Food aid recipients explain why food ends up in the bin

Some recipients of food aid in Finland are dissatisfied with the contents of their food parcels, saying they receive items they cannot use, according to a survey by Yle.

Nearly 300 people responded to Yle’s online query about their experiences with food aid. While many were satisfied, some reported receiving expired or unusable products that ended up in the bin.

One recipient in Kempele said powdered milk and broken jars of pickles had to be discarded, as the milk did not taste right and the pickle brine had ruined other unpackaged items in the parcel.

Ville-Veikko Honkala from Seinäjoki, who rarely uses food aid, said the parcels often contained expensive items he would never buy, as well as overripe bananas and tomatoes past their use-by date.

Katja Kohtala from Kauhajoen called for more practical items, noting that parcels sometimes included single pieces of fruit or vegetables, expired school leftovers, or ingredients like chili paste that could not be turned into a meal.

A recipient in Nummela criticised the lack of flexibility in parcel contents, which did not account for family size. One parcel contained a single portion of minced meat, a salad, two tomatoes, and a packet of biscuits—insufficient for a family of four.

Not all experiences were negative. One Seinäjoki resident, generally satisfied with the aid, said they shared unwanted items like sausage or dry bread with friends. They suggested allowing recipients to choose their own items to reduce waste.

Some recipients spoke anonymously due to the sensitive nature of the topic. Yle verified the identities of all interviewed individuals.