10 Items to Put in the Little Free Food Pantry - and 5 to Avoid

Posted on Nov 01, 2023
With the holidays coming up, giving is top of mind. But as a Rotarian, you know we give year-round! Our Little Free Food Pantry in Marion is one of our long-running projects. It’s three little shelves seem simple enough, but what we and other donors put inside means someone in our community isn’t going hungry for the night.
 

 

With that responsibility and honor in mind, here are 10 things recipients look for in the pantry and 5 things to please avoid.

  1. Pads, tampons, and pantyliners
  2. Diapers
  3. Toothbrushes and toothpaste
  4. Canned soup with pull-tops (or bagged dry soup that just needs water)
  5. Canned vegetables and fruit with pull-tops
  6. Canned proteins (tuna, beans, lentils)
  7. Ready-to-make meal kits that require water only, like EZ Mac and Stovetop Stuffing
  8. Hearty produce that won’t freeze, like apples
  9. Spices, like salt, pepper, or minced onion
  10. Pasta and canned sauce
  1. Glass containers – they could shatter
  2. Canned items that don’t have a pull-top (many unhoused folks don’t have a can-opener)
  3. Perishable liquids, like milk
  4. Spoiled or expired foods
  5. Opened foods