ALT-1 The best Foods to Donate to a Thanksgiving Food Drive
Sadly, we are living in an age when there are more hungry people in the world than ever before. Although a lack of money or the ability to buy food is a problem at any time, people seem to feel the effects more intensely around the holidays, and beginning with Thanksgiving. Thankfully, there are organizations that sponsor food drives with the goal of helping people, and trying to ensure that while these people may not have a lot, they will still be able to put food on the table for a holiday when Americans gather together to celebrate the harvest and give thanks.
When trying to decide what sort of foods to give to a Thanksgiving food drive, think first about things that won't spoil and that have a reasonably long shelf life. You will want to provide food that is as nutritious as possible and that will also be filling.Here are some suggestions as to the best foods to donate to a Thanksgiving food drive -
- Squash -
Squash doesn't need refrigeration, and it is very much a part of the whole Thanksgiving spirit. Some varieties of squash actually improve with age, so by giving squash to a food drive, you will be providing people with a very nutritious fresh vegetable that will last for quite some time.
- Canned goods
You can give all sorts of canned foods. Canned vegetables are probably the most obvious, but there is also canned fruit, canned beans, canned soup, things like tomato sauce, canned tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken broth, canned chili, canned tuna, chicken, ham and salmon, all of which can be used in a variety of ways and will provide great nutrition, and they will keep for quite a long time.
- Rice and pasta -
Rice and pasta are also good things to give. Brown rice is probably better, but all sorts of rice are good options for a food drive. They can be used in many different ways, and will be useful for stretching things like meat.
- Beans-
Beans are a great source of protein, and they are cheap. When served with rice, you have a complete protein. Beans are filling, so when you are lacking in food in general, a cheap food like beans that provides you with some good, low fat nutrition, and the fact that it sticks to the ribs makes it even more ideal. There are packages of bean mixtures that can be used to make a delicious and inexpensive high protein soup. This soup is a good hearty fall or winter meal.
- Boxed foods -
Boxed foods can include anything from rice, cereal, oatmeal, tea bags, hot chocolate, jello, pudding, bread crumbs, pancake mix, Bisquick, flour, dried fruits, sugar, potatoes, stuffing, crackers, cookies, spices, baking powder, baking soda, cake, bread, brownie and other mixes and much more.
- Staples -
Everyone needs basic staples, and things like flour, sugar, oil, shortening, non-fat dry milk, coffee, tea, ketchup, mustard, salad dressings, canned things, onions, potatoes, tomato sauce, paste, pasta sauce, honey, syrup, nuts and other baking supplies will all be greatly appreciated.
- Shelf stable milk -
Shelf stable milk is another great option. Milk is healthy, people need it for cereal and in cooking, and for people who are really struggling, shelf stable milk is an affordable alternative to the real thing. With powdered milk, it can be made in varying quantities, while the boxed liquid has to be refrigerated after it is opened.
- Peanut butter-
Another good source of protein is peanut butter. Peanut butter can be eaten on bread as a sandwich for breakfast or any other meal. If you happen to have other things on hand such as apples or carrots, peanut butter is ideal to eat with any of those things. It is also a good source of protein, and provided you don't get the kind that is full of preservatives, it is some good basic nutrition.
- Bread goods -
Bread is another thing that people can use. It can be frozen to extend the life of the bread, or stale bread can be used to make breadcrumbs that can be used to make stuffing or used in all sorts of other ways. Look for whole grain breads because there is much more food value there. You can also give buns, dinner rolls, tortillas, whole grain wraps, English muffins, bagels and sandwich thins. Any of these things can be frozen so they can be kept longer.
When trying to think about foods to give to a Thanksgiving food drive, consider everything. You never know what someone may need, and when people are faced with hard times, as is the case for those who are the recipients of these generous contributions, they need everything and will appreciate whatever you choose to donate. Think of things that can be used in as many ways as possible, and especially think of the staples that people tend to take for granted. Those are the things that can make it possible to put a nice meal together. The holiday season is a difficult and painful time for people who are faced with adversity, and your generosity will mean a lot to them.
