Is gluten free cous cous a 'clean' food?

QuietBloom

Having worked with and used food banks in the past, it's better to toss the sodas and cookies in the trash.

So, for someone that hasn't got enough food, why is 'soda' (presuming not a sugar free one - that could be bad if it filled them up without providing energy) or cookies a bad idea?

Food banks prefer to have more nutritionally dense foods available for those who cannot afford to go to the grocery store. *shrug*

geebusuk

As far as macro-nutrients go, cookies are excellent then.
To get the same amount of energy from a bag of 5 cookies weighing maybe 1/2lb at a guess, from onions you would need around 6-7lb. So 12x by weight and even more by volume. So, if you need more energy, the cookies would be a much better bet.

There's not as many calories in soda as fruit juice, slightly less than skimmed milk, much less than other milks.

QuietBloom

As far as macro-nutrients go, cookies are excellent then.
To get the same amount of energy from a bag of 5 cookies weighing maybe 1/2lb at a guess, from onions you would need around 6-7lb. So 12x by weight and even more by volume. So, if you need more energy, the cookies would be a much better bet.

There's not as many calories in soda as fruit juice, slightly less than skimmed milk, much less than other milks.

:huh: What part of 'nutritionally dense' did you not understand? I'm not just talking about calories. LOL

Soda and cookies will meet your energy needs, sure. But they don't go far towards supplying vitamins, minerals, proteins or healthy fats. Did I enjoy the cookies I got from the food bank? I sure did. But it was the canned soups, dried beans and sorta fresh produce that I was really grateful for. Just because you are poor doesn't mean you should have to eat people's cookies and shut up.

geebusuk

You will note in the text that you have quoted that I was careful to specify maro-nutrients.
As it goes, I expect cookies will have more MICRO nutrients than cous-cous too.

From what I know, the food banks in the UK give out a package containing a variety of foods. They do actually usually try and include some biscuits or similar if they can.
You can get all the micronutrients you need from a relative small amount of calories. So energy-dense foods would certainly make sense for people that don't have enough to eat.

I don't see any reason to chuck cookies away as opposed to giving to a food bank. Seems like as much of a waste as the cous-cous likely more because they can easily get big stocks of cheap rice and the like I would hope (40p/kg in the supermarkets here), but cookies less so.
Further, if someone coming to a foodbank likes soda, why not let them have some rather than it being thrown away?

QuietBloom

You will note in the text that you have quoted that I was careful to specify maro-nutrients.
As it goes, I expect cookies will have more MICRO nutrients than cous-cous too.

From what I know, the food banks in the UK give out a package containing a variety of foods. They do actually usually try and include some biscuits or similar if they can.
You can get all the micronutrients you need from a relative small amount of calories. So energy-dense foods would certainly make sense for people that don't have enough to eat.

I don't see any reason to chuck cookies away as opposed to giving to a food bank. Seems like as much of a waste as the cous-cous likely more because they can easily get big stocks of cheap rice and the like I would hope (40p/kg in the supermarkets here), but cookies less so.
Further, if someone coming to a foodbank likes soda, why not let them have some rather than it being thrown away?

In the US, it is more like grocery shopping, as you can pick out what you would like. However, it is on a first come, first serve basis, and you have to take a number and wait in line. Food banks would rather people donate basic type foods rather than 'treat' type foods. That way they will have more things of higher nutrient value to offer people using the food banks. The produce, cans of soup, cereal, etc go really fast so they always need more of those items, hence they specify and ask for those types of items from their donors. As a matter of fact, I NEVER saw soda available at the food bank. I'm pretty sure they don't accept it.

geebusuk

Again, I'd suggest micro-nutrients in the cookies would be higher than in the cous-cous.

Kinda sad if they turn down pretty much any food that someone who doesn't have any might appreciate, presuming it's not going to go off etc.
Especially if people get to choose their own food.

QuietBloom

Again, I'd suggest micro-nutrients in the cookies would be higher than in the cous-cous.

Kinda sad if they turn down pretty much any food that someone who doesn't have any might appreciate, presuming it's not going to go off etc.
Especially if people get to choose their own food.

Don't be sad. I already said they accept cookies in the US. Just not soda.