‘tacky’ to donate luxury food items like coffee syrup and BBQ sauce to her daughter’s school food drive.
“My daughter’s elementary school does a food drive around this time of year for local food banks,” the anonymous mom wrote on Reddit. “Every year I go through the pantry and donate anything I won’t use (or) bought too many of.”
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This year, she had several additional items from a raffle basket she won — salad dressings, BBQ sauce, wing sauces, and even big bottles of flavored syrups for coffee.
“I had planned to donate these as well until another school mom made a comment that it was tacky and out of touch since those are ‘luxuries’ and won’t help people who need actual food,” she wrote. “In no way would I want to come across as insulting or tone-deaf.”
As someone who utilized food banks in the past, the mom admitted she would have appreciated such luxury items.
“At one time when I was much younger, I was in a very bad place in life and frequently relied on food banks to survive,” the mom revealed. “I’m very fortunate now to be in a much better place in life and in a position to be able to help other people.”
Despite being the primary food source for nearly 49 million people across the country, the stigmas surrounding food drives and donations are impossible to ignore. Many, like this mom, admit to feeling embarrassed or ashamed about utilizing these resources.
“It was such a dark time for me and made me feel so ashamed and low,” she added. “If I had gotten something like a bottle of sauce or a coffee syrup to make a fancy coffee drink, that would have been such a special treat and added a little bright spot in such an awful situation.”
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Oftentimes, food drives are understandably focused on providing non-perishables and other cooking basics. Generally, they request canned foods, rice, pasta, peanut butter, and the like.
Still, that doesn’t mean so-called luxury items won’t be appreciated. Everyone deserves a treat, and those shopping at food banks are no different.
Food-insecure people can still enjoy ‘luxury’ food items.
Most people splurge on a fun yet “unnecessary” item while grocery shopping, at least occasionally. Those shopping at a food bank would likely appreciate the opportunity to do the same.
“Just having something more than bare necessities would have felt incredible,” the mom wrote of her time using food banks.
Frankly, it seems the parent who accused this mom of being “tone-deaf” is really the one who is “out of touch,” likely never having been in the situation herself.
“I think it says a lot about her that she thinks people who need to use food pantries don’t deserve nice things,” one commenter wrote. “(She) is worried that the ‘poors’ might be able to enjoy a meal, instead of merely surviving,” another added.
People experiencing poverty deserve to do more than just survive. They are allowed to have food that does more than fulfill a nutritional quota. They are allowed a little luxury. No one would be insulted by the presence of a coffee syrup at a food drive. More likely, they would be appreciative of the opportunity to pick up a “luxurious” sweet treat.
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“I still remember the time my family got cookies in a box from the food bank,” one commenter shared. “It’s been 30 years and I’m in a very different place in life, but I still think about what a treat that was.”
“Food banks can always use a little extra fun,” another Redditor stressed. “Those sauces could totally jazz up a meal. Every bit helps.”
There’s a strange and incredibly toxic stereotype continuously flooding class discussions that people in poverty should sacrifice any and all “luxuries” to simply survive. If a family in poverty treats themselves to anything beyond the basics, everyone suddenly plays the “blame game.”
Just because you have financial comfort doesn’t mean you’re any more entitled to tasty food and the simple joys of life.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a News & Entertainment Writer at YourTango who focuses on health & wellness, social policy, and human interest stories
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