According to Feeding America (feedingamerica.org), food insecurity is everywhere. “People face hunger every day in every county and congressional district in Kansas. They could be neighbors, kids in our children’s classes – the possibilities go on.”

Visiting the Community Food Bank of Barton County last week, we saw people lined up waiting for service. During COVID the food bank moved to a drive-through service and they’ve continued to use that model because it works well. In addition to the cans of food inside, there was (somewhat) fresh produce outside. In Great Bend, Walmart and Dillons partner with Feeding America to provide these items to local food banks. This may not be the prettiest fruits and vegetables on the shelves, but it is still edible.

Ruth Behrens, who is on the food bank’s board, said one thing she’d like people to think of when they bring in nonperishable food is that even canned food does go bad. Most cans have a “best if used by” date. That’s not an expiration date but anything long after the printed date may be approaching the point of no return.

“Stop sending outdated food,” she advised. The food bank checks the dates – which occasionally go back to the 1990s – and 35-40% of them are beyond the “best” use date.

The Community Food Bank of Barton County is not government-funding, by the way. “We get $0 from any government entity,” Behrens said. That’s why local donations are import, year round.

A popular post on the internet offers some advice for anyone planning on helping families at a food bank this season. We checked with Behrens and got her take on some things on the list:

1. Everyone donates Mac and Cheese in the box. They can rarely use it because it needs milk and butter which is hard to get from regular food banks. (Behrens says our food bank does get some milk, and it is possible to make mac and cheese without butter or margarine.)

2. Boxed milk is a treasure, as kids need it for cereal which they also get a lot of.

3. Everyone donates pasta sauce and spaghetti noodles.

4. They cannot eat all the awesome canned veggies and soup unless you put a can opener in too or buy pop tops. (Pop tops are nice, but if someone is homeless and needs a hand-operated opener, the food bank can supply one, Behrens said.)

5. Oil is a luxury but needed for Rice a-Roni which they also get a lot of.

6. Spices or salt and pepper would be a real Christmas gift.

7. Tea bags and coffee make them feel like you care.

8. Sugar and flour are treats.

9. They fawn over fresh produce donated by farmers and grocery stores. (On the day we were there, they had plenty of pineapples and grapes. There was also some Christmas wrapping paper, and that went fast.) 

10. Seeds are cool in Spring and Summer because growing can be easy for some.

11. They rarely get fresh meat.

12. Tuna and crackers make a good lunch.

13. Hamburger Helper goes nowhere without ground beef.

14. They get lots of peanut butter and jelly but usually not sandwich bread.

15. Butter or margarine is nice too.

16. Eggs are a real commodity.

17. Cake mix and frosting makes it possible to make a child’s birthday cake.

18. Dishwashing detergent is very expensive and is always appreciated.

19. Feminine hygiene products are a luxury and women will cry over that.

20. Everyone loves Stove Top Stuffing.

“In all the years I have donated food at the Holidays, I bought what I thought they wanted but have never asked,” or so this internet post reads. “I am glad I did. If you are helping a Family this Christmas, maybe this can help you tailor it more. It does for me!”

Well, that’s some food for thought. We did ask and the main takeaway was give when you can, as you are able, and don’t forget to check the dates on those boxes and cans.

— Susan Thacker