Food bank to make videos on how to stretch your shopping as food costs soar

A FOOD bank is launching a series of videos to help show people how to make their shopping stretch as costs continue to spiral upwards

The Meath Food Bank has teamed up with a qualified chef in an effort to make 'a buck last longer' and save on both food and fuel costs.

The videos are being filmed as the food bank itself struggles to keep food on its shelves and keep up with increasing demand for hampers from all walks of life throughout the county.

Chef Carlos Valenca who is also a volunteer at the six year old charity aims to show people how one pot can be made into three different healthy dinners, according to food bank founder Ashling Lowe.

"At the minute, the Food Bank is almost empty and we normally have a surplus," she said.

"We are spending up to €700 a week and that would have normally stretched into a third week. Everything has gone up, especially baby food. The price of baby food now gives me head wobbles.

"Carlos came up with the idea of showing people how to make the most of their food, without any leftovers. He will do a shopping list of ingredients which will be around €10 and will hopefully be enough to feed a family of four for three days.

"For example, a bit of mince can be turned from a spaghetti bolognese to a cottage pie and lasagne on the third day.

"If people cook a few meals at the one time, they save on using the oven and so on electricity or gas. Most foods can also be frozen so they don't go to waste.

"The list of ingredients and recipes by Carlos will be put into the hampers we deliver to people. Anyone who doesn't need a hamper can also use the recipes themselves at home to save some pennies.

"We are trying to stretch food out as much as we can but to be honest with the price increases, even I can't stretch to the tale of the loaves and fishes.

"Everyone is feeling the pinch and the calls asking for help just keep coming from all across the country and even little places I never heard of . I nearly feel like a stranger in my own county because I have to look at the map to find some of the homes.

"People are sitting in the dark or going to bed wearing hats to keep warm. People are being hammered by these increases.

The Navan-based service has helped over 3500 people over the pandemic but Ashling believes the squeeze is getting tighter for a lot of people - including themselves.

"At the minute our freezers are empty and we have empty shelves. I will never refuse anyone help but our hampers will be getting smaller and delivered less often and I'm afraid that's just the fact of the matter.

"All other food banks are struggling too and I'd ask anyone giving to charity to spread their donations to a few charities instead of just giving to one. I've always tried to shop local for bits and bobs too personally and people are so good - the small businesses are the very ones to throw me a few bob or a few tins of beans or biscuits for the food bank every now and then.

"It's sink or swim for a lot of people out there at the minute so I hope these videos will be life buoys to even a few."

The Meath Food Bank hope to post the videos in the coming weeks on their Facebook page.