IN came an almost new Halogen airfryer/oven and some Christmas stuff - an iced cake, brandy snaps, Christmas pud, 2 tins of gold coins and 2 boxes of party games/crackers. The games will be passed on but I'm happy to eat Christmas food in July
Just collected (OLIO) Sandwiches, potato salad, humous, 4 loaves of bread, pasta meal, ham & egg salad, garlic bread, sprouts.
Its been a good day for freebies.
IN came 3 bags of books - I've added one bag to the "read" piles in the book room and the other two, mostly sport and autobiographies, plus the Complete works of Shakespeare will probably end up on Morrisons Charity book stand.
Just collected some more OLIO food - sandwiches, taramasalata, salmon pate, shallots, carrots, baking potatoes, salad. That's a couple more days of FREE food.
OUT went a halogen oven without the heating element - so its really just a collection of spare parts and no good for cooking. It was snapped up so someone needs the bits.
OUT went some beans, cucumbers and courgettes and in exchange I've got a rooted cutting of Russian Sage (but no idea where to put it) and a jar of redcurrant jelly.
In came 3 dozen eggs. Out 1 1/2 dozen eggs
IN came 2 Sourdough loaves and I was offered 2 cucumbers and a big yellow courgette. Given my dearth of courgettes, how could I refuse?
I know I'm on a Rationing Diet which limits what I can eat but, tonight, I went to a Pop-up Pantry thing that costs £5 for whatever you have. All the food is donated by supermarkets etc. Thought I'd give it a try to see how it works. I expected a box of random bits and pieces that somebody else had picked........but I was wrong!
I had to keep choosing what I wanted in an either/or sort of way.
Do you want Milk or kefir; Clover spread or Port Salut cheese; lettuce, leeks or sweet potatoes; tonic water or orange squash, chapattis or sliced bread, plums, pineapple, grapefruit or tangerines, parsley, Vegetarian, vegan or meat (choose 2), rice or no rice, chocolate crepes or not, tinned tomatoes.
Some of these things can be ration fodder - I chose Milk, Clover, lettuce, chapattis, plums, tangerines, lettuce, sweet potatoes, tinned tomatoes, a kilo of rice, crepes, Three bean chilli and an 8 portion bag of KFC (probably worth £5 on its own), Apparently KFC and Nandos freeze unsold chicken and donate it to Food pantries like this one.
Its open to anyone who pays £5 but free food is given to anyone in need.
The charity that run this have been given space in a Fitness centre. Lots of super-fit young people passing by, making me feel incredibly old and fat.
Are you regretting the Ration regime now?
No, not at all. Most of the stuff will be OK - like the milk, Clover, the fruit & veg (even though the plums, tangerines and sweet potatoes were part of a shipment from abroad), the rice will go in the store cupboard, the chilli in the freezer and I don't eat chicken!
I did try one of those crepe last night but they were a bit ho-hum. I won't miss those.